Won't start
Thread Starter
New Member
Joined: 09-16-2018
Posts: 29
From: KY
Won't start
I have a 2011 LT..2.4/automatic. It has random incidents where it refuses to start. The key turns but nothing. No dash lights, sounds..nothing OR sometimes it manically falshes the dashlights and plays the musical chimes (for lack of better words). As soon as I touch the jumper cables to the battery posts it fires right up. Sometimes it does take about 5 minutes to start.
I have have 3 new batteries. Had the last one checked and it is fine. Today it is 4 degrees out and it's doing it again. Sometimes it happens 2 times per week, sometimes once a month and sometimes it goes for 2 or 3 months before another episode. NOTHING is being left on to drain it. Any ideas?
I have have 3 new batteries. Had the last one checked and it is fine. Today it is 4 degrees out and it's doing it again. Sometimes it happens 2 times per week, sometimes once a month and sometimes it goes for 2 or 3 months before another episode. NOTHING is being left on to drain it. Any ideas?
Senior Member
Joined: 12-05-2014
Posts: 3,368
From: Northern Ohio
Very first thing check the voltage (on the battery posts, not the terminals. If you're finding low voltage, take it in, charge it, and leave it connected to NOTHING overnight, then check voltage in the morning. The goal is to confirm it's not self-discharging.
If the battery is proved good, there is likely a terminal is poorly connected, or there is a "parasitic" drain, so then you put it in the car with the neutral terminal disconnect and put a multimeter in the Ameter setting between it and the negative post and see how much draw you're getting.
Then you start pulling fuses until the draw goes away. Someone with more experience than me can help with which fuses to pull first.
If the battery is proved good, there is likely a terminal is poorly connected, or there is a "parasitic" drain, so then you put it in the car with the neutral terminal disconnect and put a multimeter in the Ameter setting between it and the negative post and see how much draw you're getting.
Then you start pulling fuses until the draw goes away. Someone with more experience than me can help with which fuses to pull first.
Moderator
Joined: 05-01-2014
Posts: 8,512
From: California
Might be a loose or otherwise bad connection. Battery clamps have been known to crack. Also check the lug on the side of the fuse block and on the starter.
The top half of the fuse block needs to be tightened to the bottom half, extremely tight.
The top half of the fuse block needs to be tightened to the bottom half, extremely tight.
Senior Member
Joined: 03-29-2022
Posts: 1,241
From: Davison MI
Time to start taking some simple voltage tests. The easiest way to test the battery is to measure voltage across the posts while cranking the engine. Should be above 10 volts. We like to see 10.5 minimum.
The computer network will not be active with less than 10 volts and even though the engine cranks fine it'll never start without a live network.
The computer network will not be active with less than 10 volts and even though the engine cranks fine it'll never start without a live network.