NEED HELP 05 trailblazer crank wont start... Help

Sujey

Original poster
Member
Dec 18, 2020
3
Ca
Really losing my mind. Everything with truck had been fine. I noticed one morning that it didn't start up as usual like the battery was low but it wasn't all the time. Within a few days I would have to use a jump starter to get it going. I decided to have the battery tested since that would be the easiest and least expensive. Battery wasn't good so purchased another. That was good For like a week. One day pulled in to driveway to pick something up turned truck on like normal but didn't even get to d rivet out when everything shuts off and key wasd stick in on position. Finally took key out but would stay in on position. Got some help , bought another battery, replaced fuses and relays, starter, switch and still nothing... anyone with same situation? Im lost. Should I spend more money?
 

mrrsm

Lifetime VIP Donor
Supporting Donor
Member
Oct 22, 2015
7,639
Tampa Bay Area
Welcome to GMT Nation...

The symptoms you describe have several possible causes as follows:

(1) Bad Alternator: Basically, The Alternator takes power from the Engine via the Serpentine Belt and generates around 14.5 Volts of Direct Current which feeds into the 12 Volt Battery (Behaving Just like a Lactated Ringer's Bag necessary to re-hydrate your 'NPO' Patients). However, if the Alternator has a Bad AC to DC Rectifier and cannot "Re-Fill" the Battery constantly with renewed Electrical Energy... the Battery will have to Bear the Burden and even if it is Brand New, without being constantly "Re-Filled", then the New Battery will Lose enough Electrical Charge to be Unable to Power the PCM and all of the Electrical Needs of the vehicle.

Once the Power Level of the New Battery drops below that Critical Voltage...The Engine Dies and then the Key removal from the Ignition Lock Work inside of the Steering Column becomes impossible without enough Electric Power to allow the Safety Switch Solenoid to function just after you step on the Brake Pedal and then make certain the Shifter handle is either in the Park or the Neutral Position. If you can get your Vehicle "Jump Started"...AutoZone can run an "Alternator and Battery Stress-Load Test" for FREE and determine if the Alternator really is the Problem. THIS is a component that deserves to have a High Quality Alternator as its Replacement.

There are Multiple Threads here addressing How to Diagnose these problems and Step By Step Instructions on How to Replace the Alternator.

(2) Parasitic Draw: This event occurs whenever the vehicle sits for an extended length of time (perhaps even overnight) without the Engine Running and there is a Short Circuit somewhere in the Electrical System that Drains Down the Battery... even when the Ignition is Turned OFF. This can also occur whenever certain Modules in the Vehicle "Fail to Go To Sleep" and Draw Battery Energy above the level expected for a Normal Daily battery Drain Down. The Diagnostics here are straightforward... but a bit Technical for setting up the DMM (Digital Multi-Meter) and using a Lighted Test Probe (Scope On A Rope) as the requisite Test Tools needed for this Diagnosis. Physically Testing and Probing all of the various Fuse Panels and Relays is necessary to chase down this problem.


(3) Bad Ignition Switch: Even though I mention this component close to Last... A Bad or Incorrectly Replaced Ignition Switch Will NOT Turn Off Power and can keep Draining Battery DC Current even if the Ignition Switch is Turned Off. Other Members can offer their advice too on what to choose as a proper replacement and the care required to align the White Nylon Teeth of the inner body of the Ignition Switch perfectly with the Ignition Key Tumbler it mates into once it gets plugged back into the underside of the Steering Column.

(4) Weak Serpentine Belt Tensioner: Having a Bad Serpentine Belt and Bad Belt Tensioner may contribute to the Alternator not being turned with enough "Ooomph" to generate Electricity and Re-Charge The Battery... and while not an absolute CAUSE here... it is contributory to the problem.

[Mod edit: This post has been edited to comply with posting rules]
 
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TollKeeper

Supporting Donor
Member
Dec 3, 2011
8,047
Brighton, CO
Im also on the Alternator bandwagon on this one. If it was running, and you shut it off, and thats when the key got stuck, its either the battery, which you already had replaced, or the alternator isnt charging the system. Maybe it has volts, but no amps, or something to that effect. Pull the alternator, and get it tested.

It could also be the Big3 Grounding cables. I know that its a thing, but have never had the issue, so I cant tell you what to check, or how to replace.
 
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Sujey

Original poster
Member
Dec 18, 2020
3
Ca
Welcome to GMT Nation...

The symptoms you describe have several possible causes as follows:

(1) Bad Alternator: Basically, The Alternator takes power from the Engine via the Serpentine Belt and generates around 14.5 Volts of Direct Current which feeds into the 12 Volt Battery (Behaving Just like a Lactated Ringer's Bag necessary to re-hydrate your 'NPO' Patients). However, if the Alternator has a Bad AC to DC Rectifier and cannot "Re-Fill" the Battery constantly with renewed Electrical Energy... the Battery will have to Bear the Burden and even if it is Brand New, without being constantly "Re-Filled", then the New Battery will Lose enough Electrical Charge to be Unable to Power the PCM and all of the Electrical Needs of the vehicle.

Once the Power Level of the New Battery drops below that Critical Voltage...The Engine Dies and then the Key removal from the Ignition Lock Work inside of the Steering Column becomes impossible without enough Electric Power to allow the Safety Switch Solenoid to function just after you step on the Brake Pedal and then make certain the Shifter handle is either in the Park or the Neutral Position. If you can get your Vehicle "Jump Started"...AutoZone can run an "Alternator and Battery Stress-Load Test" for FREE and determine if the Alternator really is the Problem. THIS is a component that deserves to have a High Quality Alternator as its Replacement.

There are Multiple Threads here addressing How to Diagnose these problems and Step By Step Instructions on How to Replace the Alternator.

(2) Parasitic Draw: This event occurs whenever the vehicle sits for an extended length of time (perhaps even overnight) without the Engine Running and there is a Short Circuit somewhere in the Electrical System that Drains Down the Battery... even when the Ignition is Turned OFF. This can also occur whenever certain Modules in the Vehicle "Fail to Go To Sleep" and Draw Battery Energy above the level expected for a Normal Daily battery Drain Down. The Diagnostics here are straightforward... but a bit Technical for setting up the DMM (Digital Multi-Meter) and using a Lighted Test Probe (Scope On A Rope) as the requisite Test Tools needed for this Diagnosis. Physically Testing and Probing all of the various Fuse Panels and Relays is necessary to chase down this problem.


(3) Bad Ignition Switch: Even though I mention this component close to Last... A Bad or Incorrectly Replaced Ignition Switch Will NOT Turn Off Power and can keep Draining Battery DC Current even if the Ignition Switch is Turned Off. Other Members can offer their advice too on what to choose as a proper replacement and the care required to align the White Nylon Teeth of the inner body of the Ignition Switch perfectly with the Ignition Key Tumbler it mates into once it gets plugged back into the underside of the Steering Column.

(4) Weak Serpentine Belt Tensioner: Having a Bad Serpentine Belt and Bad Belt Tensioner may contribute to the Alternator not being turned with enough "Ooomph" to generate Electricity and Re-Charge The Battery... and while not an absolute CAUSE here... it is contributory to the problem.

[Mod edit: This post has been edited to comply with posting rules]
Welcome to GMT Nation...

The symptoms you describe have several possible causes as follows:

(1) Bad Alternator: Basically, The Alternator takes power from the Engine via the Serpentine Belt and generates around 14.5 Volts of Direct Current which feeds into the 12 Volt Battery (Behaving Just like a Lactated Ringer's Bag necessary to re-hydrate your 'NPO' Patients). However, if the Alternator has a Bad AC to DC Rectifier and cannot "Re-Fill" the Battery constantly with renewed Electrical Energy... the Battery will have to Bear the Burden and even if it is Brand New, without being constantly "Re-Filled", then the New Battery will Lose enough Electrical Charge to be Unable to Power the PCM and all of the Electrical Needs of the vehicle.

Once the Power Level of the New Battery drops below that Critical Voltage...The Engine Dies and then the Key removal from the Ignition Lock Work inside of the Steering Column becomes impossible without enough Electric Power to allow the Safety Switch Solenoid to function just after you step on the Brake Pedal and then make certain the Shifter handle is either in the Park or the Neutral Position. If you can get your Vehicle "Jump Started"...AutoZone can run an "Alternator and Battery Stress-Load Test" for FREE and determine if the Alternator really is the Problem. THIS is a component that deserves to have a High Quality Alternator as its Replacement.

There are Multiple Threads here addressing How to Diagnose these problems and Step By Step Instructions on How to Replace the Alternator.

(2) Parasitic Draw: This event occurs whenever the vehicle sits for an extended length of time (perhaps even overnight) without the Engine Running and there is a Short Circuit somewhere in the Electrical System that Drains Down the Battery... even when the Ignition is Turned OFF. This can also occur whenever certain Modules in the Vehicle "Fail to Go To Sleep" and Draw Battery Energy above the level expected for a Normal Daily battery Drain Down. The Diagnostics here are straightforward... but a bit Technical for setting up the DMM (Digital Multi-Meter) and using a Lighted Test Probe (Scope On A Rope) as the requisite Test Tools needed for this Diagnosis. Physically Testing and Probing all of the various Fuse Panels and Relays is necessary to chase down this problem.


(3) Bad Ignition Switch: Even though I mention this component close to Last... A Bad or Incorrectly Replaced Ignition Switch Will NOT Turn Off Power and can keep Draining Battery DC Current even if the Ignition Switch is Turned Off. Other Members can offer their advice too on what to choose as a proper replacement and the care required to align the White Nylon Teeth of the inner body of the Ignition Switch perfectly with the Ignition Key Tumbler it mates into once it gets plugged back into the underside of the Steering Column.

(4) Weak Serpentine Belt Tensioner: Having a Bad Serpentine Belt and Bad Belt Tensioner may contribute to the Alternator not being turned with enough "Ooomph" to generate Electricity and Re-Charge The Battery... and while not an absolute CAUSE here... it is contributory to the problem.

[Mod edit: This post has been edited to comply with posting rules]

Thanks for the response. I have replaced serpentine belt and tensioner, also alternator. Ignition switch also. Not the fuel pump either. I have spent money hoping it will work and I'm just confused. Hard finding an honest mechanic especially since im a woman.
 

Sujey

Original poster
Member
Dec 18, 2020
3
Ca
Im also on the Alternator bandwagon on this one. If it was running, and you shut it off, and thats when the key got stuck, its either the battery, which you already had replaced, or the alternator isnt charging the system. Maybe it has volts, but no amps, or something to that effect. Pull the alternator, and get it tested.

It could also be the Big3 Grounding cables. I know that its a thing, but have never had the issue, so I cant tell you what to check, or how to replace.

Thank you. Im going to just start over and check everything again.
 
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linneje

Member
Apr 26, 2012
404
Double for testing the alternator. Back a number of years ago I had a Chev Venture van, and my mechanic told me that he was working on a van exactly like mine. Similar problems to yours. Replaced the alternator with one from NAPA, same problems. Tried a different one from NAPA, no luck. Was certain it was the alternator. He got an AC Delco, from the dealership in town, all the problems went away. So he warned me that if I ever had to replace my alternator, I should only use an AC Delco.

I took his advice, not on that van, but on a different GM vehicle. Alternator went, got a replacement from a salvage yard, same make and model. No problems. So don't rule out the alternator even if you purchased a new one.
 

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