Starter clicks then starts, cruise control disconnecting - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

SStevo · 11-26-2016, 06:16 PM

2011 Camaro SS 6-speed:

So I turn the key and get "click, click" then it starts. The battery was getting old so I bought a new one. Same problem, got the new battery checked and it is fine (actually even a few more amps than rated) and the alternator was around 14v. Almost every time (not always), there are a couple clicks but it always starts. Also, as I am driving down the road with cruise control set, it keeps unsetting. It doesn't turn off, it just acts as if I have touched the brake or clutch. I was thinking that something was wrong with the brake or clutch switches but now I am getting a "service security system" fault from time to time so I am starting to wonder if all these things could be connected. Or my car is just falling apart at 39k miles. Anyone with these experiences?

Soybeanrice · 11-26-2016, 10:34 PM

You have a ground loose somewhere. Has anyone touched the car lately?

CamaroFred · 11-27-2016, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soybeanrice

You have a ground loose somewhere. Has anyone touched the car lately?

That's what it sounds like. Did you clean the terminals before connecting the new battery?
Usually the negative collects the most crap.

Candr3535 · 11-27-2016, 12:54 AM

After checking for loose wires if all good. I'm leaning toward having the starter checked. Do u have headers?

redcoats1976 · 11-27-2016, 01:54 AM

to me it points to a loose or dirty battery connection.my old pontiac used to do the click then start thing when the terminals on the battery were not right.the cruise control and security system are probably reacting to the bad connection and once you find and fix it they should return to normal.id start by cleaning a securing battery terminals and checking your engine grounds if that doesnt fix it.

SStevo · 11-30-2016, 11:00 PM

I was thinking about grounds somewhere. I checked all over the underside of the car. The battery cable ends look brand new but I'll probably take them off and look at the inside of the clamp for good measure.

Firebreed · 12-01-2016, 07:44 PM

I've had the same issue, it's a ground, check all your engine grounds.

sent from the middle of nowhere, Pacific ocean

Welker2 · 12-01-2016, 07:49 PM

Agree with other's; it's a bad ground or battery connection. Had a very similar problem with my wife's old '92 Camaro and it turned out to be a bad negative battery cable.

Spec · 12-01-2016, 07:54 PM

Engine ground locations. #2, #4, and #5 are ground locations:

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=221700

ChrisBlair · 12-03-2016, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Candr3535

After checking for loose wires if all good. I'm leaning toward having the starter checked. Do u have headers?

Hi. Not a bad question re: headers but usually the engine will be hard to start in general rather than a solenoid click, but not on the first start of the day. The headers heat-soak the starter so after driving a while and you say, stop for fuel, the engine will crank and crank and crank.

SStevo · 12-18-2016, 08:45 PM

Thank you for the diagram. I checked all the grounds but everything was fine. I do not have headers. I do have a whipple supercharger but I do not know if that would have anything to do with it except maybe increasing the load on the starter. I think the next step is to swap the starter.

Candr3535 · 12-18-2016, 09:14 PM

Keep us posted I'm really interested if it solves the issue.

SStevo · 12-19-2016, 11:29 PM

So I jump in the car this morning gritting my teeth in mental preparation for the clickclickstart, but the car started right up. I didn't think much of it as every now and again it would have a lucky shot. After the next stop it started right up again, and another stop it started right up again.

In my previous post from last night I stated that I had checked all the grounds. When I saw the diagram I was so excited and just sure I would find something, but all the grounds were on and tight as anything. What I forgot to add in my post was that upon checking the main ground cable (4 and 5 in the diagram); with growing frustration and hate in my heart I grabbed a fist full of that cable and jerked the hell out of it. I did not feel it budge as it was super tight. I closed the hood and gave up for the night.

I recalled that event today and deduced that the problem must of been at that ground, and jarring the cable as I did allowed it make better connection. So I removed the engine side of the cable (which I want to reiterate, was tight) and could see that it had been arcing trying to find a better connection. I wire bushed the stud, cable end, and even the nut. Now all is well. The car will bump start 10/10 times and the cruise control did not disconnect once on the way to work. I also noted that the volt meter is pegged at 14v and never moves as opposed to floating between 12.5 and 14 as it was before.

Thanks to everyone for the tips!

ZL1C7 · 12-19-2016, 11:50 PM

It's hard to tell from the picture but does it look like its been arching on the eye of that ground cable? Now, I've seen a dozen cars in the past few years with similar issues as well as several other odd voltage/grounding probs. We found that removing that stud from the head or block, then put the ground cable eye FIRST, against the motor, sandwiching it between the fixed nut on the stud and the head or block cures a lot of otherwise unexplainable issues. If you are working on your hotrod and think you might have this issue, you can take a jumper cable and put one side on a good chassis ground and the other on a good motor ground and test.

11-26-2016, 06:16 PM	#1
SStevo SStevo Drives: 2011 SS Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Lancaster, CA Posts: 6	Starter clicks then starts, cruise control disconnecting 2011 Camaro SS 6-speed: So I turn the key and get "click, click" then it starts. The battery was getting old so I bought a new one. Same problem, got the new battery checked and it is fine (actually even a few more amps than rated) and the alternator was around 14v. Almost every time (not always), there are a couple clicks but it always starts. Also, as I am driving down the road with cruise control set, it keeps unsetting. It doesn't turn off, it just acts as if I have touched the brake or clutch. I was thinking that something was wrong with the brake or clutch switches but now I am getting a "service security system" fault from time to time so I am starting to wonder if all these things could be connected. Or my car is just falling apart at 39k miles. Anyone with these experiences?

12-01-2016, 07:44 PM	#7
Firebreed Got Boost? Drives: 2011 1SS/RS M6 SLP TVS 2300 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 404	I've had the same issue, it's a ground, check all your engine grounds. sent from the middle of nowhere, Pacific ocean __________________ 2011 1SS/RS M6 MOD List: SLP 2300 Supercharged, Flowmaster AT Cat back, aux 4 guage cluster, 12" kicker sub and Kicker Zx400.1 amp, PFADT Lowering springs CAI Inc. CAI, Hurst Short throw shifter, JBA 1 7/8 Long tube headers. Future Mods: 416ci stroker.

12-01-2016, 07:49 PM	#8
Welker2 Ret AF, cancer survivor Drives: 2013 Camaro 2SS/RS & 2006 Corvette Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Mesquite, NV Posts: 2,741 View My Garage	Agree with other's; it's a bad ground or battery connection. Had a very similar problem with my wife's old '92 Camaro and it turned out to be a bad negative battery cable. __________________

12-18-2016, 09:14 PM	#12
Candr3535 Drives: 2013 ZL1 Triple Black Vert M6 #5591 Join Date: May 2013 Location: Galloway,NJ Posts: 747 View My Garage	Keep us posted I'm really interested if it solves the issue. __________________ 695 RWHP / 660 RWTQ @ 13.5 PSI Dyna-Tech Headers Ceramic Coated w/Super Flo Cats, JRE Custom Rough Idle Racing Cam Package and 125 RWHP Pulley Kit w/ 28% pulley, Custom Tune by Ted, ID850 injectors, JMS Fuel Booster, NGK Plugs, MSD Plug Wires, Roto-Fab CAI, Roto-Fab Big Gulp, Elite Catch Can, Mild to Wild, 90mm VMaxx Ported Throttle Body, Skip Shift Elim., D3 Coolant Resevoir, Separated Clutch Resevoir, and Fuzzy Red Dice..

12-19-2016, 11:29 PM	#13
SStevo SStevo Drives: 2011 SS Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Lancaster, CA Posts: 6	Solved So I jump in the car this morning gritting my teeth in mental preparation for the clickclickstart, but the car started right up. I didn't think much of it as every now and again it would have a lucky shot. After the next stop it started right up again, and another stop it started right up again. In my previous post from last night I stated that I had checked all the grounds. When I saw the diagram I was so excited and just sure I would find something, but all the grounds were on and tight as anything. What I forgot to add in my post was that upon checking the main ground cable (4 and 5 in the diagram); with growing frustration and hate in my heart I grabbed a fist full of that cable and jerked the hell out of it. I did not feel it budge as it was super tight. I closed the hood and gave up for the night. I recalled that event today and deduced that the problem must of been at that ground, and jarring the cable as I did allowed it make better connection. So I removed the engine side of the cable (which I want to reiterate, was tight) and could see that it had been arcing trying to find a better connection. I wire bushed the stud, cable end, and even the nut. Now all is well. The car will bump start 10/10 times and the cruise control did not disconnect once on the way to work. I also noted that the volt meter is pegged at 14v and never moves as opposed to floating between 12.5 and 14 as it was before. Thanks to everyone for the tips! Attached Images

11-26-2016, 10:34 PM	#2
Soybeanrice Drives: 2014 2SS/RS Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 793	You have a ground loose somewhere. Has anyone touched the car lately?

11-27-2016, 12:54 AM	#4
Candr3535 Drives: 2013 ZL1 Triple Black Vert M6 #5591 Join Date: May 2013 Location: Galloway,NJ Posts: 747 View My Garage	After checking for loose wires if all good. I'm leaning toward having the starter checked. Do u have headers? __________________ 695 RWHP / 660 RWTQ @ 13.5 PSI Dyna-Tech Headers Ceramic Coated w/Super Flo Cats, JRE Custom Rough Idle Racing Cam Package and 125 RWHP Pulley Kit w/ 28% pulley, Custom Tune by Ted, ID850 injectors, JMS Fuel Booster, NGK Plugs, MSD Plug Wires, Roto-Fab CAI, Roto-Fab Big Gulp, Elite Catch Can, Mild to Wild, 90mm VMaxx Ported Throttle Body, Skip Shift Elim., D3 Coolant Resevoir, Separated Clutch Resevoir, and Fuzzy Red Dice..

11-27-2016, 01:54 AM	#5
redcoats1976 Drives: LT W/2LT,blue metallic Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: central florida Posts: 4,915	to me it points to a loose or dirty battery connection.my old pontiac used to do the click then start thing when the terminals on the battery were not right.the cruise control and security system are probably reacting to the bad connection and once you find and fix it they should return to normal.id start by cleaning a securing battery terminals and checking your engine grounds if that doesnt fix it.

11-30-2016, 11:00 PM	#6
SStevo SStevo Drives: 2011 SS Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Lancaster, CA Posts: 6	I was thinking about grounds somewhere. I checked all over the underside of the car. The battery cable ends look brand new but I'll probably take them off and look at the inside of the clamp for good measure.

12-01-2016, 07:54 PM	#9
Spec Account Suspended Drives: 2010 Camaro 1SS LS3 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Riverside, CA Posts: 4,018	Engine ground locations. #2, #4, and #5 are ground locations: http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=221700

12-18-2016, 08:45 PM	#11
SStevo SStevo Drives: 2011 SS Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Lancaster, CA Posts: 6	Thank you for the diagram. I checked all the grounds but everything was fine. I do not have headers. I do have a whipple supercharger but I do not know if that would have anything to do with it except maybe increasing the load on the starter. I think the next step is to swap the starter.

12-19-2016, 11:50 PM	#14
ZL1C7 Drives: 2023 SS 1LE 10SPD/2015 SS 427 Man Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Sacramento Area Posts: 803	It's hard to tell from the picture but does it look like its been arching on the eye of that ground cable? Now, I've seen a dozen cars in the past few years with similar issues as well as several other odd voltage/grounding probs. We found that removing that stud from the head or block, then put the ground cable eye FIRST, against the motor, sandwiching it between the fixed nut on the stud and the head or block cures a lot of otherwise unexplainable issues. If you are working on your hotrod and think you might have this issue, you can take a jumper cable and put one side on a good chassis ground and the other on a good motor ground and test. __________________