Lots of electronics issues

[mattboston]

I've now had two Chevy Tahoe's that seem to have similar issues. In 2015, I bought a 2008 Tahoe LTZ, which seemed to have parasitic battery drain. No local repair shops or Chevy could find out what was causing the issue. So last year, I traded it in for a 2016 Tahoe, and pretty much since the day I bought it, I've had parasitic battery issues. I've now gone through 3 batteries, which are really expensive for these large SUVs.

Second, I also have issues with the entertainment/nav system. If I connect an iPhone about half the time, it doesn't start CarPlay. The other half the time, it works, but all touch functions are about 30 seconds delayed from when you press it to when it responds. Also, the screen sporadically goes completely blank and seems to reboot the entire entertainment system. Sometimes, when we're driving, all the icons have [] brackets and the icons start moving around (on their own). If the nav system is on, it's like someone tells the screen to keep scrolling.

We've taken the 2016 to Chevy, and they said it only needs a software update to fix all the issues. This didn't work even though they charged me over $600 for this update. I'm at the end of my rope with Chevy vehicles. I have a 2007 Toyota Tacoma that is old as hell and has never had any issues. Repair shops and dealers don't seem to know what they are doing and trading to a new(er) vehicle isn't an option right now. What should I be looking at to get this fixed?

 

[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.

I cannot personally assist you with your issue, but other members of this Forum much more knowledgeable than me in this area will chime in.

 

[Toenail]

I have a 1999 Tahoe that was a nightmare from the time I purchased it new. After failed heater/AC controls, failed speed control, bad shifting transmission, and 5 failed alternators I changed it over to the larger alternator that was an option on that Tahoe. No more electrical problems after 50K miles. Just for a test I reinstalled the old speed control with the new alternator and it was fine. Lesson learned - If the voltage is ever below 14 while driving replace the alternator. If necessary find an alternator that will provide this voltage while under load in the heat. The new brilliantly designed alternators have a thermistor in them that backs the voltage down when it gets hot. The charging voltage at that time may not be enough to support the vehicle needs. Anything electrical may indicate a failure with low voltage. A bad battery could cause the same issues so fix that first.