Car starting sometimes, sometimes have to jump, speedometer and tach working but all other gauges not working 2003 GMC Yukon
Car starts sometimes , sometimes have to jump. Speedometer and tach working, all other guages not working. Speakers for radio not working either.
My car has 230000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
It is a 2003 GMC Yukon
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there – check fuses first, but it sounds like you might have a problem with your digital dash, and possibly a wiring issue that is draining your battery overnight. The lack of gauge function is is a high failure rate circuit board issue, but there are rebuilder service companies out there that specialize in this work. The battery drain issue maybe be a different problem, but can be tracked down as well. This problem can be diagnosed by connecting an ammeter to the positive (red) battery cable, observe the current drain (likely less than 1 amp), then, one at a time, remove each fuse, check to see if the current drain has dropped to near 0, then reinsert the fuse. This process should identify the faulty circuit in most cases. The specific components on that circuit can then be checked for current drain problems. A professional mechanic, like YourMechanic, can come to your location, and perform this procedure for you, and replace/repair the failing component.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
The most common causes of a speedometer that stopped working include are a faulty speed sensor, a broken gear on the speedometer, damaged wiring, or a faulty engine control unit.
A speedometer that is not working properly can be caused by a few different things. The most common issue is a problem with the gauge cluster itself, which could be caused by a faulty gauge motor or stepper motor. Another possibility is that the circuit board has become damaged and needs to be repaired or replaced.
Gauges twitching after attempting to start the engine is usually a sign that the battery doesn`t have the capacity to crank the engine; this is either due to a bad battery or a bad alternator that is failing to keep the battery charged.
Dashboard lights can become non-functional for various reasons. In case, the dimmer switch on the dashboard is turned down or off, the dashboard lights will not show. Also, a blown fuse or a bad lightbulb can cause the non-functionality of these dashboard lights.
While you are driving, if you notice the needle on the speedometer jumps erratically from one number to another, the speedometer cable is most likely damaged or the sensors on the driveshaft are not accurately sending the signal through the cable.
Your speedometer is directly linked to the speed sensor — meaning if anything goes wrong with the vehicle speed sensor, it`ll lead to a speedometer failure. Whether you have hall effect or digital speed sensors, here are some signs of a bad sensor that may accompany your erratic speedometer needle: Transmission issues.
A common problem for this malfunction is when the car owner recently replaced the battery, or perhaps jump-stared their vehicle, which in both cases could have caused an electrical spike that made the speedometer go berserk.
The problem could be the hairspring inside the speedometer. Hairspring holds the `speed cup` inside mechanical speedometers and if they break or become loose, the pointer can jump abruptly on the dial. I will advise to swap your speedometer with a known good one to see if the same cable performs fine with it.
Is It The Battery? Battery problems can also cause issues with the instrument cluster operation. Flickering lights or erratic gauges could be a sign of a weak battery. Sometimes various modules within your car (including the cluster) causing a battery drain, even when the car is turned off.
An early warning sign that your alternator is going bad could be dim, flickering lights. This symptom could show up on any or all of your dashboard lights, reading lights, headlights or other lights. The alternator is supposed to provide the electricity for your car`s lights.
The instrument cluster fuse, also known as the dashboard fuse, powers the gauges and displays on your vehicle`s dashboard. This includes the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, and temperature gauge.
The output speed sensor is also known as the vehicle speed sensor in a vehicle. It transmits a signal to the transmission control unit, informing it of the vehicle`s speed. Failure of the speed sensor is a common reason for taking the car to the mechanic.
The vehicle may lose vehicle speed signal, which can affect speedometer operation and transmission shift quality. Most often the vehicle speed sensor is faulty, however, at times, the driven gear inside the transmission is at fault.
Underperforming Electrical Systems
You might notice your car`s power windows rolling slower, the speedometer acting up, or the stereo system`s output getting softer due to alternator trouble. These are tell-tale signs of an issue with your vehicle`s electrical system.
In speedometer controllers of this type that use a detection signal from a vehicle speed sensor, the detection signal from the vehicle speed sensor is transmitted through a powertrain control module (hereinafter referred to as “PCM”).
Typically the speed sensor mounts on the transmission and gets its signal from a toothed gear inside the transmission housing. The sensor has an electric current running and a magnetic tip that sits very close to the teeth on the gear.
Faulty Fuse/Bad Wiring: In very wet conditions, it is possible for exposed wires to get wet and short out, causing a fuse to blow. When the fuse for your speedometer stops working, it can cause the speedometer to drop to zero.
Transmission Range Sensor (TR)/ Transmission Position Sensor
The PCM uses this information to control which gears of the transmission to enable or disable. When the TR sensor fails it can cause wrong gear starts, no upshifts, or what feels like a falling-out-of-gear condition.
If you use the wrong size battery, this could cause changes in the flow of electrical currents, resulting in power surges that can damage the onboard computers or other components.
When the battery current sensor fails, the vehicle will not charge correctly, leading to a DTC or a dead battery. Common signs of failure include: Irregular charging rates. Low battery voltage.
Gauges flickering and the car won`t start usually indicates a power problem. Usually, a battery problem comes with clicking sounds. To determine the source, call a mobile mechanic and ask for help conducting a battery inspection.
Some gauges, like the speedometer, odometer, and tachometer, use small gears. These small gears can wear out over time, leading to mechanical failure of the gauge(s). A bad alternator can cause voltage spikes.
Parasitic drain
A parasitic drain refers to when your car`s battery continues to drain even after the car`s parked, and the amount of drainage is much higher than normal. Usually, it`s a faulty accessory in the car causing the drain – for example, a sensor or interior light doesn`t switch off automatically.
If the instrument cluster fails while driving, then this will often cause the engine to cut out. If failure happens while attempting to start the vehicle then it will prevent the engine from starting.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Car starting sometimes, sometimes have to jump, speedometer and tach working but all other gauges not working 2003 GMC Yukon
ANSWER : Hi there – check fuses first, but it sounds like you might have a problem with your digital dash, and possibly a wiring issue that is draining your battery overnight. The lack of gauge function is is a high failure rate circuit board issue, but there are rebuilder service companies out there that specialize in this work. The battery drain issue maybe be a different problem, but can be tracked down as well. This problem can be diagnosed by connecting an ammeter to the positive (red) battery cable, observe the current drain (likely less than 1 amp), then, one at a time, remove each fuse, check to see if the current drain has dropped to near 0, then reinsert the fuse. This process should identify the faulty circuit in most cases. The specific components on that circuit can then be checked for current drain problems. A professional mechanic, like YourMechanic, can come to your location, and perform this procedure for you, and replace/repair the failing component.
My car will not start Intermittently. I purchased a new battery 2 weeks ago and yesterday the car wouldn’t start. Got a jump and
ANSWER : The issue you are having is probably due to an intermittent fault in the starter motor itself or a deficiency in the starter electrical circuit, for example a large voltage drop due to a poor ground or a high resistance connection. These issues can be readily diagnosed and resolved on a mobile basis if you request a hard starting diagnostic. If you request that diagnostic, the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you promptly. Based on Toyota’s Factory Service Manual, the battery should not be disconnected if the vehicle engine is running. The battery acts as a large resistive voltage sink and consequently taking the battery out of the circuit, while the alternator is still running, can create a voltage spike on the car’s electrical system which is not good for voltage sensitive components such as the engine computer. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
Gas gauge isn’t working. Sometimes the speedometer and the temperature gauge doesn’t work. Limited lights around gauges and radio.
ANSWER : Hi there. The dashboard lights are burned out in the dash and the dimmer switch could be worn causing the lights to be weak. The gauges that seldom fail to work is most likely a loose wire in the dash panel. The fuel gauge that is not going to E when shutting off the car has a damaged rheostat within the sending unit. The sending unit is in the fuel tank attached to the fuel pump. If you need further assistance with your gauges not working, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
My car won’t start, neither does my auto. Start. Sometime it might start if I jump it sometimes it won’t.
ANSWER : Hi there. There are a number of issues that will make a car hard to start. Everything from the electrical system to the fuel system to the actual starter itself can be the problem. Finding the root cause of a hard starting engine can take some investigation. Ignoring a hard starting issue can further damage the vehicle, which will often result in a more expensive repair. You might want to have a mobile mechanic complete a car is hard to start inspection so they can pinpoint the source of the issues you’re having and recommend the right repairs be completed.
Vehicle won’t start, once it’s jump started it only stays running until you turn it off, then it work start again without jumping.
ANSWER : Hi there. There could be two problems here. It is possible that your battery is bad and will not take a charge from your alternator while driving. In that case every time you shut your car off you will not have enough juice to start it again. Inspect your battery – it should have at least 12.5 to 13 volts to start your car, if it doesn’t you will need to replace the battery. The second problem could be that your alternator is bad and not charging your battery, in this case you will need to replace your alternator. Both the battery and the alternator can be tested in your car. If you would like to have the car checked for you, a certified professional from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to diagnose the starting problem and proceed with repairs.
Map sensor car won’t start up good ?
ANSWER : Your MAP sensor is an important input for your computer. It helps determine the load on the engine to calculate the correct amount of fuel to inject. It sometimes takes a few seconds for the vehicle to realize that the sensor is not producing a good signal.
At that point, it will use other methods to determine the fuel rate, such as pre-programmed fuel maps, throttle position, etc. I would suggest replacing the MAP sensor and retesting. If you would like to have it checked first, a certified technician from YourMechanic will be able to scan your vehicle and test components to determine the root cause of your starting issue before making a repair.
Fuel pump engages. Batery good, alternator good volts, jump start helps when wont start. Temp does not matter. Intermittent?
ANSWER : Hello. Thank you for writing in. There are several reasons your vehicle may only start when jump starting. The first and most common is a build up of resistance that is causing you to need a boost of voltage to get the engine started. This may be due to poor battery cables, a bad ground connection, a poor starter solenoid, and a couple of other issues. The first thing you want to do is perform a visual inspection of the starting system. Make sure there is no corrosion build up in the battery cables. You can also check the resistance across these wires and make sure you have a solid connection between components. You then want to make sure the starter solenoid is doing its job. It is responsible for taking the small amount of electricity sent by the ignition and turning it into a huge electrical charge that is strong enough to push over the engine with the help of some gear ratios in its favor. Do some more testing, and stick to the basics before assuming its something seriously complicated.
Car won’t start. The check engine light, battery light, and oil change light are coming on. I tried jumping the car and nothing happened. Why won’t my car start?
ANSWER : Hi and thanks for contacting Your Mechanic. If sometimes your vehicle will start with the new alternator and sometimes it won’t, then there is a loose connection in your charging system. Check all of the wires to the alternator and to the battery. Make sure that the battery cables are clean and tight. Make sure that the wires to the starter are clean and tight. A loose ground to the ignition system will cause the vehicle to not crank over. Check all of the ground wires from the battery to the starter. Make sure that they are clean and tight. If you need further assistance troubleshooting your no start situation, then seek out a technician, such as one from Your Mechanic, that can assist you.
