Electrical Gremlins, RAP

Chase Frank · July 8, 2023

Hey guys, I'm hoping someone can help me. I have an 06 Silverado. One day, my radio wouldn't turn off after shutting the truck off, removing my keys, and opening the door. Did a little reading, figured it was the latch mechanism. I also knew I had at least 1 broken wire in the rubber boot in the door jam (driver side speaker stopped working. So I pulled the boot back, and a few wires had cracks in the insulation. I went ahead and ordered a new wiring harness for the door and a new latch. Installed both, same issue persisted.

Then I randomly turned my wipers on (key out, door open) and the wiper fluid pump went haywire and started spraying non stop, no matter if I turned the wipers back off, or to the highest setting. I had to put the key in and turn to the On position, and turn the wiper switch off, to make it stop. While turning the switch up and down, I did notice the battery light on the dash would flicker, so I assumed it was a short in the turn signal switch and ordered a new one. Same problem still, RAP will not turn off. If I turned the wiper switch down and let go (the mist setting), RAP would turn off, then turn back on when I let go of the switch. If I turn the wipers to the highest setting (and only the highest setting) everything would stay off. Now 3 weeks later, that no longer works. I got to work, truck off, key out, door open, turn the wipers to the highest setting and the radio and battery light stay on, and the wiper fluid pump went haywire spraying non stop again.

What in the world is going on? BCM? Ignition switch?

Thanks in advance!

dna9656 · July 9, 2023

At first blush I'd say you got electrical grounds that have corrosion or are loose, dirty.

64BAwagon · July 9, 2023

There is a ground screw on the frame body mount directly below where the drivers feet are. Remove the screw and clean the ring terminals, the area around the hole and the screw. Use a wire wheel or brush on all of it. Then use some grease on all of it and reinstall.

This is the first place to go on that are of truck for random electrical issues.

Chase Frank · July 9, 2023

8 hours ago, 64BAwagon said:

There is a ground screw on the frame body mount directly below where the drivers feet are. Remove the screw and clean the ring terminals, the area around the hole and the screw. Use a wire wheel or brush on all of it. Then use some grease on all of it and reinstall.

This is the first place to go on that are of truck for random electrical issues.

Did that earlier on my lunch break, they were a little ugly, but pretty clean when I took them off. Used a dremel with wire brush to clean them up real good, dielectric grease, reinstall. No change. Talked to a buddy earlier, he said maybe a relay is bad somewhere, said to either tap each of them lightly with a small rubber mallet, or pull them one by one. Also suggested unplugging the electrical connector to the ignition switch to see if that would shut the battery light off. I don't have time this evening.

64BAwagon · July 10, 2023

Unfortunately a bad BCM may be the issue.

Chase Frank · July 13, 2023

On 7/10/2023 at 8:43 AM, 64BAwagon said:

Unfortunately a bad BCM may be the issue.

I FIGURED IT OUT! My buddies suggestion worked!!!!! Started pulling relays one by one, turns out I wasn't far off. Pulled the relay for the washer pump, battery light went off! Got in, put the key in, turned to on so radio and whatnot would come on, key out, open door, POOF! Everything goes off like it should when I open the door. Tested about a dozen times.

I hope this might be able to help someone else out in the future, I was about to pay a crackhead to drive the truck into the marina for insurance

64BAwagon · July 14, 2023

On 7/13/2023 at 9:20 AM, Chase Frank said:

I FIGURED IT OUT! My buddies suggestion worked!!!!! Started pulling relays one by one, turns out I wasn't far off. Pulled the relay for the washer pump, battery light went off! Got in, put the key in, turned to on so radio and whatnot would come on, key out, open door, POOF! Everything goes off like it should when I open the door. Tested about a dozen times.

I hope this might be able to help someone else out in the future, I was about to pay a crackhead to drive the truck into the marina for insurance

Always a good feeling when the cheap and easy diagnostics work out.