Need assistance with 2011 Yukon- power failure

[mo mauser]

My wife's 2011 GMC Yukon lost complete power two weeks ago while sitting at a traffic light. This was a total power loss including engine, interior, even hazard lights wouldn't come on. Fortunately or unfortunately it was in front of the dealership. They towed. They cranked up as they were unloading it and everything worked. No trouble codes. They replaced the battery ground cable as the only problem they found. Yesterday in a similar situation it did it again but this time after a few minutes it returned to full power cranked and she drove home. Check engine light and stabilitrack on. Stabilitrack went back out driving home but when I checked it several hours later the check engine light was still on. When I went to mess with it today no check engine light. I went to the auto store they found the alternator good and battery good but near end if life. Just out of curiosity I had another auto parts store check it and they found it had a bad battery at 85%. Searching the web has finding where gm has tons of electrical issues on their vehicles but I've not found a match it's issue. Any GM guru's who can point me in the right direction? Thanks

 

[libertysteeth]

Summer battery death probably. Happens. Did they use a real load tester? The newer ones don't always show the issue. The older heating element style work best to show intermittent battery problems. The new ones are better for measuring capacity.

 

[harrycalahan]

If the battery is 5 or more years old and showing low on the load test, then replace it to rule it out.

 

[mo mauser]

Thanks. I'll replace it tomorrow. Just curious if these Yukon/Tahoe are prone other issues I need to look at.

My Toyota has spoiled me!

 

[Plinker66]

I had a worn out/stripped /corroded battery cable bolt cause that last year on my Yukon xl. I believe it’s from someone over tightening a weak design in the past.

They sell and install replacement battery cable bolts at the parts store for less than $20.

Next time it happens pop the hood and jiggle the battery bolts and you’ll prolly get a sign.

Even if you buy a new battery, if the cable bolts are shot, it will keep happening.

The bad bolt can also interfere with the charging, of course.

 

[libertysteeth]

Only "issue" power wise is the gauge cluster soldering but that won't shut off the truck. Occasionally an ignition switch will go bad although I have never seen it only heard of it. Follow the positive from the battery to the main relay box terminal give it a good tug at each point. As for toyota. They have an odd main fuse that costs $50 to replace and require extensive dissasmbly of the main relay box to replace.

 

[Wrencher]

I've encountered a few 07 up GM truck/SUV vehicles with similar symptoms. They were mostly traced back to a loose connection at the 175A main fuse, near the battery along the positive cable. Cleaning the contact surfaces and getting the nuts torqued down alleviated the issue without replacing anything.

 

[erkinator]

My neighbor is certified machanic and he was telling me that every chvey he owned he would fix the main body ground points. Said that they usually relied on the bolts from chassis to frame to have total gound. He always added ground wire jumpers from frame to chassis. Might not be issue but I agree on battery. I just went through the battery gremlin stage with my car. All kind wierd stuff was happening that I never saw befo on my older cars

 

[Wrencher]

Thanks. I'll replace it tomorrow. Just curious if these Yukon/Tahoe are prone other issues I need to look at.

My Toyota has spoiled me!

Window switch contact oxidation, door lock motor failures, LF lower door hinges, door speakers (non Bose), cracked dashes(standard equipment) and a handful of other issues are common to that platform. That's excluding the DOD engine and drivetrain issues.

 

[Kyzrsoze]

If the truck dies by losing power while it's running, it would almost have to be an alternator issue or a corroded/loose connection somewhere. The battery at 85% probably means that it's not getting a consistent charge while the truck is running and may be carrying the load for the alternator sometimes. I'm betting a bad ground wire connection somewhere.