1998 jimmy front signal lights and rears won't run off. Not flashing

[CanukGMC]

Drove the jimmy last night, all was well. Got up this morning and when I looked outside the orange running lights on the sides of the headlights were ON. Headlights are off, everything is off, no warning dings are happening, even set the Ebrake to see if it would shut off, nothing. Tried pulling some fuses before I had to run to work and had no effect. Rear tailights are also on. When I turn on the 4way flashers the signal lights flash on and off, but the side running lights (parking lamps??) stay on.

Eventually the battery will die. Any ideas?


EDIT: This is a 4.3l vortec. Canadian as well so we have an additional running lamp setup compared to US models, but this (as far as I can tell) isn't the "daytime running lights" as the headlamps are OFF, it's just those secondary orange lights and rear reds.

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by CanukGMC

Drove the jimmy last night, all was well. Got up this morning and when I looked outside the orange running lights on the sides of the headlights were ON. Headlights are off, everything is off, no warning dings are happening, even set the Ebrake to see if it would shut off, nothing. Tried pulling some fuses before I had to run to work and had no effect. Rear tailights are also on. When I turn on the 4way flashers the signal lights flash on and off, but the side running lights (parking lamps??) stay on.

Eventually the battery will die. Any ideas?


EDIT: This is a 4.3l vortec. Canadian as well so we have an additional running lamp setup compared to US models, but this (as far as I can tell) isn't the "daytime running lights" as the headlamps are OFF, it's just those secondary orange lights and rear reds.

Try unpluging head light switch.
Also pull and or switch park lamp relay.

Let us know what that does.

[CanukGMC]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

Try unpluging head light switch.
Also pull and or switch park lamp relay.

Let us know what that does.

I'm at work right now so I'll definitely try those tonght. Is the relay located near the fuse box inside the cab or is it hidden somewhere? Thanks for the response

[MT-2500]

You are welcome.
Park lamp relay is left side of dash fuse/relay/or body bussed center.

[CanukGMC]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

You are welcome.
Park lamp relay is left side of dash fuse/relay/or body bussed center.

Perfect, I'll look into that tonight and try to post back results.

[CanukGMC]

Not looking good for a simple fix. I hate electrical problems, there's just so many feet of hidden wires all over just asking for problems with age.

I came home and my wife said she had the hood up trying to figure out if something was loose (she knows nothing about vehicles, guess just trying to help) and she said she didn't do ANYTHING and when she slammed the hood shut the parking lamps turned off. Then they came back on later but by the time I came home they were off again (I noted this when I pulled in the driveway). I didn't care much about it thinking at least I don't have to hurry and fix it right now.

I was about to go to bed and noticed a light inside the cab of the truck so I went out and sure enough the DOME light is OFF, but the light by the back hatch INSIDE is on (the one that turns on when you open the gate). I turned the truck on and it said "GATE OPEN" or whatever it is for the rear gate being ajar, I slammed it 4-5 times and it's definitely closed but the gate warning won't go away and the light stays on (the front dome lights are OFF though, dome light override button has no effect). I pulled the courtesy lights fuse and it went off so it's ok overnight at least.

I also noticed that now the passenger rear tailight is out (except when braking or signalling) and the passenger side rear white light that lights up my license plate is also out (co-incidence???). It's like my truck had a stroke or something, seriously it's just like it had a stroke. Bizarre stuff.

Problem is these problems are ONLY even remotely linked via the fact that they are all electrical. I can't think of a single problem that could cause ALL of these things at once other than random wires all breaking at once or mice eating up my electrical. Not looking forward to whatever I gotta do to fix this.

[toddman67]

This might seem strange, but do you have a hoppy trailer wiring connector tee'd in for a trailer? Or is the wiring set up for a trailer. My thinking here is that the brown tail lights and the white ground wires might be shorting out causing the relay for the DRL or in your case running lights to be activated.
Just a thought, but worth looking at.

[CanukGMC]

Originally Posted by toddman67

This might seem strange, but do you have a hoppy trailer wiring connector tee'd in for a trailer? Or is the wiring set up for a trailer. My thinking here is that the brown tail lights and the white ground wires might be shorting out causing the relay for the DRL or in your case running lights to be activated.
Just a thought, but worth looking at.

Good idea. The jimmy does have the towing package and has a wiring harness on the rear. As far as I know the harness hasn't worked right for 2 years now but maybe it's shorting. If I get a chance maybe I'll climb under and cut it off as far up as I can, it hasn't been working anyways. Any idea where it may T into the main electrical lines? I've never actually traced one before since it always seems to disapear and become untrackable.

[toddman67]

Often the trailer harness is tee'd in where the weather pack connector is in the rear of the vehicle. Yours may not. Just follow the trailer harnes where it connects into the main harness. Untape the asm. and disconnect accordingly. Just remeber to seal the connection back up good. do not leave corroded green connections, if any, un repaired as they may cause other problems down the road.
Good luck!

[CanukGMC]

Originally Posted by toddman67

Often the trailer harness is tee'd in where the weather pack connector is in the rear of the vehicle. Yours may not. Just follow the trailer harnes where it connects into the main harness. Untape the asm. and disconnect accordingly. Just remeber to seal the connection back up good. do not leave corroded green connections, if any, un repaired as they may cause other problems down the road.
Good luck!

K sounds good, doubt I'll have time to check it out tonight but I will post back more when I get a chance.

[blazes9395]

Do you have an aftermarket security system, or a remote starter installed?

[CanukGMC]

Originally Posted by blazes9395

Do you have an aftermarket security system, or a remote starter installed?

Niether actually. Something weirder has happened, I'm almost convinced my truck is haunted now.

So the rear light by the hatch was on as of last post and wouldn't turn off till I yanked the courtesy lights fuse. The other night I go back outside and the back light is on AGAIN. Thinking my wife put the fuse back in I open the panel and sure enough the fuse is still out. I put the fuse back in and I hear a whirring\humming kind of sound from behind the panel (not an electrical short, more of a relay maybe?) or inside the dash sort of and the light turns off. Then it turns on magically. I fiddle with the "dome light override" and now and then the hum happens again and the light turns off, then on again. The hum reminds me of the rear hatch opening relay when you "pop the rear hatch" but I literally disconnected it entirely from the wiring over the winter because at random the hatch would "pop open".

So the light is still on and won't go off, again I yank the fuse and like a light switch the light turns off immediately. How it turned back on with the fuse OUT is beyond me.