I've got an unexpected issue with my 2002 Chevy Blazer 2D 4WD not starting. It's acting like a dead battery or failed starter, but it's none of those. Both the battery and starter are new.
Battery is fully charged. Reading 12.75v at the terminals. When I turn the key on, everything seems to work, but when I try to turn it over there's a sudden power loss to the whole truck and the key stays locked in the ignition switch.

I'm able to restore power by wiggling the negative battery terminal. It negative side had actually popped out when I did, so there wasn't good contact, I guess, from the beginning. But now I'm having a difficult time screwing it back on. It seems the screw threads are stripped (damn you Autozone guy) and I can't establish good contact.

So that battery terminal is my first problem; may be the only problem. I'm just going to replace the stripped screw. Maybe upgrade to a better mechansim if possible because I hate this 'screw-into-battery' design.
But I'm here asking you guys why would the truck suddenly loose power like this when attempting to turn over until I wiggle the battery terminal? Is this some sort of safety feature in case of bad grounding?

 

First read these:

https://blazerforum.com/forum/2nd-ge...29/#post731395

https://blazerforum.com/forum/2nd-ge...59/#post732668

Any faulty connection in the starter power path will cause major problems when 100 amps tries to pass through it. If that's not your problem then it may be the ignition switch. Further testing is required to confirm if the battery cable fix is not sufficient.


George

 

It seems to be a bad connection from the negative battery cable to the negative terminal. With the interior lights on, I see them flicker on and off from wiggling the battery cable.
I pulled the rubber sleeve off and held it flush against the bettery terminal and got a clean connection. I pulled off the stripped screw and stuck the battery cable on with some duct tape, and the truck started just fine. Not a permanate solution at all, lol, but it confirmed nothing else seems to be wrong other than a faulty ground connection at the battery. I ordered a replacement terminal screw I'm going to pick up soon when I'm able.
The whole truck just suddenly loosing power like that just caught me off guard when I thought the system was properly grounded to where the lights would stay on, but not good enough to run the starter.

 

A little over one tenth of one ohm resistance in a faulty battery connection at the negative terminal will cause the ground to lift the entire 12V during a 100 amp starter cranking event making the net voltage to the vehicle zero volts.

This is why step one for almost all electrical problems is confirm 100% clean, tight, corrosion free connections with no opens or shorts


George

 

I have a 99 jimmy and had this same issue where the car would just loose power. So I changed the bolt in the battery wire brushed it and added a washer or two so that it would make a good contact with the terminal. Its been a few months have not had any issues with it. Probably not the best way but it works for me.

 

I seem to have this same problem with my 2001 GMC Jimmy. It'll just power off, with the key in the ignition, and no juice, at all. So I have to pop the hood, get out, and wiggle the nega. cable some, things come back on, and it may or may not stick. Sometimes it takes a few times. After shutting the hood every time, of course.

It's annoying because I can't hook up my (new) stereo with the negative cable behaving this way. Correction: the stereo IS hooked up - I just can't connect the power until this is fixed.