Low Battery Start Engine

[Daddio]

I've had this problem from new. I did a search in this forum, but can't find anything exactly the same. I did find a number of complaints regarding the poor quality of the GM battery, so I had it checked out and it seemed fine.

I have a 2014 Yukon, very basic truck, basic power options.

After driving (so the battery is fully charged), I turn it off, but keep the key in accessory to listen to the radio. After a short time (anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes) there are 3 bell tones and “LOW BATTERY, START ENGINE” is displayed. The engine starts without any hesitation or effort (appears NOT a low battery) and the message and tones stop.

If I ignore the message, the tones sound a few more times, and after 30 to 40 minutes the radio turns off, tones stop, but the message remains on the dash display. Again, the engine starts without a problem.

In both scenarios, the battery measures 12.2 volts.

While on vacation, the truck sat for 6 weeks without being run and it started right away, so it doesn't appear to be a slow drain.

We like to go to the local drive-in and need the radio to tune in to the movie sound track. So I was hoping there was some way to de-activate the sensor that measures the voltage/amperage drop or increase the time delay before it displays the message. Anybody know???

 

[SubSonic]

Honestly, I think the battery should be closer to 12.6V after only listening to the radio for 5-15 minutes. Could still be a weak battery. I'd also check what your charging voltage is while running--if it's lower than 13.6 (really should be 14+ with these GMs) it may not be charging the battery quite enough--but still enough to to keep the battery charged to start.

 

[Danny3737]

It’s very possible your battery may have a weak cell, which won’t always show up bad on a load test. If your radio has a Nav feature, it will use more voltage than one without it. I went through the exact same thing with my 2004 Denali and Toyota Highlander.

 

[Daddio]

If you can believe the dashboard voltmeter it says about 14.5 volts. But I'm going to bust out my meter and confirm.
No nav, but I was suspicious of the (self installed) brake controller, it's LED's stayed lit for a while after turning off the ignition. I unplugged it and the problem remained. But again, it didn't drain the battery after sitting for 6 weeks.
Everything points to a weak battery and there's lots of complaints about poor quality Delco batteries in this forum. My last Delco battery (in my 2002 Yukon) lasted for over 10 years, so I bought another one just before trading the truck in.

 

[Doubeleive]

to get a real answer to this ideally a technician should be able to describe at what voltage does it trigger the "start engine warning", then you should be to verify if it is indeed dropping to that voltage with a meter or if it is possibly a bad ground causing some resistance and therefore triggering the warning. you might need to use 2 meters, one on the obd port and another on the battery to verify the condition. that test should give you some answers and give some indication of how to correct it. i.e. check or replace ground wires/replace battery, etc..

 

[Fless]

... but I was suspicious of the (self installed) brake controller, it's LED's stayed lit for a while after turning off the ignition. I unplugged it and the problem remained. But again, it didn't drain the battery after sitting for 6 weeks.

Brake controllers do that for a while after turning off the ignition, then they go to sleep.

 

[Daddio]

Thanks guys, I think I got my answer. I was wondering if this was a pervasive problem or a unique one to me. If I want to pursue it further, I'll have to do as Doubeleive says and get into more analysis and testing.
For now, I'll just not use the radio and take the wifes sedan to the drive-in. That may be a blessing in disguise since our drive-in relegates trucks to the back few rows and with her car I'll be able to move up to first class!!

 

[Doubeleive]

there is a sensor that clips around the ground cable that helps "manage" the battery, removing that clip harness disables the battery management, but... not sure if that would make any difference on your DIC warning.

 

[Daddio]

Checking the sensor on the ground cable is a good suggestion ... I wasn't aware of that. Maybe corrosion or a loose connection could induce false readings / premature alarms.

 

[Kevinf89]

I get this message aslo and i replaced my battery and fixed mine but also my battery was wet on top from acid. Also can anyone tell me why when i open driver door i can hear the radio/cd player making a noise for just a few seconds?

 

[avalonandl]

Your battery is overcharging.

 

[BG1988]

I get this message aslo and i replaced my battery and fixed mine but also my battery was wet on top from acid. Also can anyone tell me why when i open driver door i can hear the radio/cd player making a noise for just a few seconds?

that is normal it does it for everyone... that is for the door chimes

 

[intheburbs]

I get this message aslo and i replaced my battery and fixed mine but also my battery was wet on top from acid. Also can anyone tell me why when i open driver door i can hear the radio/cd player making a noise for just a few seconds?

I'm guessing you have the nav system. The noise you hear from the head unit is the disk "pre-loading," in anticipation of you getting in and starting it up, to speed startup/boot time.

 

[Doubeleive]

I'm guessing you have the nav system. The noise you hear from the head unit is the disk "pre-loading," in anticipation of you getting in and starting it up, to speed startup/boot time.

ya that's one of the reasons I yanked that old archaic crap out first chance I had, I could hear that thing constantly annoying same with 4cyl mode, blah.....

 

[Kevinf89]

I'm guessing you have the nav system. The noise you hear from the head unit is the disk "pre-loading," in anticipation of you getting in and starting it up, to speed startup/boot time.

Makes sense thanks

 

[Daddio]

So just to close out my original post 'Low battery, start engine' issue .... (I appreciate it when other posters do that);
I purchased a new AGM battery (at great cost!!) and the problem message has not reappeared.
This message started the day I bought the truck, it was 6 months old, and had the original factory installed (substandard) battery. I'm a little disappointed in GM.

 

[Geotrash]

So just to close out my original post 'Low battery, start engine' issue .... (I appreciate it when other posters do that);
I purchased a new AGM battery (at great cost!!) and the problem message has not reappeared.
This message started the day I bought the truck, it was 6 months old, and had the original factory installed (substandard) battery. I'm a little disappointed in GM.

Yeah, it only lasted 7 years. Lol.

 

[wsteele]

Just to clarify things for posterity, "Low Battery Start Engine" message is not a bug, it is feature.

If you shut your engine off and continue to use accessories, when you power management senses you have run things down enough and also senses you seem to be content staying in the truck, it tells you to start the engine to recharge the battery you just ran down. The systems in these trucks use a lot of power. They don't fully spool down for quite a while after shutdown and you leave the truck, even if you aren't playing the radio, etc.

FWIW, my original OE battery that came with my Yukon lasted the longest of any battery since (7 years). With my latest AGM battery, I went to a battery tender when parked in the garage to assure I get the most from that expensive battery, it was looking like maybe 3 years life before I went to the charger/conditioner.