Accessories stay on with key out

Flashover45 · February 5, 2015

Hi all,

I've found many related posts to this but none quite match the problem I'm having with my 2004 GMC Sierra 2500HD.

After shutting off my truck and taking the key out and opening all of the doors, the accessories remain on (dash light, radio, window controls). They will remain on indefinitely until the battery dies. I know the door switch is good as I get door ajar warnings as well as dome lights coming on and off.

I decided to try pulling random relays and low and behold when I pulled the windshield wiper fluid pump relay the problem resolved! However with that relay out, obviously the windshield fluid pump won't operate. I switched the relay out with another one of the exact same kind, and the problem came back, but the winshield pump worked. So now I've ruled out the relay.

Next, with the relay in place I started messing around with the windshield wipers and when I turn the windshield wiper knob to full speed, or operate the wiper fluid pump, with the keys out, the accessories turn off as intended! If I move the wiper knob to any other setting though, the accessories come right back on.

I'm completely stumped. Why would the RAP be linked to the windshield wiper fluid pumps relay?

One other thing to note that may or may not be related, back in December I went out of town for a week and came home to a dead battery. After jumping the vehicle though I had no problems and have driven fine for two months.

Also I went and bought a brand new battery and hooked that up to give it a try but the problem was still there, so I returned the new battery.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Flashover45 · February 5, 2015

Just solved this after hours of snooping around at all the wires, removing the dash and checking the after market radio connections...and washing the truck...turns out its the ignition switch! If I shut it all the way off fast the accessories stay on. However if I turn it off from running to accessory, wait a second, then turn it all the way off, it doesn't do it!

Hopefully this saves someone a huge headache down the road.

Now to fix or replace this ignition switch!

Knuckles Head · February 24, 2020

On 2/4/2015 at 11:42 PM, Flashover45 said:

Just solved this after hours of snooping around at all the wires, removing the dash and checking the after market radio connections...and washing the truck...turns out its the ignition switch! If I shut it all the way off fast the accessories stay on. However if I turn it off from running to accessory, wait a second, then turn it all the way off, it doesn't do it!

Hopefully this saves someone a huge headache down the road.

Now to fix or replace this ignition switch!

I had a similar problem just it was that way with the turn signals instead of the the washer fluid pump and I can't seem to get any crank to my starter I can't get power to my starter