Cascade Crew

IROCDave · Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 6:33 pm Post subject: electrical gremlins.....

My 03 chevy truck has had a couple of electrical gremlins that started a couple of years ago and I would like to have a local shop take a stab at fixing them.

#1 - The instrument panel lighting fuse pops every once in awhile. Sometimes the new fuse pops immediately and some times it takes several months.
#2 - The AC controls do not work. The truck has dual zone controls allong with an auto control. The AC will not come on with the auto temp setting or the AC button. Some times it comes on by just setting the temp display low. It doesnt do this all the time though. The compressor works fine, but the controls do not.
#3 - the drivers side seat heater is shot, from what I understand their is a broken wire in the grid under the seat covering. The seat heater would come on without hitting the control button, not good during summer months so I unplugged the harness under the seat.

Anyone know a local shop that specializes in electrical systems?

iansane · Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 9:41 pm Post subject:

New cluster and new HVAC control head. Both are pretty common.

But no, I don't know of a shop that would wire chase for you. Very Happy

turbo_jimi · Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 9:32 am Post subject:

Have you checked for any recalls on your truck? Might want to check for corroded wiring for the intermittent problems. My wife's van had similar problems. The dealership will chase wires for you at over $100 an hour. Of course after you pay for their diagnostics process that says you have a wiring problem. Sad

QwkTrip · Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 9:54 am Post subject:

I knew exactly what you were going to say when I read the title of the post. Those years Chevy trucks are fraught with electrical problems in the dash. There was a major change to wiring system in 2004, I think, just for that reason.

IROCDave · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 8:11 pm Post subject:

QT nailed it, GM had alot of issues with the transistion to a bus bar electrical system.

The guage cluster has been replaced under a recall. When I got the truck back from Bellevue Chevy it had a rattle in the dash. It went away but a couple of years later I heard an arcing sound coming from the left side of the dash after shutting the truck off. A couple months later the cluster light fuse blew. I pulled the cluster out and looked for evidence of grounding and didnt find any. About a year later the fuse popped again. I reached up under the dash ( non accessible spot even with the cluster out) and felt a wiring loom up against a sharp edge. I stuffed a chunk of neoprene siesmic pad between the loom and the sharp edge of the structural member and the fuse held for over a year.

I dont think the HVAC control cluster is the culprit. If it was the dampers on the duct would not be functioning properly.

Just need an experienced GM tech with a tech2 to chase this down.