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Battery Drain & Instrument Cluster Issues

Bulldog8
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Bulldog8 New Member

Bulldog8

Posted
Posted

I have a 2003, 1500 Silverado with battery and instrument cluster problems. I checked my VIN and my truck is not covered in the instrument cluster recall.

 

Issues with both seem to be all over the internet, but I wanted some more insight before throwing parts at it.

 

1. In cold weather the battery will drain to almost completely dead in 3 days and in the summer it start after 5 days of no use, but no longer.

 

2. Once the battery is dead, connecting the charger or jumper cables will cause the truck to go into panic mode and the horn will sound the panic beeps until hitting the key fob to turn it off.

 

3. I had a gauge stepper motor problem a few years ago and the stepper motors were all replaced by GMGaugeGuy.com. (the battery drain may have started around this time, but I don't remember which happened first) My instrument cluster has a tach, Speedo, fuel, battery, oil press, and coolant temp gauge.

 

4. Yesterday when I started the truck all of the gauges stayed off and the LED display portion of the cluster was lit, but wasn't displaying information. (the bottom half of the LED display had all fields lit and the top portion was off)

 

I disconnected the battery ground for about 30 minutes, reconnected and had the same dead cluster. I then followed one of the youtube guides that showed how many people found loose resistors.

 

I disassembled the cluster and was getting ready to test for loose parts. When I connected the cluster harness (ignition key off) The stepper motors powered and moved the gauges to the "zero" position. When I turned the key to "on" the gauges and LED worked normal without me doing the eraser press test on any of the parts. I poked around at the connections and everything stayed powered up. I then re-assembled the cluster and drove the truck to work today with no issues.

 

I'm tired of kicking this problem down the road and don't mind to replace the cluster but am not sure if it's truly a cluster issue or a power to the cluster issue.

 

I attempted to use my DVM to test for current draw but it seems like whatever is causing the issue powers down when I disconnect the negative battery cable to put the meter in line.

 

Does anyone have any troubleshooting suggestions?

 

SpartanAutoworx Enthusiast

SpartanAutoworx

Posted
Posted

Sometimes the processors in this style cluster just fail and cluster replacement would be necessary.

 

The other more common issue should have been addressed by the re-builder. Granted the issue may not have been present at the time. So without inspecting the cluster its really hard to point the finger at one of the two problems.

Coby7 Senior Enthusiast

Coby7

Posted
Posted (edited)

I repair these every day, 03-04 have this problem of cold solder ( made in Mexico ), the cluster failing to fire up is usually the 3 24Ω resistors clustered together to the right of the right speedometer background bulb.

 

three%2024%20ohm%20resistors_zps9ubxq0vw

 

Do not use an iron hotter than 750°F or you'll pull the copper foil off the board. Sometimes with the 03 the 2 bigger glass diodes above the speedometer motor will also get a cold solder.

 

diodes_zpsadih08qs.jpg

 

If the PRND321 display is on but not the odometer then it's the lone resistor 1200Ω to the left of the voltage multiplier coil at the left of the tach motor

 

1200%20ohms_zpsjgjojhek.jpg

 

As far as your other problem, your cluster is suppose to shut down after 20 seconds, there's an electronic timer between the speedo motor and the 4 gauges to the right. This one is a bit more complicated to repair and will often necessitate the cluster board to overnight in the freezer to pin point. Did 2 yesterday that wouldn't fire up, they haven't called back to complain. Do not attempt any of these repairs if you are not familiar with a fine point low temperature soldering.

Edited by Coby7
  • Like 1
Coby7 Senior Enthusiast

Coby7

Posted
Posted (edited)
Just finished a repair on a manual Silverado cluster, notice no PRND321 display.. This one was dead to the world when I got it. It had corrosion on the back side of the board, cleaned it and covered the spot with cutex.


2016-10-27%2011.56.20_zpsl7teczlb.jpg

Edited by Coby7
  • Like 1
Coby7 Senior Enthusiast

Coby7

Posted
Posted (edited)

Just finished 2 more 2003 clusters for son and dad, both were dead. They're back alive, Both fully refurbished and LEDed in cool white.

 

2016-10-27%2017.22.04_zps42xmnwos.jpg

 

2016-10-27%2016.11.47_zps9ngqozjm.jpg

Edited by Coby7
  • Like 1
Coby7 Senior Enthusiast

Coby7

Posted
Posted

Here is a video of the timer shutting down after 20 seconds. This is a test I perform on all repairs to make sure the timer works. You'll see my hand reach behind to shut the ACC power in the beginning.

 

 

  • Like 1
  • 4 months later...
Deon Boudreau New Member

Deon Boudreau

Posted
Posted

Hey Coby7,

 

I'm in Cape Breton and I have an 06 Sierra 2500HD 6.0l. It seems that the IPC is the cause of the battery drain. Before I pull the fuse, the IPC is drawing around 250mA and once the fuse is pulled it drops to 15mA shortly after. There is a little delay before the current drops off to 15mA. Would you mind elaborating on what needs to be repaired? My trade is electrical. I could send it to you for an overhaul but I'm would like to repair the drain myself, if possible.

 

Deon

Coby7 Senior Enthusiast

Coby7

Posted
Posted (edited)

That problem can sometimes be hard to find, especially if it's intermittent. I sometimes have to use a heat gun and overnight it in the freezer to find the exact location of the problem. The delay shut-down circuit is on the right hand side of the speedometer stepper motor. This problem would be very hard for me to explain in words. The last one I did with this problem was for a guy in Halifax and it took me 3 days on and off to find the problem then I spent one day testing my solution to make sure it would shut down every time. That one ended up having a small metal whisker found under microscope between 2 pins on that big integrated circuit to the left of the oil pressure stepper motor .

 

Feel free to PM me for more info or questions!!!

Edited by Coby7
  • Like 2
Coby7 Senior Enthusiast

Coby7

Posted
Posted (edited)

Oops I posted my email by mistake......

Edited by Coby7
  • 4 weeks later...
Formulabruce Enthusiast

Formulabruce

Posted
Posted

That problem can sometimes be hard to find, especially if it's intermittent. I sometimes have to use a heat gun and overnight it in the freezer to find the exact location of the problem. The delay shut-down circuit is on the right hand side of the speedometer stepper motor. This problem would be very hard for me to explain in words. The last one I did with this problem was for a guy in Halifax and it took me 3 days on and off to find the problem then I spent one day testing my solution to make sure it would shut down every time. That one ended up having a small metal whisker found under microscope between 2 pins on that big integrated circuit to the left of the oil pressure stepper motor .

 

Feel free to PM me for more info or questions!!!

Great posts! and thanks! Have you ever had to replace the timer? Mine does Not go off, and will sometimes make a fast clicking sound as iff to turn on a stepper ( all are replaced and made sure no cold joints) My cluster is draining my battery I have found. I removed the cluster and the world is good , but cant stay like that .. Thoughts?Thanks, Bruce

Coby7 Senior Enthusiast

Coby7

Posted
Posted

Never had the timer circuit go bad, it's always filings,cold solder or copper oxide bridging.

  • 4 months later...
zlrig New Member

zlrig

Posted
Posted

Hi Coby7

As with the other posts, My battery drains as well over time, But my instrument cluster powers up.

2003 s10 loaded options. After 10-15 seconds of turning off the truck the instrument cluster powers up and will run down the battery. inserting the key, opening the door or pulling the key out will stop it. For the 10-15 seconds and then it powers up again.

Tried body control module, no help and visually inspected cluster connector and back board for corrosion, cold solder joints, none found.

you mention the 20 second power down. could that chip be causing my issues?

Thanks, Zlrig

Coby7 Senior Enthusiast

Coby7

Posted
Posted (edited)

Sounds like your having RAP relay issues. RAP stands for Retained Accessory Power and this is sent to Instrument panel, radio power, window and sunroof so you can play with these after you have turned off the key. To me it sounds like this relay is stuck ''ON'' . Check the RAP relay on the BCM . Contacts may have welded themselves together. If your cluster is ''ON'' with no key check if windows will go up or down....

Edited by Coby7

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