This Morning I turned the key into the start position and everthing came on but the moment i cranked it the entire vehicle shut off, I cant thinkg of a reason for the battery to have died overnight and usually it will at least click when the battery is dead. every couple of tries the dash and everything will resume as normal but when it's cranked over it is all gone for a while again. Is this just another case of a dead battery or could there be something more causing the car to have no response to when they key is turned?

98 LS 4DR 4.3L

 

How cold did it get last night where you are?

 

My first guess is the battery. It's not unusual for batteries in modern vehicles to just die without warning, yet have enough juice to power some gauges. Take it out and have it tested and let us know the outcome.

 

Being that Im in Minnesota it was probably around 10 degrees last night, its usually a pretty tough start after cold nights. I took the battery into checker and had them do a test and charge it came back fine and the car started right up after reconnection, i think the battery is just starting to get bad. i plan on replacing it soon.

 

Hi just wanted to say this. i have had that happen to me before with my Suburban. I had my oil changed at a garage, and when they went to start it up to drive it out, It would not start. it turned out that the battery terminals were corroded just enough that it was not getting a good connection. as soon as I pulled the cables off and cleaned them it started right up with no problems. Just an FYI for future if a problem like that comes up with anyone. Also a loose cable will do that too, I noticed my blazer is very sensitive to that.

 

Wanted to second Dodgelover 2003, sounds more like a bad connectionthan a bad battery.

 

I have had this same thing happen in two entirely different GM vehicles I used to own, 2000 Bravada and 2001 Bonneville SSEi. Both were due to a bad battery. Or more precisely, due to corrosion behind the positive terminal inside the battery.

My old Bravada would power everything up like normal, showing ~12V on the gauge with the key on, then die when I would turn the key to start, and go right back to ~12V when the key was returned to the on position. When I went to clean the battery terminals, the positive terminal pulled right out of the battery case. There was green and white corrosion all over inside the battery.

My old Bonneville was just dead one morning. I could not even unlock the doors. Just touch the jumper cables to the battery and all of the sudden, everything had power. It would start repeatedly. I cleaned the terminals and put everything back together. Come back out the next morning and it was dead again. Same thing here. Positive battery terminal showed bulging around it this time. Damn, that battery was expensive.

Both of these vehicles did this within a month of each other during the winter. Both were the original AC Delco batteries.

I would disconnect your battery and load test it.

 

Mostvehicles since1970s with digital clocks, computers, sensors, and other electronicaccessories have at least a 50ma parasitic battery drain when the engine is not running or even with the ignition key off. If your battery is marginalorover 18 mo. old, the electronics on the vehiclecan drain the battery dead in a few days without driving the car to recharge the battery. Every car owner should get a Deltran Battery Tender and keep it attached to the battery terminals if the car is notgoing to bedriven for a few days, especially in colder climates.Usually if your battery runs down to the point it is completely dead, it cannot take a full recharge and should be replaced.

You can also get a Deltran Battery Tender cigarette lighter adapter so you can keep your clockand computer memory running if you must disconnectcar battery for any reason.

Iuse those devices for years on my two show cars because they are not driven but about 2,000 miles per year. Deltran Battery Tender Waterproof 800 because The Blazer sits for extended periods of time without being driven and it is outdoors under a car port. The Deltran Battery Tender Waterporoof 800 is a 800ma charger and will keep the battery at full charge while the vehicle'sengine is not running. It is about the size of the mouse on your computer. Great device. www.batterytender.com