[hornsfan10609]

Tried to install an amp in my gf's 2013 Cruze LT today and now it won't start. I didn't finish the install, never even hooked the positive amp wire to the battery terminal. I disconnected the large connector in the driver's kick panel looking for the speaker wires but I soon after reconnected it and it is fully seated. There is a power steering warning, the Traction Control light is on, as well as the brake and ABS lights. The trunk will not open either, everything worked fine before. I tried disconnecting the battery and it still won't even crank. All lights turn off when cranking and lights come back on but nothing changes. Warning lights were still on after disconnecting the battery, even tried a battery jumper and nothing. I pulled every last fuse in the dash and under the hood and they were all fine.

TL;DR Disconnected and then reconnected large connector behind driver kick panel. Now have Power Steering system warning, ABS/Brake warning lights, TCS light. Disconnected battery and no change. Car will not crank even with battery jump box connected. Checked every single fuse in the car and all are good.

Any ideas? I was a Mazda Tech and have never had anything like this happen before.

 

[hornsfan10609]

Called the dealership and they were absolutely no help whatsoever. They offered to set an appointment for January 12th. Are you kidding me?! I have never once heard of a dealer having a 9 day waiting period to even look at a vehicle.

 

[ChevyGuy]

Try running a jumper cable from the battery negative lead to ground. That cable is a common failure point in the Cruze and is covered by an extended warranty.

 

[carbon02]

Outside of the negative battery cable issues with a Cruze, and this part having extended warranty there's the following information to check.

The Cruze apparently uses the signal of the exhaust camshaft as a signal that the engine is running. If the engine is running the PCM is commanded not to crank the starter.

The exhaust camshaft sensor, (which is different than the actuator positioners at the end of the camshaft I believe) have a small ripple signal to them when they go bad. If there's a signal there the PCM will not allow the engine to crank.

It's very odd that doing what you did would cause this issue, but I thought I'd share what I learned in a Youtube video. Apparently disconnecting the exhaust camshaft may allow the engine to start under a default setting.

All information that I provided was based on my reading of service manuals, and youtube video's. I take no responsibility for damage that occurs to your car if you try anything mentioned above.

 

[ChevyGuy]

Oh, and check the battery voltage. It may have run down while you had the doors open trying to install stuff. BTDT.

 

[hornsfan10609]

Thanks for the replies guys, I will give them all a shot. I have a couple days until I have to get a tow truck out here to tow it away. Pretty amazed that something managed to reset or fry just from disconnecting and reconnecting a single connector. I will try connecting my code reader to test if the ECU is communicating.
Can't understand why the trunk release would be related, I assumed a circuit had failed at first which is why I checked the fuses but not a single fuse was blown.

 

[ChevyGuy]

Can't understand why the trunk release would be related

The Cruze is one big computer. The commands run though the Body Control Computer which does the actual unlocking.

That suggests the computers are unhappy. Perhaps unplugging that plug while the battery was connected fried something. The BCM only sleeps, but is never "off" unless the battery is disconnected.

 

[hornsfan10609]

That is what I am afraid of, and the dealer is the only person that can diagnose the modules. Hopefully it isn't completely fried and they can reset or reprogram it. My main fear now is a $1k repair bill. The radio, lights, door locks, keyless entry, everything works it just goes blank when you try to start. The lights blink when you hit the trunk release on the fob but won't open nor does the button work.

I tried disconnecting the exhaust cam sensor, didn't start. Reconnected it and no change. Battery voltage is at 12.4. Charged it and it still doesn't start. Bypassed the ground cable and no change. It has to be one of the control modules.

 

[ChevyGuy]

You might try disconnecting the battery, shorting the battery leads together and letting it sit while. It may not have been disconnected long enough to reset.

 

[KENSTV123]

Any theft warnings on ?? could be on star battery was going bad and now it's in lock down, only hope is do the disconnect for a long time and hope the modules all reset, yep our cruzes are computers on wheels, I lost count of all the processors running in it, even the button assembly to the radio has a processor, the ground is best measured for voltage drop, to much and the computers have a melt down on boot up, just measure from connector to connector at cranking, do look for bent or pushed in pins on that large connector

 

[carbon02]

Is this a manual transmission? If so maybe you have to check the brake position sensor? Or maybe clutch position sensor, especially if you were working down in that foot well.

 

[ChevyGuy]

Just as a wild one - I think both the trunk lock and the starter have relays. Perhaps something has affected them. I know there's underhood relays, but there's also some on the interior fuse box. If something knocked them out of place while fishing around the dashboard, that would explain a lot.

 

[JustACruze]

Hate to kick a dead horse here but I have a 2016 setting in the drive way that is doing the exact same thing after installing an amp and disconnecting the harness in the driver kick panel. What ended up being the fix?

 

[Joel9mm]

Any fixes? Same problem except my trunk works I didn't do anything but park it for a day