fuse #24
10-27-2018, 06:42 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: 08-26-2008
Location: Sequim Washington
Posts: 1,488
fuse #24
What happens if you just remove fuse #24 ??
I just had a harrowing experience while parked at the Ocean for an hour eating my Organic Bag Lunch and enjoying the sites and smells.
Nothing was turned on.
Went to start and Nadda..... Dead battery. Just enough to give a click and some flashing dash lights.
I have a AC Delco Gold battery about 1 year old and no sign of any issues till then.
Luckily there was one other guy there just leaving and a flagged him down.
He sad I can give you a jump as I have cables.
I did not have to think about it, I just said thanks an pull your rig over here. Hooked them up and waited 5 minutes ... Started right up.
Drove 50 miles home and put the charger on it but it was already fully charged.
Called my local GM parts guy to see if he had a replacement AC Delco Gold battery in stock in case the battery failed a load test. He said No, they only make the Silver battery now but here is a tip on your problem.
His father in law tows a 2011 HHR behind the Motorhome and his battery went dead. He took the HHR into the Dealer and they found a draw from the OnStar when not using it.
Rather then repairing the thing he thought they just pulled the fuse and put it in the glove box. Told him to reinstall if he has to use the OnStar for an emergency.
I do not use the OnStar and I have a hunch that could be the "draw down" I experienced today.
Just wondering if pulling the fuse #24 will solve the draw down problem.
As I look back ... I purchased a New 1LT in 2011 and the OnStar went haywire at about the same mileage. The dealer said they had to pull the headliner so I told them to just forget the repair. No problems after that but I do not no for sure what they did do.
I think GM may have had some production issues with the HHR OnStar during that time frame.
Anybody else with a 2011 have this problem ?????
Silverfox
I just had a harrowing experience while parked at the Ocean for an hour eating my Organic Bag Lunch and enjoying the sites and smells.
Nothing was turned on.
Went to start and Nadda..... Dead battery. Just enough to give a click and some flashing dash lights.
I have a AC Delco Gold battery about 1 year old and no sign of any issues till then.
Luckily there was one other guy there just leaving and a flagged him down.
He sad I can give you a jump as I have cables.
I did not have to think about it, I just said thanks an pull your rig over here. Hooked them up and waited 5 minutes ... Started right up.
Drove 50 miles home and put the charger on it but it was already fully charged.
Called my local GM parts guy to see if he had a replacement AC Delco Gold battery in stock in case the battery failed a load test. He said No, they only make the Silver battery now but here is a tip on your problem.
His father in law tows a 2011 HHR behind the Motorhome and his battery went dead. He took the HHR into the Dealer and they found a draw from the OnStar when not using it.
Rather then repairing the thing he thought they just pulled the fuse and put it in the glove box. Told him to reinstall if he has to use the OnStar for an emergency.
I do not use the OnStar and I have a hunch that could be the "draw down" I experienced today.
Just wondering if pulling the fuse #24 will solve the draw down problem.
As I look back ... I purchased a New 1LT in 2011 and the OnStar went haywire at about the same mileage. The dealer said they had to pull the headliner so I told them to just forget the repair. No problems after that but I do not no for sure what they did do.
I think GM may have had some production issues with the HHR OnStar during that time frame.
Anybody else with a 2011 have this problem ?????
Silverfox
Last edited by Silverfox; 10-30-2018 at 03:58 PM.
10-27-2018, 07:53 PM
#2
Technical Moderator
Join Date: 01-23-2009
Location: Fredericksburg, Virginia
Posts: 24,696
While you were eating; listening to the radio, foot on brake. The OnStar problem was it trying to "call home" when it is not connecting to the radio waves. If the guy was dingy towing he probably had the key on and had the lights hooked up.
TSB# 09-08-46-004A. I don't think it applies to 2011 the fix is to replace the VCIM. Test by trying to call OnStar using the blue button, if it connects no problem. If it doesn't try the red button if it connects ask for Tech Assistance after you say "no emergency".
I think pulling the fuse disables it, but it could also disable the motor. I think RJ did that.
Moving this to a new thread; hijacking unrelated etc.
TSB# 09-08-46-004A. I don't think it applies to 2011 the fix is to replace the VCIM. Test by trying to call OnStar using the blue button, if it connects no problem. If it doesn't try the red button if it connects ask for Tech Assistance after you say "no emergency".
I think pulling the fuse disables it, but it could also disable the motor. I think RJ did that.
Moving this to a new thread; hijacking unrelated etc.
10-30-2018, 04:17 PM
#4
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Thread Starter
Join Date: 08-26-2008
Location: Sequim Washington
Posts: 1,488
Think I might have solved the mystery.
No problem since and I have not yet had the Battery Load Test done.
The location where I parked was facing North.
I was a rather dark and gloomy day but no rain.
I had the auto shift in drive position so as to give me more room to get to my Coffee cup.
Had the ignition key set on ACC. because that's as far as it will go without put the shifter in Park.
Had the radio on for approx. 15 minutes and then turned it off.
Every thing else stayed as is.
I have done this same thing 100's of times without any issue starting when ready to leave.
Here is what I think happen on this day.......
It was just dark enough to trigger the Auto Set headlights on.
Sitting in the car and it being daylight I did not realize they were triggered so I had the headlights/taillights on for approx. 45minutes or more.
That drained the battery.
I have tested my theory here at home by driving the car partway into the garage to see if it is plausible.
Sure enough that combo happens and I am sure that is what happened to me that day.
OnStar checked out OK as well.
It's a kind of trap if you do not know this can happen under the right conditions.
There should be a separate OFF position on the light switch beside the Auto off so you could by pass this issue.
Silverfox
No problem since and I have not yet had the Battery Load Test done.
The location where I parked was facing North.
I was a rather dark and gloomy day but no rain.
I had the auto shift in drive position so as to give me more room to get to my Coffee cup.
Had the ignition key set on ACC. because that's as far as it will go without put the shifter in Park.
Had the radio on for approx. 15 minutes and then turned it off.
Every thing else stayed as is.
I have done this same thing 100's of times without any issue starting when ready to leave.
Here is what I think happen on this day.......
It was just dark enough to trigger the Auto Set headlights on.
Sitting in the car and it being daylight I did not realize they were triggered so I had the headlights/taillights on for approx. 45minutes or more.
That drained the battery.
I have tested my theory here at home by driving the car partway into the garage to see if it is plausible.
Sure enough that combo happens and I am sure that is what happened to me that day.
OnStar checked out OK as well.
It's a kind of trap if you do not know this can happen under the right conditions.
There should be a separate OFF position on the light switch beside the Auto off so you could by pass this issue.
Silverfox
10-30-2018, 11:24 PM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 08-26-2008
Location: Sequim Washington
Posts: 1,488
Curious why the lights would come on when the motor is not running and the key is in the ACC position.
Would it make any difference if it was in Neutral instead of Drive?
Silverfox
Would it make any difference if it was in Neutral instead of Drive?
Silverfox
12-09-2018, 05:05 PM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 08-26-2008
Location: Sequim Washington
Posts: 1,488
Think I might have solved the mystery.
No problem since and I have not yet had the Battery Load Test done.
The location where I parked was facing North.
I was a rather dark and gloomy day but no rain.
I had the auto shift in drive position so as to give me more room to get to my Coffee cup.
Had the ignition key set on ACC. because that's as far as it will go without put the shifter in Park.
Had the radio on for approx. 15 minutes and then turned it off.
Every thing else stayed as is.
I have done this same thing 100's of times without any issue starting when ready to leave.
Here is what I think happen on this day.......
It was just dark enough to trigger the Auto Set headlights on.
Sitting in the car and it being daylight I did not realize they were triggered so I had the headlights/taillights on for approx. 45minutes or more.
That drained the battery.
I have tested my theory here at home by driving the car partway into the garage to see if it is plausible.
Sure enough that combo happens and I am sure that is what happened to me that day.
OnStar checked out OK as well.
It's a kind of trap if you do not know this can happen under the right conditions.
There should be a separate OFF position on the light switch beside the Auto off so you could by pass this issue.
Silverfox
No problem since and I have not yet had the Battery Load Test done.
The location where I parked was facing North.
I was a rather dark and gloomy day but no rain.
I had the auto shift in drive position so as to give me more room to get to my Coffee cup.
Had the ignition key set on ACC. because that's as far as it will go without put the shifter in Park.
Had the radio on for approx. 15 minutes and then turned it off.
Every thing else stayed as is.
I have done this same thing 100's of times without any issue starting when ready to leave.
Here is what I think happen on this day.......
It was just dark enough to trigger the Auto Set headlights on.
Sitting in the car and it being daylight I did not realize they were triggered so I had the headlights/taillights on for approx. 45minutes or more.
That drained the battery.
I have tested my theory here at home by driving the car partway into the garage to see if it is plausible.
Sure enough that combo happens and I am sure that is what happened to me that day.
OnStar checked out OK as well.
It's a kind of trap if you do not know this can happen under the right conditions.
There should be a separate OFF position on the light switch beside the Auto off so you could by pass this issue.
Silverfox
Well ... Bite my tongue !!
This just happened again and it is a Sunny day......
It just blew my theory of Auto Lights coming on causing the problem.
To me it means that with nothing turned on, there is a draw down somewhere when the key is in the ACC position.
I decided to charge the run down battery when I got home from getting another Jump and see how long it took to bring it up to full charge.
I drove approx. 8 miles to my house.
It was close to fully charged when I put the charger on. My Automatic 10 amp charger has an Amp Meter so I can see what is going on.
I let it fully charge to zero and then decided to do a test with the motor off.
Motor off and Charger running and sitting @ zero I put the shift in park and turned the key to ACC without anything turned on.
Amp Meter immediately jumped to 5 Amps...... This is the problem......
I then turned the key to Run and it jumped to 7 Amps.......
I then turned the key to Off with the key in, Zero Amps
I then took the key out .. Zero Amps
There is a 5 amp continuous draw Plus anything you turn on or use.
In other words what the heck is going on .... This ACC is for things like listening to your radio in every car I have owned. Why should there be a 5 amp additional draw in that position that leaves you vulnerable to a dead battery in short order.
It makes me wonder about the tip I got from the beginning on the On Star possibility causing a problem.
What else could it be .... I have no other know issues I can think of that would draw 5 amps.
My next test is to turn on the radio and see how much it draws.
Then I may pull OnStar fuse 24 to see what that does.
The Owners manual talks of the ACC draw down issue but it does not give any explanation as too why.
I wonder how many HHR owners have ended up with a dead battery out in the Boon Docks and never figured it out.
My Delco Gold battery (2 1/2 years) old tests OK but it has now had two dead battery experiences on the clock.
Thoughts ????
SF
Last edited by Silverfox; 12-10-2018 at 11:36 AM.
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