NEED HELP 2002 Chevy Trailblazer won't crank

deerslayer1985

Original poster
Member
Feb 26, 2015
148
Ok, went out to start my trailblazer and it will not do anything. Will not crank or start, nothing it's dead, no indications of anything going wrong prior to this. Battery has been tested it is good with no issues. As well as the alternator. I think it was a fluke thing, but we were able to jump start it once, but not it will not start again. When you turn the key the lights etc come one, but no cranking or anything... Please help me! Thanks in advance!
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
Starter.
 

Matt

Member
Dec 2, 2011
4,019
Where did you jump it from? If you used the terminals on the mega fuse, chances are you blew that.
 

littleblazer

Member
Jul 6, 2014
9,265
I'd also test the starter relay in the fuse box to eliminate that.
 

deerslayer1985

Original poster
Member
Feb 26, 2015
148
I changed the starter relay with a new one, and it made no difference. I checked every fuse in the car/under hood. When it happened to start from jumping it was just connected to the battery. I'm thinking it was just a fluke that it started......The battery tests good, and reads 12.8 volts. When I turn the key on all the lights come on in the dash. As I start to crank it all the lights go off, and you can hear a very slight click coming from the starter relay in the fuse box. The starter doesn't do anything. Where would you go from there?
 
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littleblazer

Member
Jul 6, 2014
9,265
Beat it with a hammer and see if it cranks.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
@MAY03LT has an excellent video on YouTube just for that. Been posted a few times
 

budwich

Member
Jun 16, 2013
2,027
kanata
get a meter. Have someone monitor, at the battery, what the voltage is doing as you try to crank. My guess is you might have two problems: a marginal battery and a marginal starter. The battery doesn't have enough power to maintain the voltage at some level resulting in a significant drop when the starter's windings kick in (they are basically a short). IF you are readily successful starting from a "booster battery (with your battery disconnected), then your battery is suspect. IF a good booster battery (and cables) is not readily successful... meaning the starter turns normally, doesn't drag.... then your starter is likely an issue.

Further, you need to ensure that 12v is getting to the starter otherwise your ignition switch is still a likely candidate. NOTE: your starter "sees" two sources of 12v.
 
Last edited:

deerslayer1985

Original poster
Member
Feb 26, 2015
148
Well now it gets even weirder......I went work on it this morning, and it started right up. I drove it home, and have turned it off, and started it multiple times. It starts up everytime now. Its been a couple hours, and go try it every so often and it fires right up now everytime....I'm thinking I am going to put the charger on the battery just to make sure it is fully charged, and then wai for it to do it again so I can test some things......
 

budwich

Member
Jun 16, 2013
2,027
kanata
looking at your battery voltage when there is little or no load doesn't really indicate much about a battery's "health". You need to check it while cranking (or get one of those "cheap" in lighter plug in volt meters). I suspect more likely your battery is on the edge.
 

deerslayer1985

Original poster
Member
Feb 26, 2015
148
Little more information. When I left yesterday from trying to start the trailblazer my brother said his voltmeter showed 11.0 volts on the battery. A couple hours later is when it started with a jump. I drove it about 7 miles to autozone to get the battery tested. I shut it off. They hooked the battery tester on it at autozone. He said the battery shows its good, and reads 12.8 volts. We tried to start the car back up, and it did nothing. We tried to jump it, and still nothing. I finally gave up, and came home. Thats when I asked the question. This morning when I went back to start diagnosing it. It fired right up first time. I drove it about 10 miles back to my house. I never thought to check the volts of the battery when I got home. I just put the charger on it. I set it on 2 amp charge, and when the charge meter came on it said 50% charge. So it usually takes a couple hours to charge a 12 volt battery when it reads 50% charge on my battery charger. I came back inside, and 20-30 minutes later it was reading 95% charge. I let it sit for another 30 minutes and it never changed. I thought it was strange it charged from 50-95 so fast then stayed there. I unhooked the battery charger, and tested the battery. It showed 12.50-12.80. It bounced around a lot, but kinda settled around 12.7. I started the car while the voltmeter was attached to see if the volts dropped real low. It went down to around 11 vols while it started. Then it went up to about 14.8 when the alternator was charging. So is it possible the battery was just weak? It cranks and fires up everytime now. I don't know what else to test. I can't really find a problem til it happens again. Any thoughts?
 

budwich

Member
Jun 16, 2013
2,027
kanata
having had some "fun" with batteries especially recently (both AGM's and regular acid flooded), it doesn't sound right that a "normal battery" would go from 50% to 95% with 2 amp charging (assuming the charger isn't auto adjusting) in 1/2 hour. I think that parts store testers aren't really testing a fully draw capacity of a battery but more of limited draw / voltage drop type test. have you checked you cell fluid levels? Have you checked the cell specific gravities before and after charging? those may indicate any cell issues that might be affecting performance.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
Finally at home, I can link the video. Do the tests as described and report back.


johnny_carson_karnak-300x203.jpg

It's either a bad starter or ignition switch :biggrin:
 

deerslayer1985

Original poster
Member
Feb 26, 2015
148
sorry been a hectic week. On a side note though. After I charged the battery for that short time. It has started up perfect everyday since....."knock on wood"! I've been driving it everyday. I never did anymore testing on anything, because it is working every time now. I'm guessing maybe it was just a weak battery. So thanks for all the help guys if it has anymore problems I will report back. Thanks
 

jsheahawk

Member
Jan 16, 2013
533
Kansas City
The next time that it won't start, seriously hit the starter with a hammer or big wrench. If it starts up, your starter is failing. Whacking it helps free up the starter temporarily.

I had a 1989 Toyota pickup that ate starters every six months or so. Whacking it a few times when it didn't start would get me through the week until I could replace it. AutoZone was getting tired of me using the lifetime warranty. :2thumbsup:
 

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