Bad lights, bad wiring...
- Thread starter LDB
- Start date
bubblehead
Veteran Expediter
I agree. It tells me that chevy drivers are irresponsible and lazy when it comes to taking care of there vehicle.
Deville
Not a Member
I am constantly chasing down electrical gremlins in my truck. I have spliced and jumped so many wires on the rear taillights that I have become confused as to what powers what. I picked up a new set of taillights and am going to start over and re-wire everything. This will be the 3rd time in 11 years that I have had to do this.
JohnWC
Veteran Expediter
some times to small of a wire is being used and that's what is causing the problems and check wiring inside of the box it could be there to
Deville
Not a Member
OK. I have to add one. Mine. I lost the blower the other day. Funny thing is, I just replaced the thing.
Well, a look at the situation soon revealed the problem. The ground terminal in the resistor block is fried--actually melted clean away, taking out the resistors of course and shutting down the blower relay-- which is part of the resistor package.
Funny thing about that--- the ground terminal takes a huge amount of current if the wire feeding it is any indication, but it appears to be just about as thin a strip of metal as you can clap eyes on. How that thing lasted as long as it did is a wonder. It goes without saying that the resistor will get replaced, and it looks as though the connector may have to be replaced too. Chevy wiring--- still better than the stuff I saw on the Sprinter I had.
Well, a look at the situation soon revealed the problem. The ground terminal in the resistor block is fried--actually melted clean away, taking out the resistors of course and shutting down the blower relay-- which is part of the resistor package.
Funny thing about that--- the ground terminal takes a huge amount of current if the wire feeding it is any indication, but it appears to be just about as thin a strip of metal as you can clap eyes on. How that thing lasted as long as it did is a wonder. It goes without saying that the resistor will get replaced, and it looks as though the connector may have to be replaced too. Chevy wiring--- still better than the stuff I saw on the Sprinter I had.
A common cause with cargo vans is the trailer light kit. Its usually an easy fix by disconnecting the lights at the harness. If you pull a trailer you might need to replace the assembly I found it to be common the connector under the bumper will short out.
Progress, at any rate. I have the new resistor block/relay in hand, the connector harness is ordered and will be here tomorrow. At least the resistor is out in the open so it's not hard to get at and replace.
If you have European-style lights in your van-- which is common these days-- you will likely have a solid-state control unit in the trailer-light kit. This converts the European-style separate turn-signal and stop lights into the old-style American combined turn-signal/stop lights that most trailers still use. Bet that control unit will barf sooner or later-- I had it happen to me, which is why I hate those things with a passion. My work-around, back when I pulled a boat-trailer, was to ditch that horror-show, set up separate stop-lights in the trailer (yep-- 4 lights back there) and run a 5 or 6 wire trailer-harness to make it all work. No solid-state control to mess up.