Electrical issue, battery light pops on and cuts out heater/Ac/defrost, heated seats, part of my gauge cluster.

P3loves77 · November 7, 2023

Hello and good morning!

I'll cut right to it, I own a 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500 Lt with the 5.3 lt motor in it and I've owned the truck going on 10 years now. Well, a couple years ago I was driving on the freeway when suddenly, my A/c kicked off and I noticed that I couldn't tell how fast I was going, then as fast as it shut off, it popped right back on and worked. What happened exactly is this;

I'll hear a "click" sound the red battery light comes on and stays solid, when that happens I lose complete power to my 4x4 selection cluster, cruise control, heated seats, heater-A/c-defrost, my speedometer, fuel gauge, temp gauge, and odometer all completely quit working. Then randomly, the battery light will turn off and everything is as right as rain. I've replaced the battery, alternator, I've checked all fuses and relays. I cannot seem to locate the issue to fix it. Sometimes, I'm able to fix the issue by releasing the steering wheel and letting it go all the way up, at that time everything will start working again and so I'll carefully lower the steering wheel. Again, that only remedies it SOMETIMES. Right now though it is not working to make it all turn back on. I've got two small kids and during the winter that truck is colder than an icebox inside the cab and my girls freeze. I need to figure out the issue to fix it ASAP so any and all help you can give me will be amazing!! I've also checked and remounted the main ground.

Hopefully you'll have some knowledge you can shine down on me to assist me.

Thank you!

Billlee3 · November 21, 2023

So i had the exact same problem. It took me awhile but I actually figured it out. Its one of the plugs on the back of the fuse block. Take the plastics off below the steering wheel. The top left plug was the culprit , 6 wire plug. One of the terminals was loose inside, the top middle wire. I used a pick and bent the flap out a bit more and it works perfect.

Edited November 21, 2023 by Billlee3
Added pictures