Stutaeng's 2006 Suburban 2500

[stutaeng]

I checked the pads and I have plenty of life left on them. I replaced the front rotors when I bought it, according to my maintenance records, but not the pads. That was at 225k and currently at 273k...I guess I'll just keep on running them?

Also, I didn't realize how friggin' massive these front calipers are, in comparison to the 2019 calipers I swapped on my 99 Silverado, these seem larger and heavier.

 

[stutaeng]

My wife went to the nearby park and after trying to leave our Chrysler minivan wouldn't crank. I went over with a jumppack and checked the battery and it was 12.54V. No crank, just could hear relays clicking. I had to Google where the starter is, but unfortunately it's buried underneath. You have to remove a crossmember and the engine mount to get to it. I was hoping I could smack it with a hammer like our GMT trucks...SMH

So we just left it there and this morning it fired right up and drove it home...need to order a starter for it...:-(

I feel like a part-time mechanic often. LOL

 

[ORVietVet]

My wife went to the nearby park and after trying to leave our Chrysler minivan wouldn't crank. I went over with a jumppack and checked the battery and it was 12.54V. No crank, just could hear relays clicking. I had to Google where the starter is, but unfortunately it's buried underneath. You have to remove a crossmember and the engine mount to get to it. I was hoping I could smack it with a hammer like our GMT trucks...SMH

So we just left it there and this morning it fired right up and drove it home...need to order a starter for it...:-(

I feel like a part-time mechanic often. LOL

Check for voltage drop in the cables. Check the cable ends for tight and cleanliness.

 

[stutaeng]

I went ahead and ordered some "WAI Global" new starter from RA, apparently made by Denso for the 3.6 minivan. It was $150, delivered using the discount code. The only Mopar RA was showing was a "right hand drive"? WTH?

AAP was $175 for a remanufactured Carquest brand, which I guess wasn't horrible either, but I wasn't going to be able to work on until the weekend anyway.

My 06 Suburban, the old 4.3 on my 99 Silverado that got junked and my K3500 which ain't even running anymore all have/had the AAP Carquest... probably now a good representation, but I didn't have any issues on those (yet?)...I believe the 5.3 I swapped into the Silverado is still running the original starter that came with the engine...

IDK what to think about new vs remanufactured parts nowadays?

 

[bigdogYJ]

Now it seems it’s all a crapshoot. Oe might be less of a crapshoot but honestly if you can rebuild the original that might be better. Use the parts store one in the meantime. FYI my 2000 Silverado 5.3 is original 299k miles and counting. — knock on wood.

 

[stutaeng]

I got the starter replaced on the minivan. It now definitely cranks faster. The old starter was kinda "laggy" when flipping the key and slower turning.

Why would the Chrysler engineers/designers put the starter right next to the catalytic converter is beyond me! Seems like heat kills them. SMH

They (Chrysler) apparently don't leave absolutely any slack on any of the wiring harnesses. I fought the wires on the starter. Argh!

 

[ORVietVet]

Is it missing a shield on the starter?

 

[stutaeng]

Is it missing a shield on the starter?

No, no shield.

I was going to take a photo, but by then I had already reinstalled the motor mount...

 

[stutaeng]

Welp...this thing is kicking my butt.

My wife called saying the minivan had the same symptoms on Tuesday morning! Doh!

Somehow later that day she tried again and got it to crank and fire to move it behind our Express Van, so she could use that to go pick up the kids. I tried myself later that day and nothing. No crank.

I watched a YT from SMA and Eric had a similar condition and it was some TIPM issue (of course!) I soldered a wire based on his symptoms and nothing happened initially. I the fiddled with the relay and it fired right up... enough to move it to the backyard. I tried several times without the jumper cable powered and it still cranked and started just fine! WTH

Today I tried again after work and cranked and fired fine!

I ordered one of those Lisle master relay tester kits, and hopefully I can figure out what's happening when it won't crank...stand by, I guess?

 

[bigdogYJ]

Bummer that’s frustrating. Yeah those computerized fuse boxes are a nightmare. That will be the early death of a lot of newer vehicles I’m afraid.

 

[ORVietVet]

Welp...this thing is kicking my butt.

My wife called saying the minivan had the same symptoms on Tuesday morning! Doh!

Somehow later that day she tried again and got it to crank and fire to move it behind our Express Van, so she could use that to go pick up the kids. I tried myself later that day and nothing. No crank.

I watched a YT from SMA and Eric had a similar condition and it was some TIPM issue (of course!) I soldered a wire based on his symptoms and nothing happened initially. I the fiddled with the relay and it fired right up... enough to move it to the backyard. I tried several times without the jumper cable powered and it still cranked and started just fine! WTH

Today I tried again after work and cranked and fired fine!

I ordered one of those Lisle master relay tester kits, and hopefully I can figure out what's happening when it won't crank...stand by, I guess?

What year is the minivan and is it a "start/stop" set up? What engine? Gobs of problems with the Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep vehicles and the Totally Integrated Powertrain Management-TIPM system. Especially with the start/stop set up. I have a neighbor/customer with a 2017 Cherokee that is a start/stop that has had repeated TIPM system problems. It all started when her ex husband installed a non AGM battery. The application calls for an AGM battery.

Had a recent "no crank" problem that was traced down to a start/stop relay that is a dealer item only.

 

[stutaeng]

What year is the minivan and is it a "start/stop" set up? What engine? Gobs of problems with the Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep vehicles and the Totally Integrated Powertrain Management-TIPM system. Especially with the start/stop set up. I have a neighbor/customer with a 2017 Cherokee that is a start/stop that has had repeated TIPM system problems. It all started when her ex husband installed a non AGM battery. The application calls for an AGM battery.

Had a recent "no crank" problem that was traced down to a start/stop relay that is a dealer item only.

2013 Chrysler Town and Country 3.6 Pentastar engine. It doesn't have the push button start, still uses the plastic key fob gizmo....

I don't believe this one requires an
AGM battery. I've been running regular batteries since we bought it in 2015 with around 30k miles. It's now around 96k, maybe on our third battery?

 

[99Sierra2500]

Some newer cars also have a secondary battery that can get weak or die, and cause problems.

 

[ORVietVet]

2013 Chrysler Town and Country 3.6 Pentastar engine. It doesn't have the push button start, still uses the plastic key fob gizmo....

I don't believe this one requires an a
aGM battery. I've been running regular batteries since we bought it in 2015 with around 30k miles. It's now around 96k, maybe on our third battery?

Some newer cars also have a secondary battery that can get weak or die, and cause problems.

The Jeep has a Pentastar engine too. It has the push button start. You did not say whether yours has the start/stop set up or not, so I assume you do not. If you did, they sometimes, like this Cherokee, have a secondary battery under the passenger seat that is a lot like a motorcycle battery.

I looked and RA says yours calls for an AGM battery. Her Cherokee called for the AGM battery and the ex did not put one in and with the TIPM system, the AGM is needed, as per Chrysler. Her new battery, by the ex, worked for a short time and then there was problems. When she told me her ex just installed a new battery, I checked the application to make sure it had the right series and then I discovered the application called for an AGM. Then I found out about TIPM problems without AGM batteries. I then installed an AGM battery and she was fine for a while and then her ongoing TIPM problems reared it's ugly head. Recently replaced the start/stop relay, when the vehicle would not crank at all. I also found too much starter draw and recommended a new starter and she did that too. She has been good for a while but a reoccurring problem has been a RED Lightening Bolt flashing on with a backwards paratheses on each side, at the dash. Comes and goes. It is all about the Electronic Throttle Control but diagnostic steps keeps pointing to the intermittent TIPM problem.

 

[stutaeng]

The Jeep has a Pentastar engine too. It has the push button start. You did not say whether yours has the start/stop set up or not, so I assume you do not. If you did, they sometimes, like this Cherokee, have a secondary battery under the passenger seat that is a lot like a motorcycle battery.

I looked and RA says yours calls for an AGM battery. Her Cherokee called for the AGM battery and the ex did not put one in and with the TIPM system, the AGM is needed, as per Chrysler. Her new battery, by the ex, worked for a short time and then there was problems. When she told me her ex just installed a new battery, I checked the application to make sure it had the right series and then I discovered the application called for an AGM. Then I found out about TIPM problems without AGM batteries. I then installed an AGM battery and she was fine for a while and then her ongoing TIPM problems reared it's ugly head. Recently replaced the start/stop relay, when the vehicle would not crank at all. I also found too much starter draw and recommended a new starter and she did that too. She has been good for a while but a reoccurring problem has been a RED Lightening Bolt flashing on with a backwards paratheses on each side, at the dash. Comes and goes. It is all about the Electronic Throttle Control but diagnostic steps keeps pointing to the intermittent TIPM problem.

Oh sorry, run/stop where the engine shuts off at a red light? No, it doesn't have that feature... that's interesting about the AGM battery, I'll have to think about that again.

Here's the video I watched. There other thing he mentioned is the wireless Ignition node (WIN), but he said in his case his scan tool correctly showed functions were active when the key was turned. I don't have an advanced scan tool that shows that, so that's something I haven't ruled out, although I do hear some relays (maybe others except the starter relay clicking) when the key is flipped, which was also Eric's case...

 

[ORVietVet]

Oh sorry, run/stop where the engine shuts off at a red light? No, it doesn't have that feature... that's interesting about the AGM battery, I'll have to think about that again.

Here's the video I watched. There other thing he mentioned is the wireless Ignition node (WIN), but he said in his case his scan tool correctly showed functions were active when the key was turned. I don't have an advanced scan tool that shows that, so that's something I haven't ruled out, although I do hear some relays (maybe others except the starter relay clicking) she the key is flipped, which was also Eric's case...

South Main Auto is a great you tube info source.

 

[stutaeng]

I got my relay tester, but now I can't get the minivan to act up. Been checking for the last 3 days and she cranks and fires right up. WTH.

I told my wife jokingly this is gonna need a mechanic, a priest and a palm reader to fix. LOL

 

[stutaeng]

Back to my Suburban, that GM Genuine sensor didn't actually fix the issue. I now have a code about missing signal for that sensor and the others are gone. There was a shim on the Timken, which I reinstalled. Maybe that had to be omitted?

Also, I jacked up the rear and took off the tires. I had my son put it in gear and I could see the little brake pad ears through the caliper were moving back and forth. I "think" that's the pulsing when braking and I also have this kinda weird "uneven deceleration" when coming close to a stop.

So I proceeded to measure the rotor run-out and got about 15 thousands on tbe driver's side...that's a lot, so I didn't even bother measuring the other side. SMH

 

[stutaeng]

Here a video I created. Hopefully you can see what I'm talking about on the pads moving around:

 

[ORVietVet]

Back to my Suburban, that GM Genuine sensor didn't actually fix the issue. I now have a code about missing signal for that sensor and the others are gone. There was a shim on the Timken, which I reinstalled. Maybe that had to be omitted?

Also, I jacked up the rear and took off the tires. I had my son put it in gear and I could see the little brake pad ears through the caliper were moving back and forth. I "think" that's the pulsing when braking and I also have this kinda weird "uneven deceleration" when coming close to a stop.

So I proceeded to measure the rotor run-out and got about 15 thousands on tbe driver's side...that's a lot, so I didn't even bother measuring the other side. SMH

Here a video I created. Hopefully you can see what I'm talking about on the pads moving around:

You can machine them and likely be fine. If you do, make sure before a shop resurfaces them that they or you completely clean the inside/backside of the hub hat. When you put the freshly machined or new rotors on, make sure to clean the end of the axle. Rust build up. You do what you want but I would use new pads and hardware and clean/adjust if needed, the park brake shoes.