UPDATE! Long!!! : HELP!!!! STRANDED!!! 2010 Won't Start after stopping for Gas!!!

TN law says they have three tries to fix it or out of service for 30 consecutive days.

http://www.state.tn.us/consumer/lemon.shtml

I suggest reporting it like kulitxplod did to the government as well.

I am glad you reported this. I am also deeply disappointed that a root cause was not found.

 

Makes you wonder if it was bad gas then. One of the gas station putting water in or something.

 

I have to wonder. Here's the deal, my wife didn't want to stop at the XYZ Shell station because of various reasons, more the setting of the station itself than anything. So, she suggested the "Single Letter" place with a geometric symbol (I don't want to name the company b/c I can't verify bad gas, if you have one in your town you may get the name). I filled the truck up there and we didn't stop until we stopped to eat. Stayed there probably an hour, left the eatery, litter right across the side street was the gas station. Drove over, stopped and then........dud.

I have since been running on that same gas I filled up with at the station just before it didn't crank. The "older" gas still has remains because there was 1/4 tank when I filled it up before the incident. So far, no repeats of the incident whatsoever, which is either troubling or comforting depending on what type of perspective you take.

 

I am now confused. Is this a no CRANK condition or a no START condition. I am trying to get that from the posts I have read, but it is NOT clear. I think a well written, clear description of the concern would be helpful to others with this truck.

In TWO cases in the past four months with my 2010, I have had a NO START condition. The engine would spin normally when the key was turned to the start position but the engine did not fire and run on its own. I would only hold it for a few seconds, then I let off. When the key was turned to start again it fired right up. Both times, the engine CRANKED normally. Both times were on the SAME tank of gas. Being a technical guy I have since written it off to a tank with higher than normal ethanol in the mix, especially since it was also one of my lowest average MPG tanks. I could have hooked a scan tool to it and looked at fuel trims to confirm elevated trim under all load conditions, but at the time it did not rise to that level of concern. If something else shows up, I will be happy to update.

 

How about this for clear, the damn engine wasn't spinning. Call it a no crank, no start, no shit, the damn thing wasn't starting.

Sorry for the "tude" but I've explained all I can about the situation.

 

I think the no crank vs no start question is valid based on this statement alone, kulitxplod. Because "no click no sound" to me means even the starter didn't engage. You turn the key ... and silence.

And if that's the case, then based on what I understand, it wouldn't be the immobilizer. People with immobilizer problems - or at least all the ones I've read - say that the engine cranked and in some cases even started, but then died a few seconds later.

If there was nothing ... as if the battery didn't exist at all ... then I would think they should be able to track that down through the electrical. Or maybe there is something wrong with the shift mechanism or at least how the computer sees it. Because if the computer thinks the system is in anything other than park or neutral, it won't crank at all either. As you said, turn the key and ... nothing. And yet you said all the lights ... dash, stereo, etc ... come on.

If it was me dealing with this I'd ask them to check electrical to the starter to see what volts/amps it's receiving. And then to replace the starter itself. And then from there I'd have them look at replacing the ECU ... the engine control unit computer. And they need to check the shift mechanism and how the computers are reading that. I would think this is solvable for sure.

 

Yep. Everything works except for the engine turning one single revolution. I can talk technical as well but as you quoted from my earlier post, I think it was pretty evident that the engine was not turning over whatsoever.

I tried the shifter troubleshooting, that is popping of the tab, placing the shifter in neutral, trying to start...nothing....Normal lights that stay on and go off during your key transition from each position....Nothing out of the normal except for the engine not spinning.

 

i think as stated a few times in this thread it sounds like the starter. On some of our balers at my work they do the same thing. You get all the power and indicators on the control panel for it, but the starter will not make a sound at all, its like turning the key is what makes the most noise. But after a few times turning the key, and a nice good "tap" on the solenoid and they fire up.

 

Peace sir.

I posted earlier in the thread about the starter circuitry. From your original post, is sounded like a no crank condition.....thus the reason for my first post about it not sounding like an immobilizer issue. The thing that was confusing to me was the updated post that seemed to sound like a "start and stall" condition. That was the reason for my question. Clarity.

I fix vehicles for a living, and for me, the repair process starts with a good, detailed conversation with the customer. ESPECIALLY if I cannot duplicate the condition or it is an occasional issue.

My posts in your thread are only intended to help you and all of us find a solution to the concern. Heck, if I was in TN I would drive over and look at your truck. I mean that. I teach too, and cases like this are GREAT examples of how to teach technicians to use critical thinking and a sound approach to RESOLVE customer concerns the FIRST TIME whenever possible. I take that task very seriously. It is a challenge and a game to me. I hate the reputation of incompetence that this trade has. When I miss, I kick myself three times as hard as any client every has.

From what you describe, this should be a fairly straight forward electrical issue and should be found by a good technician. You would not believe some of the "ghosts" that have been found and exercised from vehicles. I actually LOVE the vehicles that have been to three other shops and have not been found yet. I know, I am crazy but I can live with it.


I really hope that the concern with the truck is found. Best of luck. If my travel takes me to TN again this year, I may just drop you a note and pack some extra equipment with me. No charge if I can use it as a case study for classes.

I hope we are good. I was not trying to aggravate you more than you already are.

Have a good night.

 

I don't know much and I stood corrected when similar thing happened to a friend. His nissan would not start and I told him it wasn't the battery because all the warning lights and his head lights were still on. However, when he replaced the battery, it magically worked again. As I've said, you probably have a different problem but just making a point of not ruling things out that may seem trivial.

 

Again, sorry for the "tude", but everybody, except the three people at the Meridian dealership, look at me with disbelief when I say "....the engine just would not turn over, all the lights looked OK, everything else seemed OK, but the engine just won't move..."

Not directed at you, just the frustration of the situation.

 

idk if this has been suggested or not. maybe try your spare ignition key. those chips they put in those are POS!

 

Ok in a spirit of helping out
Can you test your starter relay (its located in the black box in engine bay)

I would say next time you have a problem put your finger on it and have wife turn the key to see if you feel the tick if not remove it, hit few times put back in try cranking again.

Also next time move your shifter from park to neutral and try cranking if nothing move shifter back to park and try again.

 

kulitxplod,

When you have the dealership look at this, besides the immobilizer you may want them to look at the switch that makes sure the vehicle is in park or neutral. It used to be called the neutral safety switch (don't know what they call it these days). Sounds to me that could be a possible problem. Good luck to ya.

 

Why do you even post this stuff?

 

I did trying reading.

 

Idiots are idiots be definition. He was just born that way.

 

As noted in several previous posts, I tried the shifter, over and over again. In regards to the starter relay, is it located in the fuse box under the hood or different box?

 

Under the hood.. in that big ole box of relays
(sorry about shifter I had missed that)