GMC Yukon Won’t Start Clicking Noise (Causes And Fixes)
Are you trying to turn your GMC Yukon but all you get is a clicking sound when you turn the key? If yes, this guide is for you. We have put up this guide to share helpful details about what causes this problem and how to deal with it.
GMC Yukon won’t start and the clicking noise is caused by many different issues ranging from a dead battery to poor battery connections, a failing alternator, a bad starter motor, a poor ground connection, and issues with the starter electric connections.
This article will take a closer look at each of these culprits behind your Yukon’s refusal to start. We’ll also share with you troubleshooting tips to help you fix each of these issues.
Why GMC Yukon won’t start clicking noise
Here are all the common culprits that may be causing your GMC Yukon not to start and at the same time produce a clicking noise.
Dead battery
A drained battery is the most common cause for your vicar refusing to start and making a clicking sound. Your battery can become easily drained if you forgot to turn off your vehicle headlights or interior lights, or if there’s something else causing the drain.
A weak battery will be unable to power the starter motor since it requires a high electric current to activate.
However, it will be able to power the solenoid which explains why you’re hearing the clicking sound (the solenoid is the source of this sound). The sound in this case should be a rapid clicking noise.
Another sign of a weak or drained battery is the dashboard lights clicking. This is because the low battery charge can’t properly your vehicle accessories and lights as well.
Solution: We recommend you test your car battery to see if it has enough juice to make your vehicle come on. A multimeter will come in handy for this test.
If your battery is in good health, it should read around 12.6V.
However, if the voltage goes below 12V, your battery is probably bad and needs to be inspected further and replaced if necessary.
A temporary fix for a car that won’t start due to a drained battery is to jumpstart using a healthy battery from another car.
Battery connection issues
If your battery is in good health, then you may want to check its terminal and cables for signs of corrosion or loose clamps for the battery cables. These tend to become loose in cars due to issues like road vibrations.
Corrosion also tends to build up on car battery cables, leading to loss of contact and reduce current flow. This leads to insufficient power to crank your engine, so you’ll probably only hear a clicking noise when you try to start your Yukon.
Solution: Inspect your battery terminals and cables to know if they’re corroded or loose. Start with the battery terminals.
If you see white powdery or sliver-green deposits on them, that’s corrosion. You’ll need to clean it off using a wire brush in addition to a mixture of water and baking soda.
If there’s no corrosion, ensure the clamps on the battery terminals are secure.
Failing alternator
Another potential cause for your GMC Yukon not to come on is a faulty alternator. Your vehicle alternate generates the electricity that recharges your battery. It does so when your engine is running.
When you activate the starter motor, it drains much of the power stored in your battery. If your battery is in good health it needs to be rejuvenated in between the car starts.
If the alternator is bad, it won’t jump in on time to replenish the battery. Consequently, your car will fail to start.
Solution: Have your alternator tested by a certified auto technician or your local GMC dealership to determine if it’s functioning as expected. If it’s faulty, the best fix is to replace it with a new one.
Bad starter motor
If you try starting to start your Yukon but it fails and you hear one click, then you’re probably dealing with a failing starter motor or a bad starter solenoid.
For starters, the solenoid is much of a switch that helps engage your starter motor, which then turns the flywheel to make the engine start running.
The solenoid might be good but the starter motor itself is defective. In this case, it won’t be able to turn over the engine, and you’ll only hear a clicking sound as the solenoid tries to engage it (the motor).
Solution: If you don’t have auto repairs skills, we recommend you get a qualified technician to diagnose this issue for you.
If you’ve confirmed that the starter is the problem, you might try a simple fix that involves hitting the motor with a hammer or metal tool (but not too hard) while someone tries to start the engine by turning the key inside the vehicle.
Check this video on how to diagnose a bad starter and perform the hammering fix
Video:
Starter motor connection problems
If the starter and its solenoid are good, you may want to check if their connections are okay. The power cable for the motor and its electrical connections running from the battery to the starter motor may be loose or corroded.
This can disrupt the power supply to the motor, making your car fail to start. However, you’ll hear a clicking noise from the starter relay/solenoid since it has a separate circuit that’s not affected by the motor’s faulty wiring.
Moreover, rodents could be behind the wiring issues as they’re fond of chewing the cables in your engine compartment.
Solution: You’ll need to inspect the starter wiring for signs of damage by rodents, corrosion, or loose connections. Corrosion should be cleaned with sandpaper to establish proper contact.
Tighten any loose connections and replace any damaged wiring to ensure uninterrupted current flow to the motor.
Poor ground connection
Sometimes bad ground may also make your vehicle not start and only produce clicking noise.
One of the car owners on this thread discussing the Yukon no start clicking issue admits finding bad ground as the reason behind this issue in his 2003 Yukon.
Your vehicle’s main ground connection is connected from the negative battery terminal to your vehicle chassis.
If this connection goes bad—say due to corrosion or becoming loose—it can bring about various electrical problems, including no-start problems and clicking noise.
The no-start issue is caused by the fact the starter and solenoid heavily rely on the ground connection to work. The solenoid may still work since it has a low electric current requirement.
However, the starter has a high current requirement and won’t be able to turn over the engine. The sound you hear will be coming from the solenoid trying to engage the motor unsuccessfully.
Solution: Inspect your Yukon ground connection. Check the ground cable connections running from the battery to the chassis and from the chassis to the engine for signs of corrosion and looseness.
Clean any corrosion present with sandpaper and be sure to tighten them as necessary.
Alternatively, you can check if your ground connections are good by doing a conductivity test with a multimeter set to Ohms.
Set one of the problems to your battery negative terminals and the other one to an exposed engine metal part. Repeat the test by connecting the probe to the negative terminal and the other to a non-panted metal part of your vehicle chassis.
For a good ground connection, the multimeter should display a reading at zero or close to zero.
Why your GMC Yukon won’t start and just clicks once
The number of clicks your GMC Yukon makes when it refuses to start also matters. If your car makes just one click, the problem is likely related to your starter.
This sound is usually from the starter solenoid trying to connect with the motor but the motor is unable to engage due to lack of power or being faulty.
When faced with this issue, here are the culprits to consider:
- A weak or dead battery: you will first need to check if your battery has enough power. If it’s low on power, it won’t be able to start the motor, and you’ll hear the clicking sound of a solenoid trying to engage the motor. To fix this issue try jump-starting your car or replace the battery with a new one if it’s defective.
- Bad starter motor: A faulty starter motor won’t be able to do its job of turning over your engine. However, the solenoid will still be very much alive and kicking. This makes it the source of the sound you hear when you turn the key in your ignition.
- Bad solenoid: The solenoid itself may also be malfunctioning but the starter is working. In this case, it won’t be able to send power to your starter motor, and your car won’t start. You’ll only hear a click every time you try to start your Yukon.
For issues related to the starter and starter solenoid, we advise you to have them checked by a qualified mechanic and repaired or replaced as necessary.
Why GMC Yukon won’t start and makes rapid clicks repeatedly
If you hear a repeated clicking sound, the most likely culprit is a dead battery.
When you turn the key, your starter solenoid will click but won’t be able to engage the motor to turn over your engine due to lack of power—leading to a series of clicking sounds.
The issues could also be caused by loose or corroded battery connections. These will be unable to power your motor and a rapid clicking noise may ensue.
To troubleshoot this issue, you’ll first need to check the battery voltage using a multimeter.
If the voltage is below the expected range, try jumpstarting your car to see if it will start. You can also try to replace the battery if it’s dead.
However, if the battery is good, you should inspect its terminals and cables for corrosion and loose connections.
Make sure the terminals are clean and the connections are secure for smooth flow of current
When your GMC Yukon encounters a frustrating no-start situation accompanied by clicking noises, it’s important to remember that starting issues can transcend specific makes and models. For Honda vehicle owners grappling with their own set of problems, our article on Honda Fit AC not working delves into air conditioning concerns that might be plaguing your ride. Furthermore, if you’re navigating AC challenges in your Honda Element, our comprehensive guide on Honda Element AC not working can provide insights into potential causes and solutions.FAQs:
Your Yukon clicking when you try to start it could be caused by a drained or weak battery, a malfunctioning starter motor, a poor ground connection, or poor electrical connections for the starter motor.
The starter motor in Yukon is usually located in the engine compartment on the passenger side, near the bottom part of your engine block.
The starter relay in GMC Yukon usually sits in the fuse box under the hood, usually in the engine compartment that’s on the driver’s side. Check the video below on the exact location of the starter relay in your Yukon.
Video:
Conclusion
A no-start situation followed by a clicking noise in your Yukon can be caused by a variety of issues including a dead battery, poor battery connections, malfunctioning starter or starter solenoid, poor starter electrical connections, or a bad main ground connection.
When faced with this issue, you should start by checking your battery voltage level and whether its connections are tight and corrosion-free. If the battery is fine and the problem persists, get a reliable mechanic to diagnose your starter and other likely causes and fix the issue for you.
