I’m having a strange electrical issue

[Droidzandbrix]

I have a 2005 Chevy Tahoe. I went to start it earlier today, but instead of starting, it made a loud bang and lost all electrical power. Some time later, the power came back, but then lost power after I tried to start it again. Then it started the third time, and gave me no more issues. The only thing that changed was I removed the rear wiper fuse some time after the first try, and before the third. Does anyone have any idea what might be going on? Thank you.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Welcome to the Forum from NH.

Lots of knowledgeable folks here who freely share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Knowledge is power.

I hope that you will become a participating member in the Forum's discussions.

Pics of the truck, please. If we can't see it, it does not exist.

Can you describe more fully what the 'bang' sounded like? Metallic, compressed gas, ??

 

[Droidzandbrix]

Welcome to the Forum from NH.

Lots of knowledgeable folks here who freely share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Knowledge is power.

I hope that you will become a participating member in the Forum's discussions.

Pics of the truck, please. If we can't see it, it does not exist.

Can you describe more fully what the 'bang' sounded like? Metallic, compressed gas, ??

Here’s a picture. It sounded similar to a backfire, but I thought it was a big fuse or something similar popping, since it immediately lost power.

 

[wjburken]

I would check the wiring for your starter, including the integrity of the connection points at the starter. If the offending action is simply trying to start the car, then my first thought would be that you have a bad connection at your starter. Look for any signs of arcing or burnt wire insulation, broken ground wire at the starter, etc.

 

[RailLife365]

My first thought would also be an electrical issue. A loose connection somewhere.

If you lost ALL power when it "banged", then I would start at the battery. Check that those terminals are clean and tight. If they're dirty, clean them up, apply grease liberally, and tighten back up so they're nice and firm.

If those are good, then I would start tracing each battery lead out away from the battery, looking for breaks in the insulation, loose terminals, corrosion, chew marks, burn/scorch marks, or anything else that looks suspicious or wrong. Checking any/all grounds with a multimeter along the way too.

If I don't find anything through there, then I'd check the ECM and test the relays.

Did you smell anything inside the cabin right after the "bang"? Particularly around the ignition cylinder? It shouldn't "bang" when that fails, but I guess anything is possible!

Let us know how it goes. We're around to help!