Contents Wiring diagrams Section: Starter All sections

Starting System: Other Chevrolet Tahoe II

Starter ~583 words

Intermittent

Faulty electrical connections or wiring may be the cause of intermittent conditions. See INTERMITTENT OR POOR CONNECTIONS .

CHECKING AFTERMARKET ACCESSORIES

WARNINGVehicles are equipped with air bag supplemental restraint system. Before attempting any repairs involving steering column, instrument panel or related components, see the following applicable procedures: For pickups, see AIR BAG SAFETY PRECAUTIONS and DISABLING & ACTIVATING AIR BAG SYSTEM . For utility vehicles, see AIR BAG SAFETY PRECAUTIONS and DISABLING & ACTIVATING AIR BAG SYSTEM .
CAUTIONThe OBD II symbol is used on the wiring diagrams in order to alert the technician that the circuit is essential for proper OBD II emission control circuit operation. Any circuit which fails and causes the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) to turn on, or causes emissions-related component damage, is identified as an OBD II circuit.

DO NOT connect aftermarket accessories into the following circuits

  1. SIR circuits, all such circuits are indicated on wiring diagrams with the SIR symbol.
  2. OBD II circuits, all such circuits are indicated on circuit diagrams with the OBD II symbol.

Always check for aftermarket accessories (non-OEM) as the first step in diagnosing electrical problems. If the vehicle is so equipped, disconnect the system to verify that these add-on accessories are not the cause of the problems.

Possible causes of vehicle problems related to aftermarket accessories include

  1. Power feeds connected to points other than the battery.
  2. Antenna location.
  3. Transceiver wiring located too close to vehicle electronic modules or wiring.
  4. Poor shielding or poor connectors on antenna feed line.
  5. Check for recent Technical Service Bulletins (TSB) detailing installation guidelines for aftermarket accessories.

INTERMITTENT OR POOR CONNECTIONS

Note. Tools Required: GM-Approved Terminal Test Kit (J-35616-C) Terminal Repair Kit (J-38125-D), Instruction Manual (J-38125-4) and Flat-Wire Probe Adapter (J-42675).

Most intermittent conditions are caused by faulty electrical connections or wiring. Inspect for the following items

  1. Wiring broken inside the insulation.
  2. Poor connection between the male and female terminal at a connector.
  3. Poor terminal to wire connection. Some conditions which fall under this description are poor crimps, poor solder joints, crimping over the wire insulation rather than the wire itself and corrosion in the wire to terminal contact area, etc.
  4. Wire insulation which is rubbed through. This causes an intermittent short as the bare area touches other wiring or parts of the vehicle.

Round Wire Connectors

Follow the procedure to test terminal contact of Metri-Pack or 56 series terminals. Refer to the terminal repair kit or the instruction manual for terminal identification. Follow the procedure in order to test terminal contact.

  1. Separate the connector halves.
  2. Visually inspect the connector halves for contamination. Contamination may result in a White or Green build-up within the connector body or between terminals. This causes high terminal resistance, intermittent contact, or an open circuit. An underhood or underbody connector that shows signs of contamination should be replaced in its entirety: terminals, seals, and connector body.
  3. Using an equivalent male terminal from the terminal repair kit, test that the retention force is significantly different between a good terminal and a suspect terminal. Replace the female terminal in question.

Flat Wire (Dock & Lock) Connectors

There are no serviceable parts for flat wire (dock and lock) connectors on the harness side or the component side. Follow the procedure below in order to test terminal contact.

  1. Remove the component in question.
  2. Visually inspect each side of the connector for signs of contamination. Avoid touching either side of the connector as oil from your skin may be a source of contamination as well.
  3. Visually inspect the terminal bearing surfaces of the flat wire circuits for splits, cracks, or other imperfections that could cause poor terminal contact. Visually inspect the component side connector to ensure that all of the terminals are uniform and free of damage or deformation.
  4. Insert the appropriate adapter from the flat-wire probe adapter on the flat wire harness connector in order to test the circuit in question.

SYSTEM TESTS

WARNINGVehicles are equipped with air bag supplemental restraint system. Before attempting any repairs involving steering column, instrument panel or related components, see the following applicable procedures: For pickups, see AIR BAG SAFETY PRECAUTIONS and DISABLING & ACTIVATING AIR BAG SYSTEM . For utility vehicles, see AIR BAG SAFETY PRECAUTIONS and DISABLING & ACTIVATING AIR BAG SYSTEM .
CAUTIONWhen battery is disconnected, vehicle computer and memory systems may lose memory data. Driveability problems may exist until computer systems have completed a relearn cycle. See COMPUTER RELEARN PROCEDURES before disconnecting battery.

Note. The following tests assume that engine and battery are operating normally and are at normal operating temperature, battery is charged, there are no engine problems that would cause a no-start condition, and no diagnostic trouble codes are present.

SymptomPerform Test
Starter Solenoid Does Not ClickA
Starter Solenoid Clicks, Engine Does Not CrankB
Engine Cranks SlowlyC
Starter Noise DiagnosisD

SYMPTOM INDEX

STARTER

WARNINGBefore servicing any electrical component, the ignition key must be in the OFF or LOCK position and all electrical loads must be OFF, unless instructed otherwise in these procedures. If a tool or equipment could easily come in contact with a live exposed electrical terminal, also disconnect the negative battery cable. Failure to follow these precautions may cause personal injury and/or damage to the vehicle or its components.