2003 1500hd electrical problems

[thesaint]

i recently purchased a 2003 1500hd 4x4. this thing has more electical problems than anyone could imagine. climate control shuts off intermitantly, using turn signals the four ways star to flash. heated mirrors not working. 6-10 mpg, voltage varies between 10v and 15 v. it has 4800 mi and i have already had a side view mirror, climate control head unit, multifunction switch, and alternator replaced and still have all the same problems. any one else? dont know what else to do

[Shortbus]

Working at a Chevy dealer I haven't seen one vehicle with that many electrical problems all at once.

Did you take it back to the dealer you got it from to have them look at it?

I would get those problems addressed with them ASAP, the manufacture's warranty should take care of everything for you.

[thesaint]

yes i did take it back to the same dealer. it has been in three times for these same problems. the first time they told me it was due to a kefob that was programed wrong. second time they said nothing was wrong, and the third time is when they replaced everything. here it is three days later with the same problems.

[Joe_Rocket]

I don't know what state your in, but I hope they have a "lemon law", like hear in CA.

Keep all your paperwork on every visit to the dealer. Take a notebook in the truck with you, and log the date, time, and description of every malfunction, especially after the delear has replace something and the same malfunction still occurs.

Eventually, if the delear doesn't seem to get things fixed anytime soon, you have your records in hand and can prove what a lemon the truck turned out to be. Then, make them take it back. You could recite incident after incident from your log to a judge in court should they ever refuse to take it back...

Unfortunately, the mechanics go by the book. They get a symptom, test this sensor here for some voltage, current whatever, then replace a part.

The problem is, that with strange behavior, you have a strange problem, not some part failing, but something like an intermittent loose connection in the wire harness somewhere, or an intermittent short that only shows up periodically from vehicle vibration because somepart of the wire harness was routed improperly and some screw sticking out nearby is poking into the wire harness.

So, they replace some part, test the voltages, currents, sensors and what not. Then take a test drive and "Gee, it seems to be working now..." So, they call it fixed. You get back on the road and there it happens again.


Case in point:

I had a '86 IROC many years ago. I bought it direct from the Chevy dealer used (2 years old), but got a third party warranty. The check engine light would suddenly come on and the car would run terrible. I'd limp to the dealer over and over.

THe O2 sensor in the exhaust was reading a problem with the fuel mixture. THe Mass Airflow Sensor at the intake was measuring what it thought was the correct amount of air, but the O2 Sensor and the Mass Airflow sensor didn't agree, so the computer kept lighting the check engine light, and went into a "limp home mode" where the computer runs the engine off a baseline open loop pre-programmed fuel curve, rather than the closed-loop optimal mode.

The dealer went through 3 new mass airflow sensors, a whole new wire harness, new fuel injectors, and a host of other stuff. THey even kept my car for over 2 weeks one visit. Every time I picked it up, the same problem would occur.

I told a junk yard owner friend of mine about it, and he said, "Your catalytic converter is clogged, or your intake manifold is cracked." I told the service department this, and they rolled their eyes and said, "We know what we're doing."

Eventually, after several more trips, back to the dealer for the same problem, I noticed a pool of oil on the intake manifold. I had a leak at the intake. I pointed it out, they fixed the leak, and the other problems magically went away. So, you see, I had extra air getting into the intake through the leak. (Same as if it were cracked as my friend suggested!) THat air got in behind the mass airflow sensor and threw off the computer, because the O2 Sensor was measuring the "excess air". THe dealer never figured it out. My problems only got fixed because of the oil leak, which was just a secondary symptom of the same problem.


So, what I am I trying to tell you? You may be in for a long and bumpy road trying to sort out your problems. Unless you find a great mechanic, who is able to think outside the box and start looking for something unusual, there may not be a quick solution. Document your problems. And then once you have enough documentation, read it back to them and don't put up with any more shit. Have them get you another new truck.

Good luck,

Joe

[GMMerlin]

Intermittant conditions are very difficult to diagnos and repair.
if you are not satisfied with the dealer that has looked at it previously, try to locate another dealer in town or call GM customer assistance...the number is in your owners manual.

To me, it sounds like a loose ground or connection is causing your problem.