please help trouble shoot 2001 Impala interment cranking problem

[JimPghPA]

I drove our 2001 Impala (3.4 L six cylinder) to a place about 9 miles from home today and parked it for about 3 hours. When I got in to go home the dash lights came on when I turned the key to accessories, but when I tried to crank it to start it the dash lights went out EXCEPT FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT STAYED ON, and the engine would not crank, no noise from the starter, just the check engine light on and the dash lights off while the starter was selected.

The battery is an Interstate, proper size for the car, purchased new in May of 2019, and I cleaned the cars terminals by scrapping them with a 1/8 inch regular screwdriver blade until they were shiny everywhere before putting them on the new battery.

I put the trany in neutral in-case the switch for park/neutral was the problem and still nothing when I tried to crank it except the check engine light on.

Someone offered to jump start it with a F150 and there was no change, though the jumper cables he had were not very heavy gauge wire.

My brother showed up with his Nissan Altima hybrid and we jumped started it from the 12 Volt starting battery in his trunk with his heavy gauge jumper cables and it started right up.

I drove it about 8 miles to a local shop that specializes in alternators / starters / and batteries and shut it off, and then tried to start it and it started with no problem.

What does not make sense is that initially when I tried to crank it all the dash lights went out except the check engine light stayed on. If they all went out I would think that the battery Voltage was dropping down to a very low voltage, but the check engine light was on with full normal brightness.

Any ideas of what could be wrong that would cause the dash lights to drop out when I tried to crank it, but leave the check engine light on?

 

[BigGee]

Just something to try next time it happens, take key out of ignition wait 10 minutes then try again.My mother had one do the same thing.It was a security system issue that is in computer program.At the time I could not find a fix and GM did not issue a recall.Eventually traded the car because of it.

 

[JimPghPA]

In the past I heard about the GM security problem, but there were several posts that said if you install a remote start on the vehicle that the remote start has something that defeats the security system and after that it never is a problem. We have a remote start on our vehicle. From what I understand from the past posts about this is that the remote start defeat of the security system works even with the key start.

I did not think of trying to use the remote start. I left the vehicle at the local shop that specializes in alternators / starters / batteries and will have them check the battery and everything they can think of that is related to it not starting tomorrow.

If it does not start again I will try the remote start.

It that does not work I will take the key out, wait 10 minutes, and try again.

 

[clinebarger]

You have to take the Battery Cable Ends completely apart to clean them correctly!!!

After you clean the battery cable ends......And it happens again.....Remove the underhood fusebox cover that houses the Crank Relay.
*There will be 4 terminals exposed once the Crank Relay is removed.
*Jump the 2 terminals I drew on the picture below together.
*If the engine now cranks....This eliminates the Starter/Solenoid & Bad connections at the battery.

 

[JimPghPA]

A follow up on what was found, the battery failed when load tested. Ed's generator sold me the battery and that is where I dropped it off yesterday. They replaced the battery and there is no cost to me for doing it.