[Supadave]

I have a 2007 GMC Sierra Vortecmax with a factory remotr start.

I love the truck, however, within the last four months the trucks battery has gone dead.

FIRST time took the truck camping, didn't start it for two days= DEAD. Roadside assistance charges it, I let the dealership know "If it happens again let us know"

SECOND time took it camping again for two days. Same thing its DEAD (No cell coverage this time), luckily found someone with cables

(The truck was not being used for lights, radio, nothing while camping)

Take it to the dealership they say everything checks out but if it happens again dont get a jump we'll come out and look at it. Their Diagnosis " Maybe since your ONstar expired Onstar keeps waking up the modules"

(ONstar hadn't expired and thats a pretty stupid excuse considering how many vehicles are out there not getting dead batteries with or without ONstar services)

THIRD time, leave it for three days at my house, go to start it up, DEAD. Call them, they come out cant find anything wrong, jump it take it to the shop, They say "its your dome light, left on"

(Well, the dome light wasnt left on and even if it was every other vehicle I have ever owned has run down protection) So this time they disable my entry and exit interior lighting, Hell, I only paid $40,000 for the truck why should I expect the luxury of interior lighting

FOURTH time, the truck sits for 18hours wont start, this time it gets jumped and dropped off They keep it for two days cant find anything wrong.

Now I've just picked up the truck drove it for two hours on the highway turned it off, I restart it and the truck barely gets started the internal clock is reset as if the powere was disconnected and re-connected. I reset it go to the store and start it up again and it does that low power chug but does start.

Sorry for the long post but thats the whole story. Any ideas? I'm getting ready to drop off the truck with the keys. Like I said I love the truck but when I'm paying practically mortgage payments for the damn thing I expect it to start when I turn the key.

 

[eurohazard]

4 times is ridiculous. They need to change a part, be it battery or alternator. Battery is my guess. It probably has a bad cell, so it "checks" fine with a meter.....but it's seem it doesn't want to hold a charge.

 

[HoosierRon]

When you drive it for long periods at night, do the headlights dim?

Do you have the headlights set to auto? Is that malfunctioning and not shutting the lights off? Try turning them to off.

It could be the battery. As you are getting dangerously close to a lemon situation, ask the dealer to "try" a new one.

 

[73ChevelleSS]

Have they tested the battery?The battery is most likely junk from being discharged and charged 4 times.Have they tested for a parastic draw?Sounds like you need to find another dealer who is not gonna just assume that you left something on etc..Sorry about your bad luck.Good dealers with good techs are hard to find.

 

[MrCritical]

It's the battery.

Tell them to keep testing it until it fails.

 

[thehustler]

It's the battery.

Tell them to keep testing it until it fails.

I had the same thing happen to my Sonoma about 3 months after putting a new battery in it. It wouldn't last if I didn't start the truck every few days. It failed the first time they tested it on the bench.

 

[2648562]

So, after all that they never replaced the battery?

 

[MrCritical]

GM has the dealer purchase a battery tester, usually made by Midtronics.

For the tester to run the test, the battery has to be fully or almost charged. Then the test is run and you get a CCA rating. For GM to pay the dealer for the warranty battery replacement it must fail the test and it gives a failure code that the dealer inputs on the warranty claim.

So, an intermittent battery failure may pass the test over and over.

AC/Delco batteries may not leak at the positive post as much as they did before Johnson Controls took over their manufacture, but they still suck.

 

[impala02]

I thought I replied to post yesterday and found it odd that my post wasn't here. Now I see that it's listed in 2 diff threads. Anyway, here was my reply...pretty much what everyone else is saying...a bad battery.

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/1516744-post2.html

 

[Joe in T.O.]

We replaced the one on our 07 Tahoe LTZ at our cost. Even with the extended warranty, I was surprised we had to pay for it because it has 70000 km on it. Our warranty goes to 120,000 km and 5 years.

 

[Supadave]

So the truck didn't start AGAIN the next morning. I got a ride to work and dropped the key off at the dealership, I said "I said you know what the problem is and you know where I live" The battery magically got that failure code and the new battery has been good all week.

Thanks all for the posts

 

[CadiEldo67]

That is something else, I can't believe that the dealer would let an issue like that go for so long. I'd say to find a new dealer for your next purchase. Another thing is the AC/Delco battery. I had one in the Grand Prix. Drove it to school one morning, came out after school to go home, unlocked like normal, turned the key and...nothing. Completely dead. Well it started this morning but not six hours later? Needless to say I was pissed about it, and the dealership wouldn't even honor the warranty on it, I think it was a 3 year warranty and it was only a year old. So then I was really pissed. So I dropped them and got a Fisher? Its been great ever since.

 

[BlackSilverado]

I had the same problem. After the second time i demanded them to remove and inspect my battery in front of me. After them trying to tell me i dont know what i am talking about "red seal certified mechanic who also works at the motors in plant" they finally discovered my battery was cracked at the bottom and leaked acid everywhere. Gee funny eh?

 

[JohnDoe12]

I have the same issues with an 07' Sierra.

Thus far GM has replaced:

Visit one - battery

Visit two - door module

Visit three - on star module

It is currently on visit four now - TBA

Same problems as the other posts - dead battery after sitting for 12 hours or so. Initially it took 2 to 3 days to kill it, now it takes 12 hours.

I'm sick and tired of dealing with it, the truck is barely a year old. Forget putting in a new battery, I'm ready for a new vehicle.

 

[helo64]

2007 GMC Sierra 25000 miles

I have had the same issues with dead or drained battery. When it first showed up I replaced the the stock battery with a 1000CCA. Didn't change anything, it too is dead in about two days. Even after one day the engine cranks slower than normal. I have also tested the output of the alternator and it is fine at about 160A. Put a volt meter on the disconnected battery and it had 0.5V draw with everything off? Maybe the on star mod? Also notice the headlights and interior dim/flicker with the activation of any other electrical system i.e. the brake lights . . . . I don't have much confidence with the GM dealers and was wondering if anyone else noticed the headlight thing or have found a solution to the battery draw.

 

[morrisjh23]

I had a similar issue with an 03' 1500hd with the 6 liter. Changed the battery and it was better for a short period of time. Dealer looked at it and everything checked out fine. I cleaned the battery cables and posts to a nice shine and it cured the problem. They didn't look dirty at all but it worked. I had a similar problem with an 04 2500 and it fixed it as well. Maybe I just got lucky but its cheap and worth a try.

 

[mbderk]

I have a 2007 GMC Sierra Vortecmax with a factory remotr start.

I love the truck, however, within the last four months the trucks battery has gone dead.

FIRST time took the truck camping, didn't start it for two days= DEAD. Roadside assistance charges it, I let the dealership know "If it happens again let us know"

SECOND time took it camping again for two days. Same thing its DEAD (No cell coverage this time), luckily found someone with cables

(The truck was not being used for lights, radio, nothing while camping)

Take it to the dealership they say everything checks out but if it happens again dont get a jump we'll come out and look at it. Their Diagnosis " Maybe since your ONstar expired Onstar keeps waking up the modules"

(ONstar hadn't expired and thats a pretty stupid excuse considering how many vehicles are out there not getting dead batteries with or without ONstar services)

THIRD time, leave it for three days at my house, go to start it up, DEAD. Call them, they come out cant find anything wrong, jump it take it to the shop, They say "its your dome light, left on"

(Well, the dome light wasnt left on and even if it was every other vehicle I have ever owned has run down protection) So this time they disable my entry and exit interior lighting, Hell, I only paid $40,000 for the truck why should I expect the luxury of interior lighting

FOURTH time, the truck sits for 18hours wont start, this time it gets jumped and dropped off They keep it for two days cant find anything wrong.

Now I've just picked up the truck drove it for two hours on the highway turned it off, I restart it and the truck barely gets started the internal clock is reset as if the powere was disconnected and re-connected. I reset it go to the store and start it up again and it does that low power chug but does start.

Sorry for the long post but thats the whole story. Any ideas? I'm getting ready to drop off the truck with the keys. Like I said I love the truck but when I'm paying practically mortgage payments for the damn thing I expect it to start when I turn the key.

Did you ever find out what the problem was.I have done a number of things: (3rd)changed batterie, changed starter drive, cleaned all connections, alternator is fully charging, and I still have the same problem. I disconnected the negative on the batterie, and next morning it still would not start from the batterie. If truck is boosted it starts every time, no problem.

 

[mbderk]

Did you ever find out what the problem was.I have done a number of things: (3rd)changed batterie, changed starter drive, cleaned all connections, alternator is fully charging, and I still have the same problem. I disconnected the negative on the batterie, and next morning it still would not start from the batterie. If truck is boosted it starts every time, no problem.

 

[Supadave]

It was the battery. Despite "passing" the tests the first four times it was brought into the dealership, the fifth time when I phoned them and told them to pick up the truck from my house the battery magically "failed" their tests and a new battery solved the problem *gasp*.

I told them it was a battery issue from the get go, but they hypothesized electrical draws, onstar malfuctions, etc.

So in the end my issue was an incompetent dealership. Love the truck still own it.