Crazy Dash Lights - New Problem ? HELP !!!!

[DavidC166]

Wow, after four months, I finally get to start a thread; I'm not very happy about it tho'...

I searched and didn't see this as happening to anyone else, so here it goes... While driving down the road tonight around 45-50mph, headlights and 885 fogs on, all of a sudden, my message center gave me the Low volts/amps battery indicator and the ABS, Airbag, Brake, and Seat Belt idiot lights came on ? (gauges were all in okay range -- including voltage). I was startled, but after about 10 seconds, they went off... whew, then about 20 seconds later they came on again, on for 10 secs, then back off. I immediately shutdown anything that drew power (except the headlights) and drove for a while... it didn't happen after about five minutes, so I turned everything back on and drove another five minutes to the house; it didn't happen again. I was on a smooth, paved road, so nothing was shaking around that shouldn't have been.

Can anyone give me a theory as to what might have happened. If this is a wiring harness problem, I'm afraid that it might lead to a fire (it seemed like it was reinitializing the run->start sequence, but I didn't hear any starter noise).

I think it's gremlins !! ?

-davidc166

 

[Wiki]

I need a little more information. Did you do anything like take the dash apart or disconnect anything before this started to happen? Check to see if your battery cable is dirty. I once had 1 relay slightly loose that caused all the right side windows and the sun roof to not work properly. Took me about 30 min of wiggling things to find the problem. Check your fuses under the hood for tight connections. Just make sure they are seated.

 

[DavidC166]

I've touched nothing on the dash. The only electrical system enchancements are two leads (14-ga) going to the Power and Ground at the block (runs Ham Radio & airhorn) and a fuse tap on the downstream side of the horn relay (trigger for electronic airhorn). All fuses and relays snug and cables clean. I'm pretty good at wiring vehicles (used to do ambulances and fire trucks at my station), but this seems like an ignition circuit problem. I thought that maybe the Passlock was activating, but I never lost fuel and the Security warning never came up.
The only real mod that I've done that might have affected the BCM is HPP3.

Still thinks it's gremlins !!

Thanks,
-davidc166

 

[Wiki]

Yeah, its the gremlins! or it could be your AV reacting bad to the Anesthesia used by the ALIENS that abducted your Avalanche!!

Wish I could help. Maybe GM can help you out. Keep bringing this topic up to the top. Durring the week someone might be able to help.

Wiki

 

[DavidC166]

Okay, the Gremlins finally got me... HELP !!!!

Tonight, I start up the Av, Dash lights come on and PRDNL goes off... gauges DEAD !!! SES light on... Okay, I think... maybe just a glitch... I shut the engine off and wait, then restart. Same thing, but SES light is now off... Well, I'm only about 5 mi. from home, so I can guesstimate my speed for a little bit. Drop in to Drive (yes, I checked to be sure I was in Drive), apply the gas, and the Av slowly drags itself forward... it has only 3rd for a forward gear. I make it home (no stops--- at least none that I stopped at completely). Reverse into the driveway in case I have to be jumped (reverse works okay). Start checking fuses, relays, everything seems fine, but Battery eye (on the top of the battery) is dark instead of the normal green. I deprogrammed the HPP3 to see if that might be the part of the tranny problem... no such luck.

So... sounds like an alternator problem...maybe BCM I'm going to have to call and get towed I guess. I have a few electrical accessories (ham radio - 20amps only when transmitting, and a couple of other low amp things) Will the General blame me on the electrical system problem or might this be a warranty issue--- any guesses ?? My tap for these accessories is at the battery connector on the block.

I must say that at this point, I'm really unhappy with a <5K - 4 m/o truck that's having this kind of failure. Any suggestions ?? HELP !!

davidc166

 

[carrerarod]

Either a faulty battery, bad alternator or you have a drain on your electrical system.

is the "eye" green on your battery? When you boost it does it start?

 

[DavidC166]

The eye is dark, I'm charging now. Av starts fine (for now). I'm just curious why a low battery or even alternator problem woud cause the transmission todrop out... could it have spiked the computer ??

Thanks,

Davidc166

 

[CIAJNIK]

DID YOU INSTALL THE DIRECT HITS IGNITION

 

[DavidC166]

That was one of my next projects... I'm waiting for $$... good thing I didn't huh ?? My only real mods are the HPP3, the radio gear that I have, and electronic PA/Airhorn (which I have disabled all of the above at this time). I'm hoping that after the battery is charged that everything will come back enough for my to drive to the dealer !! (insert prayer here)

-davidc166

 

[Brado]

Ah ha... You're in luck.. I just had my Av repaired this morning for the exact same thing. My transmission was the first noticable thing though..then the dash lights. Then finally the Check Engine light came on. The fix was easy enough though. It was a bad IGNITION SWITCH. They replaced it the same day I took it in. The one thing I wasn't too happy about is that they drove my truck 120 mi to check it out to make sure it was really fixed. I could have done that for them. No problems yet.

 

[DavidC166]

Excellent... Thanks for the tip. I hope that my experience is a painless as yours was. I was thinking that it was in the ignition circuit somewhere, but after the total failure tonight, I was worried that it was something more drastic. I'll update if/when I can get into my dealer tomorrow !!

-davidc166

 

[k_favero]

Ah ha... ?You're in luck.. ? I just had my Av repaired this morning for the exact same thing. ?My transmission was the first noticable thing though..then the dash lights. ?Then finally the Check Engine light came on. ?The fix was easy enough though. ?It was a bad IGNITION SWITCH. ?They replaced it the same day I took it in. ?The one thing I wasn't too happy about is that they drove my truck 120 mi to check it out to make sure it was really fixed. ? I could have done that for them. ?No problems yet. ?

they drove your truck120 mi.I would be all over the service dept. for that.I hope they replaced the gas they burned?

 

[Brado]

Oops my bad.. Seems I made a minor mistake in saying that they test drove my truck 120 mi. What happened was I took my truck in on the Saturday before with the same problem and they scanned it and reset the computer. The electrical guy wasn't there so they kept the work order open. Over the weekend I put the miles on the truck. On Monday when they did the work and closed the work order the mileage difference showed up in the paper work.

DavidC166, how did yours come out? Still fighting with it?

 

[DavidC166]

Sure enough, they replaced the ignition switch. I still don't have the Av back yet Just to make sure that I got a rental, I made up a grocery list of things. I've been without for three days now, and all my emergency gear is in the truck... and with Hurricane Isadore on the way, I can't wait to get it back tomorrow !!!

Other things they're working on:
Tailgate-Cover 3 leak
Driveline Clunk -really bad, but they say normal --- we'll see when the tranny falls out
Horrible pull to the right --- courtesy alignment... pay to rotate the tires ($12 -saves me from getting out the jackstands)
Wiper/Washer jet on wiper arm - housing loose and destroying plastic cowl just below windshield.

As you can see, I like to save'em up !! It's only fair to get a rental... I had to ride my bicycle to work the other day.... Thank God it's only 2 mi away, but in the FL heat... Jeez !!

I'll post again when I get the Av back... I'm hAVing withdrawals !!

davidc166