I have a 2001 Suburban (chevy) 5.3 liter Vortec engine, auto trans 4 wheel drive, fully loaded. As of late I come out in the morning to find a dead battery. this happened before and I disconnected the fuse for the dvd player that was installed aftermarket. some times I have to hit my dashboard to get the dash lights to work, now they dont work at all. sometimes the ride control compressor runs for no apparent reason when the car is off. I replaced the battery 3 years ago and it seemed to solve the problem until now. I replaced the battery with an optima red top yesterday and now the electrical system is going haywire. the ABS light is flashing and the service ride control light is on, the fuel gauge is bouncing back and forth from full to empty. What should I do. I am a fair mechanic but electrical is not my forte.
You would be in error not to check for Technical Service Bulletins first, you have already duplicated the concern. Remember all electrical system diagnosis starts at the battery and both the + and - side.Did you know to check the postive cable for acid damage,all the way back to the starter,and the big nut at the starter?
Im not really akin on how to check for tech bulletins, but I will check the nut on the starter for tightness, other than that, I keep the engine and drivetrain as well as the body well groomed. I never thought about a loose nut behind the starter, or the wheel for that matter. Thank You
I checked the cables, no corrosion and tight as a drum. I connected an OBD II computer to the plug under the dashboard and the computer replied that there were no trouble codes present. Is OBDII the proper code reader? none of these lights were on before I replaced the battery. now I have constant ABS, flashing Service ride control, change engine oil. The battery has not gone dead as of yet but the ampmeter is charging at about 16.5-17 volts. I disconnected the pos terminal while the vehicle was running and it continued to run even with the lights on. Any suggestions? Thanks so much. Best Regards