NEED HELP 2005 jimmy electrical issues

Mike jimmy

Original poster
Member
May 30, 2025
2
ONT Canada
Hello everyone. I’m new here and would really appreciate some help. I have a 2005 SL jimmy and it’s recently come to have a lot of electrical issues I think…. It started with dying over night, then progressed into not wanting to run at all, I put a new alternator in it and that fixed the running issue, then I put a new battery in it and that fixed all this issue….. for about 3 days then it went back to not wanting to start after sitting over night and not really running healthy. I’ve been going through and cleaning grounds (I’ve only found and cleaned like 3 under the battery. The ac compressor is now almost killing the truck and turning the steering wheel is dropping the rpm. It only idles at 500-600 rpm. I have no clue what to do as I’m only 20 and have never really worked on cars. Any help would be appreciated, thank you
 
  • Like
Reactions: TJBaker57

TJBaker57

Lifetime VIP Donor
Member
Aug 16, 2015
3,444
Colorado
  • Like
Reactions: mrrsm

mrrsm

Lifetime VIP Donor
Supporting Donor
Member
Oct 22, 2015
8,535
Tampa Bay Area
With a Full Charged Battery... Try pulling the Serpentine Belt and Starting the Engine only briefly... Listen to the Engine Response for around 30 seconds or so for any significant differences in sound or performance and then shut down the Motor in order to avoid soon overheating the engine and warping the Engine Head.

While the Belt is still off... examine the various Accessories that have either Pulleys or Idler Bearings and Belt Tensioners for an undue amount of Physical Resistance... Or Grinding Sensations when hand spun.

If under ordinary operation, the Engine Power dies as soon as the A/C Compressor engages... that might be the major source... but because ALL of the Accessories share the same driving force via the Serp-Belt and start and stop essentially at the same time... more than one might of them might be contributing as part of this problem. This "Hands On" Inspection may prove to be very revealing.
 
Last edited:

Mike jimmy

Original poster
Member
May 30, 2025
2
ONT Canada
Here is a starting point for technical data like wiring diagrams and such. Not really easy to find stuff in there but once one gets familiar with the layout it can help.

So it seems it was the radio that was killing the tuck. It sat for 3 days and started up just perfectly but now the cluster won’t work. Only the battery gauge and the oil pressure. But I can’t find any kind of diagram to test anything unfortunately
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mooseman

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
26,550
Ottawa, ON
So unplugging the radio allows everything to work? Probably your best bet would be to just replace it with an aftermarket because getting a used OEM one would require getting the VIN programmed to it.
 

Bow_Tied

Member
Dec 21, 2014
454
London, ON
It sounds like the radio was creating a parasitic draw. remove the radio and put back known good fuses and try again.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mooseman

Forum Statistics

Threads
23,921
Posts
644,724
Members
19,826
Latest member
Ramsesvn

Members Online