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02 trailblazer STARTING PROBLEM

27K views 16 replies 10 participants last post by  Remington8904 
#1 ·
My 02 trailblazer recently had a new problem: when I turn the ignition key it clicks and won't start. It is intermittent. After a few tries it starts. The battery is less than a year old and I'm wondering what it could be.

Thanks in advance,
Bikeridercc
 
#5 ·
:iagree: too. Also, after you DO get it running, do a voltage check on the dash, and also w/ a voltmeter at the battery terminals.....should read approx. the same.

Battery terminals are tight, clean, & corrosion free?
 
#6 · (Edited)
SAME PROBLEM HERE TOO!!!

its been so random the past 2 years...

Usually, i can twist the key 30-40 times and it will eventually start

but May 1st, 2010, i had to get it towed...and the car started once it was dropped off
May 1st, 2011, i had to get it towed again, and i drove it off the flatbed after a $200 charge!

everything comes on, lights, radio, fuel pump, etc; yet no start..i hear a click, but its actually the throttle body..not the starter....

so frustrating...

but you guys are saying its the ignition switch?

fyi, i replaced the battery last year and have no corrosion
 
#8 ·
Purchased a new ignition swithch...but was waiting for it to happen again to see if it was indeed the switch...well, one month later...this morning...no start...I rip my ignition switch out at 630am..and put the new one in...still no start...come home for lunch...still no start...

Ill be checking all my cables when I get out of work...but I'm sure they are fine...

Do I go buy a new starter for $180 to "see" if that's the problem or what?
 
#9 ·
At this point it's either a bad selenoid(relay) or bad starter motor. Sometimes all you need to do is clean the contacts on the selenoid (if it's serviceable on this model). Otherwise you might as well go with a new starter or have your existing one rebuilt. HTH c good
 
#10 ·
Intermittent starting issue... Already on 2nd ignition switch

Hey guys I have a 2004 Envoy with the 4.2I6. I am having the common intermittent starting issues. I am on my 2nd ignition switch.... I replaced it the first time at 76,000 and within the next month I was having the same issues again. So I replaced the ignition switch again and that fixed the symptom for about a week. My wife was out with out baby today and it wouldn't start again.... Some one jumped the battery and it started right up. I had the battery tested when I replaced the ignition switch both times and it was good. The cables are tight with no corrosion.

When I was diagnosing the problem the first time, I was not getting 12v to the starter when they vehicle was not starting. All I was getting was clicks... The same thing that is happening now. I am pretty sure that two switches should not have gone bad that quick. I was reading about the fuse box going bad? I hope it's not the starter... That looks like a pain to get too. But I don't think that is culprit. Any help would be awesome.
 
#12 ·
Starting issues

Before, It sounded like it is coming from the rear of the engine near the fire wall. I am at work now so when I get home I will see if I can get it to act up. The first trip through these issues.... I was not getting 12v down to the starter... So I am thinking this time is going to be the same case. Thanks for the quick reply!
 
#14 ·
sounds like what my TB was doing....

2 yrs worth of troubles..replaced my battery to start...and seemed to fix the problem for about 6mos; then it started again. would start for a few months, then had to get it towed.

put in a new ignition switch the next time it wouldnt start, did nothing. 2 days go by, it starts. ran it for a few months, then it wouldnt start. towed it home, i ended up driving it off the flatbed cus it started in my driveway.

bit the bullet and bought a new starter, replaced it; and nothing but clean, strong starts ever since!:)

i would recommend getting a new starter.it sucks, but it worked.

RockAuto or advance auto parts; DO NOT BUY AT DEALER, its 3x the cost!

i used an online coupon code for advance and got it cheaper than rockauto, fyi
 
#15 ·
So... I took the starter off this morning and ran it up to the auto parts store. They said that everything looked good with it. So I went ahead and bought a new starter relay, which was $13 and replaced that. It started up well after that so we will see as time goes on.

Removing the starter wasn't as bad as I thought. The nut against the engine block was a pain, but with a few extensions it was relatively easy. Took me about 20mins to remove. I wire brushed all the connections to make sure that was not the issue. If it continues to have problems I think I will just replace the starter at that point.

Thanks everyone for your input. Any additional thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!!
 
#16 ·
problems starting!!!!!!

hi names George
well ive been having this problem with my 2002 trailblazer where the truck turns on just fine but out of no where it decides not to turn on but eventually does. when this happens i turn the key forward truck does not turn on and the only dash light that turns on is the security indicator light on dash. At first not knowing any better I replaced the battery but that wasnt the problem because it still happened with new battery. I was told it could be a bad starter, starter silinoid, starter relay, or ingnition switch. So I started to look at the relay. see thats the thing my trailblazer starts and starts good but at certain times it just decides its not going to start..so when this happens I turn the key forward to start the truck but theres no crank, so i leave the key forward, open the the hood and remove the starter relay for a few seconds and then place it back. Next I turn back the key from the start position to off position then back forward to start position AND THE TRUCK TURNS ON!!!

So since this little tricked worked i asumed that it was just a bad Starter Relay so i went out and bought a new Relay. BUT! a couple of days later this problem happend again with this new starter relay..So I did the same little trick and BOOM! the truck started!
Now that I know its not the Starter Relay What can it be??????

If its the stater itself why would the truck start most of the time in the first place?
If it was the ignition switch why would the ignition work most of the time as well?

when it doesnt turn on i simply remove the starter relay fuse for a few seconds and place it back and the truck work fine for a while. But the problem still comes back..
I would really appreciate it if any of you guys could help me out with this problem. thanks
 
#17 ·
The starter relay did the trick for me! I would check the connection of the starter relay. Make sure its free of any dirt or dust. It almost seems like it does not have a solid connection.

Sometimes you just have to proceed down the line. Make sure you are getting 12v to the starter when it doesn't start. If you are getting the 12v then it probably is the starter.
You can take out your starter and get it tested. Auto zone or advanced auto parts will test it for free and it wasnt that bad of a job to do.

If you are not getting the 12v, make sure all your wires on the starter and battery are tight and clean. I would replace the ignition switch. Its relatively easy to do and costs around 30 bucks I believe.

Hope you get it figured out.
 
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