“Can you please help?”
What used to be a five-minute interior repair has turned into a no-start nightmare for a frustrated TikTokker. After swapping a broken visor in her 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe, motorist Sarah Novak (@sarahnovakwallace) found herself with a completely dead SUV and turned to ChatGPT for answers instead of a mechanic.
The viral clip seeking the advice of a mechanic was shot after Novak and her husband had done their level best trying remedies generated by artificial intelligence tools, none of which were successful in bringing her vehicle back to life.
“We’re ChatGPTing it, but I don’t know if we’re doing it right or what the problem is,” she said in the clip that’s been viewed more than 12,000 times. “If you work for Chevy or you’re a mechanic that’s worked with Chevys, can you please help?”
Novak explains that the driver’s-side visor on her 2020 Tahoe broke, prompting the couple to order a replacement and install it themselves. The following day, when she attempted to drive the SUV, the vehicle briefly powered on, flashed warning lights across the dashboard, and then refused to start altogether.
Believing the issue might be related to the electrical system resetting improperly, Novak’s husband disconnected the battery, a common step many drivers associate with clearing electronic glitches. That effort didn’t restore power. Complicating matters, Novak emphasized that the battery itself was nearly new, a roughly $400 replacement installed only two months earlier.
At that point, they turned to AI-generated troubleshooting advice, which suggested that disturbing wiring in some General Motors vehicles could cause modules to stop communicating. Despite following those suggestions, the Tahoe remained completely unresponsive.
To many drivers, a sun visor feels like a purely cosmetic part. In modern vehicles, especially full-size SUVs like the Tahoe, that assumption can be misleading.
According to General Motors service documentation and industry explanations from the Society of Automotive Engineers, late-model GM vehicles rely on multiplexed electrical networks, such as CAN and LIN, to enable dozens of control modules to communicate. Components in the headliner area can share wiring paths with airbag systems, interior lighting, and the body control module, or BCM, which manages functions like starting authorization, door locks, and dashboard displays.
If wiring is pinched, grounded, or left partially disconnected during an interior repair, the BCM can detect a fault and disable vehicle startup as a protective measure. Automotive electrical experts frequently note that once a BCM fault is logged, simply disconnecting the battery may not restore functionality, as many modules retain error states until they are cleared with a diagnostic scan tool.
Older vehicles often responded well to battery disconnects as a crude reset. Modern GM vehicles are different. Technical guides published by GM and aftermarket diagnostic companies explain that control modules can store fault codes in non-volatile memory, meaning they persist even when power is removed.
In some cases, repeated battery disconnects can actually create new problems by interrupting module communication or triggering security-related lockouts. This is why professional technicians typically begin electrical troubleshooting by scanning for stored diagnostic trouble codes before touching wiring or power connections.
That distinction helps explain why Novak’s nearly new battery was unlikely to be the root cause, even though battery failure is a common suspect in no-start situations.
Tools like ChatGPT can be useful for explaining general automotive concepts, but they struggle with vehicle-specific diagnosis. AI systems don’t have access to trim-level wiring diagrams, service bulletins, or live fault codes from a particular vehicle. They also can’t see whether a wire was pinched behind a visor mount or whether a connector was fully seated.
Automotive training organizations and repair trade groups regularly caution that electrical diagnostics require context: the exact model year, options, fault history, and physical inspection all matter. Without that information, even well-meaning advice can send DIYers down the wrong path or delay a proper repair.
Professional technicians familiar with GM SUVs say a no-start following interior work would typically prompt an immediate diagnostic scan for BCM, airbag, and communication-related codes. From there, attention would turn to the visor mounting area and headliner to inspect for damaged or trapped wiring.
If a short or open circuit is found, repairing it and clearing the stored codes often restores normal operation. In some cases, a module may require reinitialization using dealer-level diagnostic software, something that can’t be accomplished with basic hand tools or AI-generated instructions.
Novak’s experience struck a chord in TikTok comments, where some viewers blamed ChatGPT outright, while others admitted they would have followed the same path. The episode highlights a broader reality of modern vehicles: even seemingly simple repairs can involve complex electronics.
The takeaway isn’t that drivers should never attempt DIY fixes or consult AI tools. It’s that today’s vehicles are less forgiving of guesswork, particularly when electrical systems are involved. As vehicles grow more computerized, the line between a cosmetic repair and a system-level fault continues to blur.
For Novak, the next step will likely involve a scan tool and a trained technician rather than another battery reset. For other drivers watching her story unfold, it’s a reminder that when a modern SUV goes silent after a small repair, the problem may be far more connected and far less straightforward than it first appears.
Motor1 reached out to Novak via email and direct message. We’ll update this if she responds.
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