NEED HELP Intermittent Dash Lights/Door Locks Cycling/Radio Out ... Ground?

[AC75TB07]

I just has a new right side tie-rod end installed and since then the dash has been doing weird things. Traction control lights flashing on and off, 4x4 on once, tire pressure monitor cycling, anti-theft dash light on, antilock/abs and brake light on. Door locks cycling, battery light briefly on and the radio went dead for about 5 seconds and then back on as normal. Today the clock was out and the shifter position indicator for a short time too. Basically everything on the dash is messed up. Even the gas gauge was showing empty for a time. Then suddenly back to full.

All this has been happening with zero rhyme or reason and totally without pattern. The ground under the driver side door to the frame is clean and attached.

Any grounds or wiring that might have got pinched or detached during the tie-rod end installation? Anything that seems obvious given what I've described above?

I installed a new ignition switch just last year. Not a Dorman model. How likely is it to be failing?

Thanks.

 

[mrrsm]

After Checking Out the "Similar Threads" shown below...

(1) As GENTLY as you can... Remove the Fuse Box Cover and Inner Cover and Tighten up All Four Galvanized Fuse Block Posts shown in this Image:



(2) Give the Under-Hood Engine Compartment a GOOD and Careful Look-SEE using a Flashlight to examine all of the Wire Harnesses for Rodent Predation-Nesting Damage.

(3) Check the Battery Terminals for their SNUGNESS.

 

[AC75TB07]

I did all these things and still the same. The ground wire that runs under the driver seat on the frame, where does it travel from? I'm wondering if it might be broken somewhere further up... I had the same sort of problems when it was corroded last year. Cleaning and reattaching fixed everything. Also the same type of problems with the ignition switch but I can't see a new one with less than 20,000KM failing within two years... ???

 

[mrrsm]

Many Years Ago... One of our Immortal Members... @Realism ... Penned a Thread that covers GROUNDS LOCATIONS with discreet imagery that is THE definitive source for locating them on the GMT360 Platform. The most recent contribution coming from @jmonica makes this investigation even easier by his excellent consolidation of these data into a Single PDF linked HERE:

Electrical Ground locations

While troubleshooting a bad ground I came across some scans of the service manual regarding electrical ground locations for our platform posted on another site. This includes both short and long wheel base, as well as both 4.2L and 5.3L. Credit goes to Wex...

gmtnation.com

One additional suggestion is for you to get a Can of CRC Electrical Solvent after after pulling the Three Harness Connectors off of the PCM... Liberally Spray out BOTH sides and after allowing them to thoroughly dry... snug them all back onto the PCM and then Test the results once the SUV is running.



As for the Ignition Switch... the GMT Nation SMEs are @Mooseman and also @TJBaker57 who has gone to the trouble of performing a Bench Tear Down and a Study of all the nested Copper Contacts within it and explained how things can often go sideways ...even if the Switch is Brand New and/or a NON-OEM item.

Updated ignition switch info and operation

Found this video from a new channel through the Caprice forum I'm on and it's very informational on the ignition switch's operation. I didn't even know it was updated. And now we know!

gmtnation.com

 

[AC75TB07]

Would MAF sensor spray cleaner be OK to use for cleaning the PCM plug connectors?

 

[mrrsm]

If you follow along with the discussion below... probably not...

Electrical contact cleaner vs. MAF cleaner

www.benzworld.org

 

[Mooseman]

Some of those can be bad for plastics.

 

[mrrsm]

Visit Post #14 in THIS Thread and Watch The Video for yet another investigative approach:

Car won’t start, doors won’t lock or unlock from inside or fob

I was driving home and all of my dash lights turned on and my info gauges on the right all went to 0 or all the way to the left. The car ran fine but when i can back home the car will not start, headlights still work, accessory mode works, stereo doesn’t turn on, etc. I replaced the ignition...

gmtnation.com

 

[gmonly]

Ground wires behind the heads. Try wiggling the headlight switch to see if there is any change in the dash lights.

 

[mrrsm]

On the GMT360 4.2L Engine Blocks... THIS is where the GROUND problem concentrates:

Post #5 in the linked thread explains the problem...

Electrical Ground locations

While troubleshooting a bad ground I came across some scans of the service manual regarding electrical ground locations for our platform posted on another site. This includes both short and long wheel base, as well as both 4.2L and 5.3L. Credit goes to Wex...

gmtnation.com

 

[AC75TB07]

On the GMT360 4.2L Engine Blocks... THIS is where the GROUND problem concentrates:

Post #5 in the linked thread explains the problem...

Electrical Ground locations

While troubleshooting a bad ground I came across some scans of the service manual regarding electrical ground locations for our platform posted on another site. This includes both short and long wheel base, as well as both 4.2L and 5.3L. Credit goes to Wex...

gmtnation.com

View attachment 111807View attachment 111808

Ok, I read all that... So... just find the ground indicated in red on the diagram and check & clean it up? I repaired the one on the frame rail previously and just sanded and reattached... same here?

 

[mrrsm]

Precisely... and applying a small amount of Dielectric Grease in between the Copper Tangs and the contact surfaces (Steel Bolt & Aluminum Block) discourage "Galvanic Dissimilar Metals Corrosion" which, besides developing a Green Cupric Oxide infestation inside of the Wiring-Strands that can dissolve them away... these two conditions are the prime causes for losing good electrical contacts or having high resistance fighting circuit continuity.

Grounds really are *Funny Things* in the GMT360 SUVs (that will never prompt any smiles) ... because if you lose one; either by breakage, corrosion or other looseness... then the Electricity will seek to find Grounds in other ways throughout the Vehicle. It is THIS that can create all sorts of Weird Electrical *Gremlins*. and Mischief

So many things work well when fed a Steady Diet of DC Power heading from and back to the Battery that sometimes ... "The Simplest Things" such as One Bad Ground... can create mysterious and inexplicable cascades of electrical problems.

 

[AC75TB07]

Ok, thanks! Are there perhaps any real images that show exactly the ground location in question? Diagrams are great, but seeing is believing! 😎

 

[mrrsm]

Sure... and while THIS is a more complete but non-photo view ...if you Zoom In a Bit on THIS Diagram... You'll see what is hidden down there...

 

[mrrsm]

This will be the "Best In Show" Image for locating the G-107 Ground situated adjacent and just below-forward a bit of the Evap Purge Solenoid on the Mid-Driver's Side of the Engine Block. The Bolt-On Tang has a THIN BRAIDED COPPER STRAND emanating from the Vertical Wiring Harness:

 

[AC75TB07]

Excellent! Thanks!

 

[jmonica]

Sure... and while THIS is a more complete but non-photo view ...if you Zoom In a Bit on THIS Diagram... You'll see what is hidden down there...

View attachment 111811

Now this is a helpful post!!! Thank You for taking the time MRRSM!

 

[AC75TB07]

Oddly this problem has seemingly resolved on it's own... I had a few days of it all going wacko, then a bit less, then back to normal. I did scrub the frame ground with a wire brush and check from anything busted but found nothing.

It has been pretty dry outside, so wondering if this might be trouble again when it rains?...Are grounding issues affected by wet or damp driving conditions?

 

[Mooseman]

Quite possible. I remember my MIL's old Corsica with the Iron Duke that would never start whenever it rained. And when it happened, I wound up having to change the oil because it was full of gas from trying to start it. Parts cannon was deployed, never could figure it out.