01 Rear Wiper problem

RobD · February 2, 2007

I'm hopefully going to be buying my first Suburban from a private seller tomorrow. It's a 2001 K1500 LS with 152K highway miles on it. Service records show it has been well-maintained. Fuel pump was replaced at 108K, 3500 mile oil changes, 7000 mile tire rotations, 60K tranny flushes, and it has newer tires on it. Only major item that it needs is a brake job. I think it is a fair deal for $9K.

Problem #1 is a simple repair. Passenger window doesn't function due to a broken cable, but he is including the part to fix that. I think I can handle taking off the door panel to fix this, once it warms up a bit more here in Michigan.

Problem #2 is a non-operating rear wiper on the liftgate. The owner says he changed the motor already, but that didn't fix the problem. Chevy suggested to him that it might be the relay fuse. Can someone offer some troubleshooting help to me on what to look for and check? Being my first Suburban, I'm not sure where everything is going to be located yet, so some location directions would help as well.

I'm planning on keeping this vehicle for about 8-10 years, only putting 5000-8000 miles a year on it. I have a short drive to work (1.5 miles tops), but the 4 kids and their stuff are outgrowing the wife's Grand Caravan when we travel. So this will be my work vehicle and the family travel vehicle. The wife will just use the GC for town errands when I'm not around. But everyone says these burbs go and last a long time, right? This has to be built better than my last Chevys (a new 90 Cavaliar that was quacked like a lemon and a 92 Corsica that wasn't much better).

Thanks for your help!

Robert

Dave in Mpls · February 2, 2007

There should be two fuses for the Rear Wiper. The first is in the instrument panel fuse block, located on the drivers side edge of the instrument panel. The fuse (RR WPR) is third row down, first from left side. The second is located in the underhood electrical center, located on the drivers side of the engine compartment just behind the batter. This fuse (RR WPR) is in the bottome row, second from right side.

The fuse locations can be seen in the diagrams on pages 6-64 and 6-68 of the owners manual. If you don't have the manual, you can download it from here:

https://www.mygmlink.com/pdf/go2content/man...t/2001tahoe.pdf

I'm not sure which relay (if any) is used for the RR wipers. Perhaps someone in the know will chime in.

Regards

RobD · February 5, 2007

The fuse in the cabin is OK, I was able to check that one today. I did not check the one under the hood, as I was replacing the battery and it was about all I could take in 4*F weather here in Michigan. But before the battery died, I had a new set of symptoms show up. I'm suspecting they are all related.

Things that stopped working:

Headlights (low and high) and no high-beam indicator on dash, all cabin dome lights, fog lights.

Both key fobs now stopped working, and the word "Security" constantly displays on the message center. This is even with the vehicle off for hours. This also has made the approach lights stop working, I think (too many things to remember that stopped working all at the same time).

Things that still work:

Dash lights, radio lights, running lights, turn signals. Door locks still function with switch on door.

I'm not sure if the DRL system is still functioning or not.

I'm wondering if the module on the dash that does the lights/dome/rear wiper control has gone bad? A bad solder joint or two, maybe? That would explain the rear wiper not functioning. Or maybe the BCM, since the Passlock system is acting up as well?

RobD · February 5, 2007

I just found the "Ask the Technician" section on the forum. I think this topic is more appropriate there, so I posted the problem there. If you have an idea on what is wrong, please put the response in that topic...

My topic in the GM Technician section