Bizarre Electrical Issue/No Start On 2013 LaCrosse

[ls1mike]

ls that from Auto zone, Duralast?
I got a battery for my 94 escort at Auto Zone, circa 2003 and lt lasted me 9 years too!

It is. I should have bought two of them.

 

[NDL]

I had the original AC Delco battery go bad on my encore when it had less than 30k miles on it. It did some odd things similar to what happened with your vehicle. As it was under warranty, I took it to the dealer and they gave me a new AC Delco battery. Things were good for about 6 months or so and then it happened again. The battery was so low I had to charge it for a while to jump it off. I thought it might be the alternator. A friend who used to work at a dealership before he recently retired told me there had been some problems with the AC Delco batteries. I bought a Duralast Gold and haven't had any problems so far a year and a half later. The computer goes into a protection mode when the battery gets too low and can be very aggravating.

keep us posted.
hope this is the answer.....

Top tip: rear blind spot modules! The modules are mounted behind the left and right rear corners of the bumper, and LOVE to get corrosion build up. Once this happens, the modules create havoc on the communication lines in the vehicle, literally causing EVERY issue you're describing.

This TSB is for the Enclave/Traverse, but I've seen it happen on ALL GM vehicles from the era when equipped with BSM.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2016/SB-10081969-2280.pdf

Thank you all, for your replies, and for taking an interest in my issue.

I put the new battery in; drove the car for 40 min; the terminals - both - were warm.

What irritates me, badly, is that the AC Delco battery, manufactured by Johnson Controls, had a "Made in China" sticker affixed to the case.

As for the TSB, I am going to look into that, and I thank you: I got a pressure washer recently, and I used the pressure washer on the rear bumper, including in and around the sensors - to remove wax from the sensors.

Again, thanks to all who took an interest in my problem.

 

[NDL]

Top tip: rear blind spot modules! The modules are mounted behind the left and right rear corners of the bumper, and LOVE to get corrosion build up. Once this happens, the modules create havoc on the communication lines in the vehicle, literally causing EVERY issue you're describing.

This TSB is for the Enclave/Traverse, but I've seen it happen on ALL GM vehicles from the era when equipped with BSM.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2016/SB-10081969-2280.pdf

I just looked online, and can't get a schematic of what's behind there.

Would you, or anyone else, have suggestions?

Thank you

 

[14Accent]

I just looked online, and can't get a schematic of what's behind there.

Would you, or anyone else, have suggestions?

Thank you

It's hard to describe. The modules are held to the bumper via molded in brackets. They aren't removable without removing the bumper, but they each have connectors which SHOULD be visible from underneath the car.

This might help:

 

[97prizm]

sounds like an internal short in the battery, happened to me this summer both battery terminals to hot to touch , a few no starts like you jump the battery turn the car off right away and it would restart instantly without a jump, changed the battery no issues since.

Yep an internal short sounds likely as the cables usually aren't hot.

 

[Opelman]

Just for giggles check the battery connection at the starter. A loose connection there will give odd symptoms also.

 

[NDL]

Here's a link to a schematic; maybe it will help someone:

Free Chilton library repair manual (all cars!!) online

The Michigan Library website is giving out a free pass to their library, you can have access to the (almost) entire Chilton's library car manual/repair

www.budget101.com

 

[NDL]

Just for giggles check the battery connection at the starter. A loose connection there will give odd symptoms also.

Will do; thank you

 

[NDL]

It's hard to describe. The modules are held to the bumper via molded in brackets. They aren't removable without removing the bumper, but they each have connectors which SHOULD be visible from underneath the car.

This might help:
View attachment 171763

Thanks so much!

 

[hemitom]

Thank you all, for your replies, and for taking an interest in my issue.

I put the new battery in; drove the car for 40 min; the terminals - both - were warm.

What irritates me, badly, is that the AC Delco battery, manufactured by Johnson Controls, had a "Made in China" sticker affixed to the case.

As for the TSB, I am going to look into that, and I thank you: I got a pressure washer recently, and I used the pressure washer on the rear bumper, including in and around the sensors - to remove wax from the sensors.

Again, thanks to all who took an interest in my problem.

On a new battery that may have not been fully charged and driving for 40 minutes warm terminals are not uncommon with under hood heat soak i think you're fine.
Any of your issue's rear their head after the battery change ?

 

[michaelluscher]

Have you tested resistance on the negative ground cable?
I think I remember a TSB or P.I about an internally corroded/poor crimp/broken strands on the ground cable

 

[NDL]

Tonight it happened again: I shut the engine off, and opened the door to cut the accessory power. When I hit the start button, nothing; I then took my foot off of the brake (the brake must be pressed in order to start the engine), and as I lifted my foot off of the brake, she started.

I then drove 15 miles, parked, shut the engine off, and opened the door to cut the accessory power. Not the first time this happened: when I open the door to cut the accessory power, it shuts *everything* off, including the power locks and interior lights. Hit the start button and nothing. And then...third occurrence: I pressed the remote start button on my remote, I heard the fuel pump prime, and bam, she started. The center stack was dark, I hit the HVAC power, and bam, she lit up and functioned fine. I then drove ten flawless miles, backed into my driveway - the engine felt like she was running a little lean, and the backup screen blanked and came back.

This is bizarre: I can have several weeks of trouble free performance, and then out of nowhere, it happens. It's not weather or temp sensitive. Once I was in my driveway, I started/shut off the engine five times with zero issues.

All in all, this has happened maybe six or seven times in six or seven weeks: otherwise she's flawless, and I drive her daily.

Puzzling...

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lacrosse13]

Tonight it happened again: I shut the engine off, and opened the door to cut the accessory power. When I hit the start button, nothing; I then took my foot off of the brake (the brake must be pressed in order to start the engine), and as I lifted my foot off of the brake, she started.

I then drove 15 miles, parked, shut the engine off, and opened the door to cut the accessory power. Not the first time this happened: when I open the door to cut the accessory power, it shuts *everything* off, including the power locks and interior lights. Hit the start button and nothing. And then...third occurrence: I pressed the remote start button on my remote, I heard the fuel pump prime, and bam, she started. The center stack was dark, I hit the HVAC power, and bam, she lit up and functioned fine. I then drove ten flawless miles, backed into my driveway - the engine felt like she was running a little lean, and the backup screen blanked and came back.

This is bizarre: I can have several weeks of trouble free performance, and then out of nowhere, it happens. It's not weather or temp sensitive. Once I was in my driveway, I started/shut off the engine five times with zero issues.

All in all, this has happened maybe six or seven times in six or seven weeks: otherwise she's flawless, and I drive her daily.

Puzzling...

Thanks in advance.

Hello,NDL,
I am having the exact same problem since last September,GM dealer says it could be Side detection system but unable to read a fault code…..
I have pulled the fuse on the side detect system and it still happened again..
Battery test good but I may just change it,4 years old Now.In order to restart car I disconnect Groung cable 30 mins and she restarts….
I am hoping you have found an answer to this problem.
would you be willing to share?
Thanks Happy New Year.

 

[Lacrosse13]

Hello,NDL,
I am having the exact same problem since last September,GM dealer says it could be Side detection system but unable to read a fault code…..
I have pulled the fuse on the side detect system and it still happened again..
Battery test good but I may just change it,4 years old Now.In order to restart car I disconnect Groung cable 30 mins and she restarts….
I am hoping you have found an answer to this problem.
would you be willing to share?
Thanks Happy New Year.