No break lights, no gauge cluster backlights AND no chimes for headlights

[oOcornflakeOo]

well, as i was trying to install an aftermarket radio on my 2000 silverado 1500, I accidentally grounded what i think was a dimmer wire which is what i believe is the cause to my problem.. I lost functionality of my tachometer and MPH gauge but later found out that the radio fuse was blown and that fixed that problem. didn't know that those two had to do with it but w/e. now I'm only missing gauge cluster backlighting and break lights... also, when the key is out but the headlights are still on, my truck no longer does an annoying ding ding ding ding chime like it use to. PLEASE HELP BEFORE I GET A TICKET FOR NOT HAVING WORKING BREAKLIGHTS!

[StillMatic]

well, as i was trying to install an aftermarket radio on my 2000 silverado 1500, I accidentally grounded what i think was a dimmer wire which is what i believe is the cause to my problem.. I lost functionality of my tachometer and MPH gauge but later found out that the radio fuse was blown and that fixed that problem. didn't know that those two had to do with it but w/e. now I'm only missing gauge cluster backlighting and break lights... also, when the key is out but the headlights are still on, my truck no longer does an annoying ding ding ding ding chime like it use to. PLEASE HELP BEFORE I GET A TICKET FOR NOT HAVING WORKING BREAKLIGHTS!

My break lights and my dash lights used to go off because I blew a fuse. It was really bad until I disconnected the rear speakers in the back of the truck. I drive a 1997 GMC Suburban and don't know if this will work for you but..........
You can also google 12 volt resource. They have a complete wiring diagram of your vehicle. They may be able to help.

[oOcornflakeOo]

which fuse?!??!?I have a good idea its a fuse but don't know which to look for ::stumped::

[tbplus10]

Check all the fuses in the interior and underhood fuse boxs. The way these trucks are wired it could be a fuse that you would assume has nothing to do with lights at all.
I used to lose A/C, pwr windows, pwr locks, and tach every time my tail light fuse blew.

[oOcornflakeOo]

i would love it, for those of you who have experienced similar malfunctions, if you could go the extra mile by looking at the fuse diagram/labelings and tell me those fuse names/abbreviations. I'm taking it to a chevy dealer monday to figure it out but any response sooner or later would be greatly appreciated.. (-_-)*`

[StillMatic]

i would love it, for those of you who have experienced similar malfunctions, if you could go the extra mile by looking at the fuse diagram/labelings and tell me those fuse names/abbreviations. I'm taking it to a chevy dealer monday to figure it out but any response sooner or later would be greatly appreciated.. (-_-)*`

I just had an accident in my truck Wednesday morning and my fender will not allow me to open the driver door. I'm %100 positive it was a yellow 20 fuse. It kept blowing! I wen out and bought the fuses that light up when blown and unhooked the speakers in the very rear are and haven't had a problem since.

[oOcornflakeOo]

I'll be sure to check those yellow 20's in the morning. it helps more than nothing. thank you for keeping an eye out for my thread. wish me luck!

[JMoney02]

I'll be sure to check those yellow 20's in the morning. it helps more than nothing. thank you for keeping an eye out for my thread. wish me luck!

Are you also checking the fuses in the side panel of the drivers side dash? You have blown quite a few fuses hitting that wire, did you tap into it? Did you have instructions for your radio or were driving blind?
The fuses mostly for the lights, chrimes and such are in the dash panel, check all of them. Do you have an owners manual, it lists what fuses are what.....Dealer is going to slap a big payout for this, try and correct yourself, re-trace your steps.....

Jeff

[StillMatic]

Are you also checking the fuses in the side panel of the drivers side dash? You have blown quite a few fuses hitting that wire, did you tap into it? Did you have instructions for your radio or were driving blind?
The fuses mostly for the lights, chrimes and such are in the dash panel, check all of them. Do you have an owners manual, it lists what fuses are what.....Dealer is going to slap a big payout for this, try and correct yourself, re-trace your steps.....

Jeff

The driver's side dash is the fuse box I was telling him to check. Thats where all my fuse problems occurred. But like i said, my left front fender is pushed back so I can't even open the driver's side door to get to my fuse box.

[oOcornflakeOo]

there should have only been two or three wires that might have got grounded.. the constant, the accessory, and/or the dimmer wire.. I've done radio installs before for friends and blown a fuse here and there but nothing ever like this.. I had an 88 1500 before this one that I installed the same radio in and finished without any snags within 45 mins. I'll keep checking cause I really don't wanna pay those dealer charges..
the part that boggles my mind is the fact that my radio wires interfere with all of those other components.

[oOcornflakeOo]

Are you also checking the fuses in the side panel of the drivers side dash? You have blown quite a few fuses hitting that wire, did you tap into it? Did you have instructions for your radio or were driving blind?
The fuses mostly for the lights, chrimes and such are in the dash panel, check all of them. Do you have an owners manual, it lists what fuses are what.....Dealer is going to slap a big payout for this, try and correct yourself, re-trace your steps.....

Jeff

Well, concerning the post you maid about me possibly having a bad cluster now, I think its fine because after changing the radio fuse, my tach and speedometer started working again.. The only thing thats not working on the cluster now is the backlighting. (btw those other gauges were working when the tach and speedo stopped working) Besides, wasn't the issue on newer years? My truck is a 2000 so i hope it didn't fall into that category of faulty clusters..

[oOcornflakeOo]

So today, I tested the yellow 20 fuses and all of them have a current but still no break lights or cluster backlighting. So I figured I'd test all of the hot radio wires (with current). Turns out I only have power running through the constant (orange [wire]) which keeps the time and presets when the truck is turned off. I have no power running through the switched 12V+(yellow), illumination (gray), or dimmer (brown) wires. Just some more diagnostic info for those of you trying to help out. hoping for some more insight...

Dave

[StillMatic]

there should have only been two or three wires that might have got grounded.. the constant, the accessory, and/or the dimmer wire.. I've done radio installs before for friends and blown a fuse here and there but nothing ever like this.. I had an 88 1500 before this one that I installed the same radio in and finished without any snags within 45 mins. I'll keep checking cause I really don't wanna pay those dealer charges..
the part that boggles my mind is the fact that my radio wires interfere with all of those other components.

Do a google search for 12 volt resource. They have wiring diagrams for all vehicle up to 2007. they are in PDF file format. Trust me they work. It's like a 100 meg download for the file.

[StillMatic]

Go to this site right HERE (http://www.the12volt.com/)
They can tell you where your wiring went wrong, but you have to read carefully!

[andz74]

check the t in the back of youre truck some times those things come loose

[JMoney02]

Go to this site right HERE (http://www.the12volt.com/)
They can tell you where your wiring went wrong, but you have to read carefully!

Did you smoke any of the fuseable links associated with these leads???? How's the dimmer switch itself?
Did you check and test the leads from this to the radio wire harness?

Jeff

[JMoney02]

The driver's side dash is the fuse box I was telling him to check. Thats where all my fuse problems occurred. But like i said, my left front fender
http://kona.kontera.com/javascript/lib/imgs/grey_loader.gif
(http://www.gmtruckclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17231#)is pushed back so I can't even open the driver's side door to get to my fuse box.

Hey, StillMatic, can you loosen up the fender bolts on top and move the fender out from the door? Did the fender get pushed back from getting hit in the front and moved back to the seam of the door and fender? Just asking, sucks can't get to the fuse box or just get in.....

Jeff

[oOcornflakeOo]

Did you smoke any of the fuseable links associated with these leads???? How's the dimmer switch itself?
Did you check and test the leads from this to the radio wire harness?

Jeff

to be honest, I only have so much knowledge of electrical stuff.. not quite sure what fusable links are or where such leads would be found.. =( do you mean running a current from one end of a wire to the other? I checked the 12volt resource but don't even know where to start looking... I'm starting to feel like I'm making you guys spoon feed the info to me =/ again, I appreciate your help

[JMoney02]

I'm starting to feel like I'm making you guys spoon feed the info to me =/ again, I appreciate your help.

I am hoping that your not taking this personally, cause how else you going to learn without asking questions, I don't mind, if I did I would not be here.... The dumbest question asked, is the one thats never asked. So, fuseable links are wires when you touch them they feel rubbery and flimsy, not stiff and hard like normal auto wires.
These provide a meltdown between components before frying the actual component itself. Also, did you get the Chime relay for the headlights, this is the "ding" missing, what about the headlight relay in the power box, did you replace it?. Did you check all the fuses, I mean all the fuses, you GM links things together that Don't make sense so some other fuse still could have issues. Your going to have to be patience on this one, grounding the lead has caused some severe problems of to which are going to need to be addressed one at a time, some you have already corrected, some here now are going forward.....

Jeff

[oOcornflakeOo]

well. its more of a frustration cause I just got the truck and was just trying to do a simple radio swap that I know I know how to do.. I just can't believe I've messed it up this bad by grounding a wire or two. I went to chevy today just to talk to them about the issue where they told me to check the brake switch which is right above the brake pedal. there was no current going through the harness so now I guess i'll google an image of those fusable links to get an idea of what I'm looking for and check for any breaks/melts. I haven't bought any relays just yet cause I'm still hoping to find the reason/cause of the malfunction though those relays are starting to look more imminent to buy. I'll get back with you on that (if you were asking if the chime works, nope) you'll be sure to hear if I do get one of those things back to working order.

Dave

[oOcornflakeOo]

well. its more of a frustration cause I just got the truck and was just trying to do a simple radio swap that I know I know how to do.. I just can't believe I've messed it up this bad by grounding a wire or two. I went to chevy today just to talk to them about the issue where they told me to check the brake switch which is right above the brake pedal. there was no current going through the harness so now I guess i'll google an image of those fusable links to get an idea of what I'm looking for and check for any breaks/melts. I haven't bought any relays just yet cause I'm still hoping to find the reason/cause of the malfunction though those relays are starting to look more imminent to buy. I'll get back with you on that (if you were asking if the chime works, nope) you'll be sure to hear if I do get one of those things back to working order.

Dave

[StillMatic]

The driver's side dash is the fuse box I was telling him to check. Thats where all my fuse problems occurred. But like i said, my left fender is pushed back so I can't even open the driver's side door to get to my fuse box.

Hey, StillMatic, can you loosen up the fender bolts on top and move the fender out from the door? Did the fender get pushed back from getting hit in the front and moved back to the seam of the door and fender? Just asking, sucks can't get to the fuse box or just get in.....

Jeff

Not to divert from the OP's problem, but I can loosen my fender up, I just haven't because I don't plan to start working on it until this weekend. The bracket I need for my bumper is like 20 bills and a fender depending on where I get it from will be no more than 100 bills. But my wiring is ok. I fixed all the shorts I had by changing the fuses and tracing the problem to some faulty wiring in the back speakers.

[JMoney02]

Alrighty oO, let me know, I know your frustrated, but keep the faith, you'll overcome. Let me know where you stand.I understand some of simple things we've done in the past cause us pain....And we know what to do, but somehow we F'it up anyhow....
Stillmatic, cool, glad you were able to get it fixed and now you can go farther if its warm in your state....Hope it gets it...

Jeff

[oOcornflakeOo]

HALLELUJAH PRAISE JESUS! I've got break lights! don't quite have cluster backlighting or the chime yet but I believe thats because the light control switch and the dome light control panel may be messed up.. I ordered a diagnostic code reader (auto X ray 6000) for both my truck and my dad's work trucks so when ever that comes in, i'll see if that will read anything. And to think, after this,
http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp99/oOcornflakeOo/PC300077.jpg

this,

http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp99/oOcornflakeOo/P1010092.jpg

and this,

http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp99/oOcornflakeOo/P1010091.jpg

the problem was corroded fuse ends that wasn't blown... which explains why I missed it all together. Anyway, I'm going to check that lighting control and fill you all in later.

[JMoney02]

I told you, you will overcome, right on now......Your right about the lights and chimes. Even some of the little things like the corrosion you mention, will not make things function, even something that simple. But when you keep at it, you will overcome...Nice Job....:rofl:

Jeff

[oOcornflakeOo]

:smiles: yeah, now I'm trying to find a lighting panel to test whats up with the one I have at the moment in the truck.. when I first got the truck, I noticed that when I rolled the lighting dimmer wheel, right before it clicks over for the over head dome like to turn on, theres a little play where it would be completely on (lights) or completely off (no interior dome lighting). that seems to me to be the next logical thing to check/test so if you guys have any tips or suggestions for testing it, please school me and again, THANKS and I'll be posting updates and BTW, my LEDs came in for the cluster but I have no way to check em out :-S I'll get back with you on that as well