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Possible ground problems?

SS FORCE

SS FORCE

Active Member
Messages
251
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156
Location
West Jordan utah
I have been having some random, wacky, on and off problems with my truck and what seems like a grounding problem. I'm hoping one of you might be able to shed some light on my issues and I can get this resolved.

I have had a recent issue where my engine oil life suddenly drops to zero when starting my truck and I am alerted to change the oil. Its done it twice now since I did my last oil change (within 500 miles). I'll start the truck and am immediately alerted to change my engine oil. I reset the counter and all is well. I also get and alert when I first turn the key on before starting that says to "service brake system". This goes away immediately after starting the truck, and I only get this alert randomly during key on, no start situations.

I have a problem where I try to turn on my driver seat heater and it won't turn on. If I shut the truck off and turn it back on I am able to turn on the heaters.

I also have noticed my Edge CTS2 acting up. It will sometimes turn on after I have gotten out of and locked the truck. Or, if I unlock the truck and am getting it it will already be booting up before I even have the key in the ignition.

I have noticed multiple slow starting issues as well, mostly the first start in the morning, yeah, I know its cold and I understand that, but even mid day and afternoon after the truck has been running. Batteries both replaced just last year. I have checked all the battery connections as well, no apparent issues there.

I have future plans to upgrade my current cables and make my own out of 1/0 guage in prep for future stereo, and just general benefits. Wondering if my future plans should be less future more now or if I'm barking up the wrong tree??? Any advice would be great.

I do have some LED's scattered throughout the truck, and aftermarket head unit, CTS2 monitor, fass pump, backup camera, and 4 headlight on conversion. Everything has been installed on the truck for over a year apart from the backup camera, and even then I don't see any of these add-on's to be the culprit. But what do I know:rolleyes:


Thank you guys
Steve
 
sctrailrider said:
Best thing I found for grounding was this product below, I purchased copper ends of the size I needed and soldered and made the length I needed, I have many straps on the truck, radiator support, cab, dash,bed, etc... works very well ... does have the signs of grounding trouble....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/15-FEET-5-...088318?hash=item465cd3b23e:g:YFYAAOSwB-1Y0qOy
Click to expand...

Thank you Sctrailrider, I'm going to check my grounding points but I think buying this and installing a few more grounds will be beneficial.
 
You said battery ends are ok, what about other ends of battery cables?

Dash ground cable had issues iirc- check that out.
Check ecm ground, bcm ground, check acm ground if you can figure what the heck an acm could be- haha.
Seriously though, yes on ground issue.
 
sctrailrider said:
The copper lugs, kind of stuff the cable in it and solder fill it... I'll get a pic later today...
Click to expand...

sctrailrider said:
@ak diesel driver like these ....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25-PCS-4-G...993836?hash=item33dbfb076c:g:svYAAOSwCU1YtxII
Click to expand...
I have got terminal lugs like those from the local parts store, saves having to wait on mail and shipping.
In the battery post lugs, I use a dulled chisel and smash the lug onto the copper cable before applying the solder.
A bernzomatic/propane torch works well for heating the lugs for solder.
 
There are known issues of failed clusters on Dmax equipped 800 series trucks causing some of your problems with the DIC but I don't see your seat heater or EDGE being related so maybe it is a ground problem
 
Will L. said:
You said battery ends are ok, what about other ends of battery cables?

Dash ground cable had issues iirc- check that out.
Check ecm ground, bcm ground, check acm ground if you can figure what the heck an acm could be- haha.
Seriously though, yes on ground issue.
Click to expand...

Thank you Will L. I will check those. I'll trace the battery cables to the non battery ends and make sure everything is clean and tight. I will also check the ECM and BCM. As far as ACM goes, is that the equivalent of asking the local parts store for blinker fluid? :woot:

btfarm said:
There are known issues of failed clusters on Dmax equipped 800 series trucks causing some of your problems with the DIC but I don't see your seat heater or EDGE being related so maybe it is a ground problem
Click to expand...

btfarm, when you say failed clusters???

Seat heater issue is a random one that has happened the last two winters I have owned the truck. The edge acting up is recent.

I will also say that these problems all seem to be temperature related. I have the truck set to do "light flash" feedback when locking off keyfob, but in these cold temps the truck ignores that and give me honks and lights when locking.
 
MrMarty51 said:
I have got terminal lugs like those from the local parts store, saves having to wait on mail and shipping.
In the battery post lugs, I use a dulled chisel and smash the lug onto the copper cable before applying the solder.
A bernzomatic/propane torch works well for heating the lugs for solder.
Click to expand...

If I'm correct isn't there a specific solder to use on electrical connections? I've been meaning to do the BIG 3 upgrade on the truck for future stereo/electrical add-ons, I have plans to crimp and solder all my connections and want to use the right stuff.


EDIT: Google says I want lead free rosin core for electronics
 
GM's ignition switches SUCKED for the 2006 era. Some killed people and were recalled, but, that's another unrelated problem. The piss poor design makes the contact be the spring and "drops" pins out of the way to allow the contact to close. If it gets hot the spring weakens. Cold weather thickens the grease and they drop slowly and then burn. All in all it's a voltage drop at the damn switch that "browns out" the ECM's and then all kinds of weirdness happens. Airbag, ABS, SES lights with no codes... Things Like AC won't work till next key cycle.
 
SS FORCE said:
If I'm correct isn't there a specific solder to use on electrical connections? I've been meaning to do the BIG 3 upgrade on the truck for future stereo/electrical add-ons, I have plans to crimp and solder all my connections and want to use the right stuff.


EDIT: Google says I want lead free rosin core for electronics
Click to expand...
I have no lead free solder, but, I always use the rosin core solder, acid core makes for corroded terminals.
 
WarWagon said:
GM's ignition switches SUCKED for the 2006 era. Some killed people and were recalled, but, that's another unrelated problem. The piss poor design makes the contact be the spring and "drops" pins out of the way to allow the contact to close. If it gets hot the spring weakens. Cold weather thickens the grease and they drop slowly and then burn. All in all it's a voltage drop at the damn switch that "browns out" the ECM's and then all kinds of weirdness happens. Airbag, ABS, SES lights with no codes... Things Like AC won't work till next key cycle.
Click to expand...

Sounds very much like what I experience. The truck did it again to me this morning. 20F degrees outside, went to start and the "service brake system" warning came on, followed by a weird hesitation with the starter and then once started the "change engine oil" warning popped up again.
 
Maybe just the truck’s way of protesting the cold - haha

A quick jumper ground from battery through door jam to dash location for testing a few days doesn’t look pretty, but works well for eliminating questions.
 
Lack of Grounds can do many weird things.
My friends 05 GMC SUV, whatever it is called. He one day stopped at the post office, got done there, got in wehicle, started enjun, stepped on brake pedal, could not get it into gear, the actuator would not release.
He called Me. I told Him be looking for a bad ground connection.
He finally hooked His code reader to the port, no codes but it then was able to go into gear. disconnected code reader, would not go into gear again, hooked the code reader to it again and took the unit to a local shop.
They found a bad ground connection under the dash somewhere, they fixed that and it has operated flawlessly ever since.
 
Will L. said:
Maybe just the truck’s way of protesting the cold - haha

A quick jumper ground from battery through door jam to dash location for testing a few days doesn’t look pretty, but works well for eliminating questions.
Click to expand...
I have paired cable that must be twenty five feet long, like an old solid wire speaker cable or some such. Whenever I need to do any diagnosing and will be needing volt or ohms reading, out comes that cable, through the window and hook it as needed.
I also am thinking of making a cable from some telephone wire, that way I can hook to six or seven things under hood and be able to switch from one sensor or actuator to another without having to get out of the truck, justpull over and hook meter to a different wire from inside of the cab.
That sure would have been a handy item when I was diagnosing problems with the boost system, for reading the boost sensor and the boost control solenoid. Those two things alone requires five wires. LOL
 
This is the garbage GM ignition switch design in a 2006/7 TrailBlazer SS. Contacts on this SOB that caused me trouble bent up for the photo. Note the silver "pins" that drops the contacts from the gear 'cam'. One is out on the cover. GM paid for it after being shown the opened switch. No codes or any other diagnostics the dealer could do except be told by me to change it on my dime - we will figure warranty out later. Thank you forums of the day for the solution. Note the "magic smoke" on the gray plastic cover.

The ONLY way you could possibly know is to read voltage the the ECM or module acting up is seeing if it will even respond. Or voltmeter if and only when it acts up. Or do what I did swap it and examine the old switch...

3confl.JPG 3contact.JPG 2contact.JPG
 
BTW... The one weakness overlooked is the "double-tap" the accessory loads have in an ignition switch. Suppose as you run the key quickly from "off" to "start" that you spark the contact that is on from the "accessory" and "run" position. You know all the stuff that is "off" during crank/start? Yeah this contact could arc if the speed is just right. At the minimum it gets hit twice each time you start things up.
 
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