Electrical issues! Truck issues or remote start issues??? Who's smart?

[RXN]

I have a 2007 GMC 6.0lt. I've had since new. I had Audio Obsession install the remote start. an HDR system. All was good. Last year my remote started acting up, not working, the Wife's remote, no issues. Audio Obsession removed some plastic clip inside the remote and it was working again. Until this winter. During our cold snap, I pressed the start button, lights came on, went out. I though battery was dead, tried boosting it, nothing, Pulled Battery, brought into house left on trickle charger over night, (wasn't smart enough to stick a meter on it then). Put back in truck next day, started with key, worked good. Until the next time I pushed the remote start button, lights flashed truck did not start. Pi$$ed off I walked away, came back an hour later, opened door to pop hood and interior lights were on, so I tried the key and it started good. I figured remote start was hooped.

Over Family day long weekend a bunch of us from work were in McBride, got sleds unloaded at Renshaw parking lot, one of the guys realized he forgot his helmet, We dropped the trailer. He jumped in to start the truck and it went into alarm mode. We dinked with the battery and the Valet mode switch for the remote start. Finally it started, he ran to town got his helmet. After the ride truck started good. On way back to the ScareCrow B&B, the door locks started locking and unlocking like crazy, all lights inside and outside where flashing, all needles on Gauge's were wrapping back and forth from Max to Min to Max to Min. All idiot lights were flashing. Truck lost power. Pulled over, (kept it running) sat on side of highway for a bit, trying to figure what to do. Then everything just went back to normal. So we carried on, slowly driving back to the ScareCrow. As soon as I shut the truck off, it was stone dead again.

Got all our gear off and put away, popped the hood, and metered my batt, 14.76Volts. as soon as I put the meter away, the lights flashed three times and power was back, all worked good again.

Now today, same things happing. Batt was down to 7volts, once it was up to 15volts on the trickle charger I tried to start it, all lights were flashing like mad, speakers was static and could hear what sounded like arcing. Had the wife come out and try cranking and was trying to find the arcing sound. Could hear it the strongest coming from below the fuse cluster box under the hood. (Never did find that source)

Is it a problem with the remote start system that is throwing the truck into anti theft mode?? (dad figures so cause his car did something similar and it was remote start brain, Guy at work figures remote start as well, and I'm thinking so too).

Or is it a problem with the anti theft system that GM sticks in?

Anyone see this before? any thoughts or ideas?

 

[blastoff]

I have the same truck, 1500HD I also have some issues similar to yours. Took it to one guy he can't figure it out, also have a new battery. I think I will bring it to a GM dealer see if they can fix it. My remote is a Compustart brand.

 

[TROLLCAT]

tilt steering wheel & do you use it lots the wires in the colume may be wore and touching or grounding " I have seen this before " tilt the wheel and test the truck

disconnect remote "power wire " test truck

good luck

 

[RMK Junky]

It's been along time since I've had a command start in my trucks. The wifes '04 Toyota Sienna has had the same one since new without any issues. Diagnostics with these especially with a dealer can be costly. You might as well pull it out and go with a new one. It could be a wire with cancer or the switch under the hood. I see your from Sherwood Park so my suggestion is to get ahold of Summitric. He's probably played with a few.

 

[RXN]

tilt steering wheel & do you use it lots the wires in the colume may be wore and touching or grounding " I have seen this before " tilt the wheel and test the truck

disconnect remote "power wire " test truck

good luck

only ever used once, when I got the truck to set it to where I needed it., Will be buying a new batt today and booking it in to get the remote start system removed.

 

[Cyle]

Dealers looking at it can be pricy. If you really believe it's the remote start I would disconnect it, and see if the issues go away. Quick way to narrow down the cause. All the remote start is splicing into factory wiring, and hooking into connectors. Anyone can remove one if you take your time to make sure your taking out the correct things.

 

[RXN]

I ended up talking Audio Obsession, (seeing they installed it 4years ago), the fella there was telling me it's not that uncommon of a problem. a sensor they call the KeyBox shorts, they sell bypasses, bypass the key box and all is good, you lose the anti theft feature. when I got home (picked up a new battery) and replaced the battery truck started fine with key, so just for "fun" i tired the remote, locked everything out again. I'm thinking of trying this so called by-pass.

 

[Riverjet]

"On way back to the ScareCrow B&B, the door locks started locking and unlocking like crazy, all lights inside and outside where flashing, all needles on Gauge's were wrapping back and forth from Max to Min to Max to Min. All idiot lights were flashing. Truck lost power"


You've had a close encounter of the third kind!



Sounds like you have a loose power wire somewhere. Check the wiring in and around your fuse panels and on the actual ignition switch. It's located down near the end of the steering column under the dash I believe.

 

[teeroy]

may not be the problem, but check the ground cable from the cab to the frame. it is not covered, looks like a flat braided strap. had some funky electrical problems with my '06 Sierra and it was that cable not making a proper ground. read about it being a problem on the GM truck forums

 

[RXN]

"On way back to the ScareCrow B&B, the door locks started locking and unlocking like crazy, all lights inside and outside where flashing, all needles on Gauge's were wrapping back and forth from Max to Min to Max to Min. All idiot lights were flashing. Truck lost power"


You've had a close encounter of the third kind!



Ha Ha, that would explain the hour of time that went missing, lol.

 

[the_real_wild1]

I would be guessing the remote starter was either poorly installed and the wiring is either shorting or if they cut some wires then wired them into the starter they have a bad connection.

 

[RXN]

They said its a common problem with GM's. Dad's car is Jap Scrap and he had same issues, think same place installed his. See what happens come friday

 

[Polarblu]

Had a wacky issue like you explained happen in a JD loader, it was a wire loose under the fuse box that was live but not needed and it would randomly go around making homotrons. One of its random conections was the gauge cluster. Not saying thats your problem but the remote start is an easy instal, takes 30 mins to make sure the connections are ok, replace the box, eliminate that part and go after the real problem.

 

[lloydguy]

ALOT of guy's that do remote starters,arent very good at it.1 local shop here has been butchering car's for years.
Poor solder jobs and poor taping can cause many many issues with miliamp circuits or multiplexed circuits.
You could talk to the servive dept. at a local shop,if you think anyone there would give you an honest answer.
That arking sound could have just been several relay's being triggres very rapidly?duno ?
Like others have said,check for ground straps loose or not clean. I would lean towards a remote start problem,
or a install related problem,But that's just me.

 

[flabbajabba]

ALOT of guy's that do remote starters,arent very good at it.1 local shop here has been butchering car's for years.
Poor solder jobs and poor taping can cause many many issues with miliamp circuits or multiplexed circuits.
You could talk to the servive dept. at a local shop,if you think anyone there would give you an honest answer.
That arking sound could have just been several relay's being triggres very rapidly?duno ?
Like others have said,check for ground straps loose or not clean. I would lean towards a remote start problem,
or a install related problem,But that's just me.

X2 but the problem is most auto shops as soon as they hear car starter everything thats wrong with the car is the starters fault!
I'd unplug the starter check how the install was (loose wires-rub though-short-etc) and than see if problem still exists.
Start with the easy-free stuff. I used to put starters in and wow some of the hack jobs I've seen under the dash its amazing.
Kind of scary to think most install shops have self trained "techs" working on 40k+ vehicles!

 

[Free Rider]

I installed remote starters for about 10 years. Best thing to do is disconect the starter and check all connections. Run the vehicle for a few days with the unit unhooked and see if the problem is still there. If everything is good then most likely it is the brain unit of the starter. If you take it to any shop there is a good chance they will blame the starter first thing. If you can find the brain yourself under the dash you should be able to pull it out yourself. Once out, smell the unit. If it smells burnt then it probably is. If its been in the vehicle for 4 years without a problem then I doubt it is the install of the unit itself.

 

[boots]

go back where you got it they will fix it...

 

[daniump]

Had my drivers door lock doin crazy stuff like that on my 1500 Sierra. It would turn stuff on and off by itself, put power to accessories while the keys were not in vehicle,and so on. It had to do with power shut off after you open a door. A teck told me it's a common problem. My truck had a dead battery many mornings till I changed it out,all better now.

 

[RXN]

Found what was causing this issue. the key ring is the problem. On the GM's all keys are the same, they are set to run at different resistances, this key ring is a wire that wraps around the ignition block where the key goes in, the then reads the resistance in the key and either allows the truck to start, or in my case lock out the vehicle.