1999 Jimmy does not start

[Jimmy_girl]

Hi everyone,

I could really use some advise!! I am terrified of getting taken for a ride and would like a little bit of background before I take my Jimmy in for a repair.

I own a 1999 Jimmy SLE. Last winter it bagan to act up (keep in mind this is a Saskatchewan story, so winters are LONG

One morning it did not start, it just made a steady "clicking" when I turned the key. I assumed there was something wrong with the starter and called a tow truck. He gave me a boost and I was able to drive to the mechanic. He checked everything, and the only thing that was showing trouble was the alternator, so it was replaced.

Within days it happened again. This time I replaced the battery. I happened again, and I replaced the positive and negative battery cables. It continued to happen, but my repair fund was drained at this point. So, I would put a battery charger on it for the night and it would work again for a few days.

As soon as spring came, it stopped. I did not have a problem at all for months. Then fall came. The first night it froze ( 0 C or 32 F ) my truck would not start the next morning. We gave it a boost and it has been fine since, then today it happened again (today it is -1C or 30F) . I am VERY frustrated and do not know what to do to repair this.

Here is a rundown of what happens:
- it must be below freezing
- battery seems "drained"
- when key is turned, it just "clicks"
- when it is boosted or charged: the clock resets itself and the back access window pops open??
- once boosted or charged, as long as I drive for a while before turning the engine off, the battery seems to hold its charge for a few days
- putting the battery charger on it for an hour or two also seems to get it running again

I have already replaced the following:
- alternator
- battery
- positive and negative battery cable connections

PLEASE help me!! I am very frustrated and have a brand new baby!! I can't afford to make excessive repairs or have an unreliable vehicle this winter. Thank you all so very much!!

Amy (from long winter Saskatchewan)

[lester_26]

I had a similar problem with a Saturn. My problem turned out to be the automatic seat belt had a short and would continually drain the battery.

Sounds like you have a short somewhere, draining yer battery. I've had my alternator and battery go, all those symptons sound normal with the exception of the back window popping open. Perhaps this is a start in checking if you have a short.

LESTER

[BlazerLT]

Have your battery and alternator load tested again.

Just because they are new doesn't mean they weren't defective from the start.

[JackDaniels386]

It sounds to me like its your battery. Battery amp capacity is rated to work normally around 22 degrees Celcius, and loses 50% of its amp capacity at -22 degrees celcius. I don't know how cold it gets over there, but here where i live its not unusual to wake up on a very cold morning and have the battery drained because of the cold temperature. You could try buying a battery with the most Cold cranking amps you could find, and that might help your situation.

[Ian97]

Jimmy_girl (or anyone else that can help), any luck getting your problem fixed? My dad is having the exact same problem that you were, he's replaced about 4 batteries because the mechanics keep telling him its a bad battery. He has a 96 jimmy, 4x4, he's at wits end and is ready to get rid of the truck.

Can anyone help out here?

Thanks,

-Ian97

[rlith]

I really think you need to go back to the starter issue if the alt and the bat are ok..

[BlazerLT]

Originally Posted by rlith

I really think you need to go back to the starter issue if the alt and the bat are ok..

You are probably right, but I just don't trust Autozone for testing.

Seen a couple of times when they tested something as good when it was shot.

[Ian97]

Ok, I think we have found what the problem is. I had a similar problem on my 87 corvette several years ago. The belt tensioner on my dad's truck was shot, very loose, wasn't tightening the belt the way it should. The battery and alternator tested fine when the truck was idling, but as load was put on, driving, the ac on, radio on, etc, the belt wasn't tight enough. Not sure why I didn't catch the problem sooner, as I said, I had the same problem on my vet. So, if you are experiencing a similar problem, check the belt tensioner......

-Ian97

[rlith]

Jimmy_girl, any luck on the issue?

[blazee]

I hope so...that was 5 months ago.

[Prince_Chowmein]

Originally Posted by Jimmy_girl

Hi everyone,

I could really use some advise!! I am terrified of getting taken for a ride and would like a little bit of background before I take my Jimmy in for a repair.

I own a 1999 Jimmy SLE. Last winter it bagan to act up (keep in mind this is a Saskatchewan story, so winters are LONG

One morning it did not start, it just made a steady "clicking" when I turned the key. I assumed there was something wrong with the starter and called a tow truck. He gave me a boost and I was able to drive to the mechanic. He checked everything, and the only thing that was showing trouble was the alternator, so it was replaced.

Within days it happened again. This time I replaced the battery. I happened again, and I replaced the positive and negative battery cables. It continued to happen, but my repair fund was drained at this point. So, I would put a battery charger on it for the night and it would work again for a few days.

As soon as spring came, it stopped. I did not have a problem at all for months. Then fall came. The first night it froze ( 0 C or 32 F ) my truck would not start the next morning. We gave it a boost and it has been fine since, then today it happened again (today it is -1C or 30F) . I am VERY frustrated and do not know what to do to repair this.

Here is a rundown of what happens:
- it must be below freezing
- battery seems "drained"
- when key is turned, it just "clicks"
- when it is boosted or charged: the clock resets itself and the back access window pops open??
- once boosted or charged, as long as I drive for a while before turning the engine off, the battery seems to hold its charge for a few days
- putting the battery charger on it for an hour or two also seems to get it running again

I have already replaced the following:
- alternator
- battery
- positive and negative battery cable connections

PLEASE help me!! I am very frustrated and have a brand new baby!! I can't afford to make excessive repairs or have an unreliable vehicle this winter. Thank you all so very much!!

Amy (from long winter Saskatchewan)

*****
Hello, Amy, Eh!
I had a similar problem, and, as weird as it sounds, changing the coolant (dumping the Dexcool) in favor of the old green coolant fixed the problem.

Dexcool breaks down into fishy-smelling amine compounds that apparently create electrical shorts between sensors and ground, draining your battery. Your symptoms point to a dead battery via battery drain.

My personal theory is that the amine compounds create a short to ground via sensor(s) because amines electrochemically activate copper, aluminum, and steel for electron exchange. Sensors are made exactly of those, and have a superimposed electrical flow (600 Amp-hour of electromotive potential, in the form of a battery) on top of that.

Suffice it to say, ever since I dumped the Dexcool in favor of the old green coolant, I haven't had a low battery starting problem.

An easy test is to disconnect your battery ground. If it sparks when you touch it to the battery, you have a short.

Before dumping the Dexcool, it sparked. After dumping it, flushing, and changing over to green stuff, it didn't.

I discovered this quite by accident, although my local mechanic knew about a voltage differential when you measure the voltage between the coolant and ground. Hence, my personal theory.



-The Prince

93 Corvette, Nitto P555 Street Drag Radials. "300 Horses, No waiting."

99 Jimmy SLE S-15, Black and Pewter, Vortec V6, Cold Air Intake, Bose, and exhaust upgrades in-work. Target:250 horses and better handling.