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I am able to go to a new dealership on Aug 5th.
Great idea. I would have thought this dealership would have checked the wiring before just throwing a second new HP FP in. If you can trace the wiring to and from the HPFP Regulator yourself, you might be able to save yourself another trip to the dealer. Re-seat all the ECM connections too (battery disconnected).. HTH
 
That is a ton of information. The fact that you said that the problems are intermittent is why I am replying to your thread. I would like to ask you to see my thread on the Electrical Fuse Box Fix. If you have the same fuse box as is in my 2014 Traverse LS, you might just have the same problem that I had. Just as a short re-cap, the 2 Bolts in my Fuse Box were loose. This caused a bad connection between the Fuse Box and Wiring Harness Plugs that connect underneath the Fuse Box, which caused my Radiator Fan to stop working. The fix is very simple, and very easy to check. If you have the same issue with loose bolts in your fuse box, this has been reported to cause a number of different problems. I could be Dead wrong, but it is certainly worth a 2 minute check that will cost You absolutely nothing.
 
View attachment 13559
I’m new to this forum and coming here as a last resort effort to get more opinions on what the issue is with my 2018 Traverse RS is. I have an idea on what the issue is, but a second opinion would help solidify my theory. For starters I will express the issue is INTERMITTENT happening a couple of times every few weeks to a week apart.
1) Reduced Engine Power warning with light.
2) Assisted Steering Power reduced warning with light.
3) Service Parking Brake warning with light.
All three pop at the same time typically while driving, but recently it is happening when I first turn the car on. I am able to cycle the engine, turning it on and off about 5-7times before all the warnings go away. However, after cycling the engine I am left with only the Assisted Steering Power reduced with the check engine light still on.
Here is where is gets more complicated… in between this intermittent issue when no service warnings or lights have been popping, my RPM’s are way higher than what it should be. Typically accelerates/ shifts gears between 1,000-2,500rpm. Now my car gets to 3,000-5,000rpms in order to shift depending on how fast I am trying to accelerate. I was testing that issue out and with the gas pedal all the way down and had to let off because it began to go into the red.
This lead me to start looking at the battery voltage. First time starting up the engine it is about 13v, and once I begin to accelerate and start driving it drops down to 12.5-12.7v. While the car goes into limp mode and I have all the warnings and service lights on, the voltage consistently stays at 14v.
I am still having all of these issues even after the dealership said it was a high pressure fuel pump (which they replaced twice, because the second time they replaced it was because they didn’t want to look into what I said could potentially be wrong and wanted to rule out it just being a bad part…)
I then replaced the battery because it was bad, but voltage output was still the same issue. I looked into the alternator and when tested it was putting out 12v.
so then I replaced the alternator… still having all the same issues listed above still. I have checked the connectors too and from alternator as well as wires, all checked good. Tested the ground for the battery, checked good. All fuses were good and nothing blown in the fuse box. Checked all connectors and wires from the ECM(ECU,PDU… whatever you want to call it) all checked good.
my hunch is the ECM is is bad and needs replaced. The second time I took it into the dealer they refused to look into it and are still refusing to looked into it. They only wanted to check the wiring harness that comes from the fuel pump and that is it. I have taken it to 2 mom and pop shops and they both diagnosed it as the ECM however the dealership has to replace it and they won’t for whatever reason. My question is what do yall think… ECM? Or potentially something different?
** there is a recall out for the 2018 Traverses 2.0L for the ECM being bad, but mine is the 3.6L. Could it potentially be the same recall but for the 3.6?
I will attach a list of codes (ignore the tire pressure sensor codes) View attachment 13558
View attachment 13557
I had the same problem 0n my 2018 lt turned out to be high pressure fuel pump
on engine
 
I had to put a high pressure pump in my '20. Internal leakage into the sensor of it. If a dealer is doing a second pump, I would suspect they have had some issues with replacement pumps.
Dealers see our vehicles more in one month than Joe Blow's shop sees in 2 years not to mention internal docs on supply issues.
 
Of course anything is possible, but a high pressure fuel pump problem that happens once every couple of weeks like the OP's problem, seems unlikely. These things tend to either work or they don't. There is not a lot to these pumps and how they function.

Either way, intermittent problems are the worst to troubleshoot. Your standard dealer service reaction would be to "bring it back when it's broke". They won't do anything when it's not broke unless the tech saw these exact symptoms before and knows how to repeat it (verify) and knows what the fix is.
 
That is a ton of information. The fact that you said that the problems are intermittent is why I am replying to your thread. I would like to ask you to see my thread on the Electrical Fuse Box Fix. If you have the same fuse box as is in my 2014 Traverse LS, you might just have the same problem that I had. Just as a short re-cap, the 2 Bolts in my Fuse Box were loose. This caused a bad connection between the Fuse Box and Wiring Harness Plugs that connect underneath the Fuse Box, which caused my Radiator Fan to stop working. The fix is very simple, and very easy to check. If you have the same issue with loose bolts in your fuse box, this has been reported to cause a number of different problems. I could be Dead wrong, but it is certainly worth a 2 minute check that will cost You absolutely nothing.
The OP has a Gen 2. No fuse box issues on them.
 
I had a similar issue on my 2018 Traverse Premier (92,000 miles at the time). Reduced power light (and actual reduced power driving), plus the parking brake light and a few other lights. My mechanic said it was throwing so many codes they didn't know where to begin. Took it to Chevy dealer and they said the ECM was shot. Took a month to get a new ECM. Two months later and the exact same thing happens. This time they replaced the HP Fuel pump. Fortunately I purchased the extended warranty. No problems since (130,000 miles today).
 
My HP pump set all those warnings when it went. It internally leaked fuel into the sensor triggering all kinds of codes / warnings.
 
I did have the new alternator tested afterwards because it was still only putting out 12.5-12.7v while driving. I can get you the specific output later today but it did test good as well as the starter.
Camsuzann, this should put your mind at ease regarding your charging voltage. See attached pics of my '23. I had to go out today so I took these when at cold start-up and about 1 minute after I backed out of my garage. This is normal. I will also add that I haven't moved my Traverse for almost a week. Yours is charging fine.

I have a short video clip as well, but for some reason I can't attach it.
HTH

Jack

 
Camsuzann, this should put your mind at ease regarding your charging voltage. See attached pics of my '23. I had to go out today so I took these when at cold start-up and about 1 minute after I backed out of my garage. This is normal. I will also add that I haven't moved my Traverse for almost a week. Yours is charging fine....
I've never noticed any of my "smart charge" equipped vehicles dip below 12V per what the dash says, but I'm not surprised. I know my 2021 Equinox hovers to the low 12V range when at cruising speeds, because I drive the crap out of that thing. I'll have to check my Traverse. I basically never drive our 2021 Traverse as it's the bride's car.

Like you say, because of these smart charging systems, it's tough to go by your dash voltage reading to determine alternator and/or battery health. I wish there was an easy and unobtrusive way to disable the smart charge system on our GM products. Like auto stop/start, this system does nothing good for your battery and vehicle's electronics in general. It's there solely for fuel economy purposes.

The variable voltage charging systems are so bad in late model Nissan Frontier world, that a lot of owners like me have disabled it. On the 2022+ Frontier, it's just a matter of de-pinning one wire from a tiny 4-pin connector on the neg battery lead. Mine charges at ~13.8v all the time now. It doesn't set the MIL or throw any codes I can see, although it might show something on a more advanced scanner.
 
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I've never noticed any of my "smart charge" equipped vehicles dip below 12V per what the dash says, but I'm not surprised.

It's there solely for fuel economy purposes.
I've seen it as low as 11.7 volts right after start-up but it moves up pretty quickly. I've become used to it, so unless I'm watching it, I just forget about it. However, if I could disable it I would - and how much fuel is it really saving??? My driving habits greatly negate ANY gas mileage advantage this charging system gives!
 
Still trouble shooting the issue! I will definitely be posting an update when it is officially fixed and share the solution
So curious. I am having this problem now! Dealership had be replace the Catalytic Convertor... worked for about 2 weeks and then it started all over again. I don't trust the dealership now, I have NO knowledge of cars, and I don't know where to bring it.
 
Discussion starter · #36 ·
Thank you! Any updated information as to what testing or checking they've done since your previous posts?
I’m on week 3 of having my car back from the dealership. They said while investigating the issue the HP fuel pump still wasn’t putting out enough pressure. I requested they look further up the line because replacing the HP fuel pump for a 3rd time seemed idiotic without figuring out the possibility of something else causing that to happen.
They did check any/all wiring that I am aware of and couldn’t find anything.
Final conclusion was to replace the feed line that contained a fuel filter, replace HP fuel sensor, and x3 for replacing the HP fuel pump.
So far so good! My battery voltage has returned back to normal of 13.5-14+v while driving. The RPM’s are back to normal and as of right now (knock on wood) the car is driving properly and has popped codes.
 
Camsuzann, great news and thank you for following up. Funny, but I was wondering about it yesterday. I do assume you mean no codes popped up? Too bad we don't know the exact cause, but at least you are back running. It is remotely possible you had 2 junk HP fuel pumps installed previously. Stranger things have happened. Good Luck!!
 
Discussion starter · #38 · (Edited)
Camsuzann, great news and thank you for following up. Funny, but I was wondering about it yesterday. I do assume you mean no codes popped up? Too bad we don't know the exact cause, but at least you are back running. It is remotely possible you had 2 junk HP fuel pumps installed previously. Stranger things have happened. Good Luck!!
Didn’t fix the issue… car just popped all three just now. As in all the previous codes including the same service warnings going into limp mode
 
OK, I have something else that may be an issue. There is a Battery Current Sensor on the negative battery cable (see pic). When these go bad they will cause all kinds of weird problems. You mentioned your battery was dead and you replaced it. Did you jump start it? If so, did you connect the cables as shown in the owners manual or did you connect them straight "doner positive to your positive and doner negative to your negative battery posts; or did you connect YOUR side to the post up near the cowling (see #2 on the first page)? It's possible the Battery Current Sensor is bad. See attached pics and explanation.

Read page 3. It sounds a lot like what you are experiencing.

If not this, I still think you have a loose or bad ground somewhere in the system. It could be an internally broken wire / battery cable that makes and breaks intermittently, or an internally shorted battery - even though it's new.

I really hope this helps.



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