Sierra starting issues

DocBrown

Original poster
Member
Dec 8, 2011
501
My 2008 GMC Sierra got infested by a squirrel late last summer. After that it wouldn't start. Several relays were replaced by a trusted shop. One month later my starter went and I had them replace that too. I'm getting too old to do a lot of this stuff anymore. So the starter is less than 6 months old.

Over the winter I did not drive it a lot. Since the polar vortex in late January, when I I go to start it often doesn't do anything, no clicks, no starter spinning, nothing. Dash lights come on just fine. I wait 1 or 2 minutes then it starts. Seems to happen when sitting for a few hours/overnight and when really cold, teens or colder. Battery tests fine, it was over 13 volts a month ago. I don't believe it's PassLock because I don't have to wait 10 minutes to start it.

Could this be a faulty starter relay? It's not expensive to try, but I don't want to throw parts at it either. Anything else I should think about?
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
Tap the relay while trying to start.
Also for kicks tap the solenoid. Never rule a part out just because it is fairly new.
 

DocBrown

Original poster
Member
Dec 8, 2011
501
Good ideas. I don't think I can get at the solenoid though. Not easily anyway.

Thanks!
 

littleblazer

Member
Jul 6, 2014
9,265
The 07 did this once. Never found out what it was. Just kept messing with the key until it started. Maybe an ignition switch? Do the gauges zero and cycle when trying to crank? They shouldn't do that if pass key locking out the ignition.
 

DocBrown

Original poster
Member
Dec 8, 2011
501
Don't know. I'll have to watch for that when I leave work today.
 

DocBrown

Original poster
Member
Dec 8, 2011
501
Wow, this is really stupid. The issue was nothing of what I thought it might be. It was a slightly loose negative cable on the battery! Doh! :duh:
 

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