I have a 99 tahoe 5.7 4wd, I've had it a few years now and it's had this issue for a while! I noticed the headlights flicker with the blinkers, and also a couple gauge needles move in unison with them. Also, my horn and windshield mister only work sometimes! The wipers themselves also only work correctly sometimes. I can tell if everything is working right just by quickly bumping the wiper switch, which should only cycle 1 to 3 times then return to the proper position. When they do this everything works fine, horn mister wipers. But when it isn't right the horn and mister do not work at all, and there's no telling what the wipers will do. Sometimes they cycle 10 to 12 times then stop vertically or pretty much where ever they decide to stop. Lately a new issue, I believe is related, popped up. The engine would turn over but immediatly stop. I can hear the pump come on, but it seems like as soon as it starts it looses spark! Just a guess, not 100% if that's what is happening. It has happened twice, with the first taking about 10 min then it would start and run fine. Only thing I did was mess with the relay box under the hood. It's loose, I noticed when I tried to open it, the whole thing lifted a little. I pushed down on it the tried to start it and it ran fine! On the 2nd it took less time to start, I did push down the box sooner and it fired up. Hasn't happened since! I am going to start searching for the main grounds to clean and secure them to eliminate them as an issue. Basically, my question is can all of these things be related? Has anyone had similar issues? And what can I do to remedy the problems. Also, some of the back lighting on the dash work intermittently. I just rebuilt the ac system, thank goodness it doesn't effect that. Btw this was all happening before I did the ac, also, I haven't added any after market electronics. It is all still the way it came from the factory. Thanks guys in advance..
bizarre intermittent electrical issues
- Thread starter biggscott
- Start date
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WOW, Runon is very hard to read man.
Add some spacing next time between ideas to make it easier to comprehend.
That being said, check your grounds, frame to block, firewall to block, battery to frame/ block.....
Add some spacing next time between ideas to make it easier to comprehend.
That being said, check your grounds, frame to block, firewall to block, battery to frame/ block.....
Sorry about the writing. It's kind of hard to punctuate everything from a cell phone, while in a rush with kids tugging at your sleeves. Did the best I could and figured that someone smart enough to identify my problem could figure out where the sentences start and stop. That being said, I'm in the process of trying to find, and clean up the grounds!
MO Viet Vet
Full Access Member
Anything is possible with the 99, 15-16 years old. Again, like lesterl says, check all the grounds and if you can do it see if where the steering wheel is tilted makes any difference when experience problems. Your friend could also be close, years of tilt wheel can wear out wiring in there.
Raiderron, I did move the tilt but the problem with the wipers and mister persists. I know there has to be a short somewhere or a bad ground at a minimum. I never use the tilt, I set it where I like it 2 years ago and haven't moved it until today! I will keep doing it to see if anything changes over the next day or so and update my post. There has to be something that links some of these issues together. I hate electrical issues on these cars. So many wires and very few clues as to where the problem is!!
MO Viet Vet
Full Access Member
lesterl is right. With that many electrical issues it usually points to a ground problem. Make sure all connections in his list are clean and tight and have continuity.
I've been checking the grounds I can find, and all seem tight! I'm going to clean and up the battery to frame ground but I'm pretty sure I would have more issues if that were the cause! Thanks for your replies guys! Keep them coming. I'm leaning toward a short in a control wire for the wipers and mist. That would explain the the pulsing headlights when the blinkers are on! I'm no electrical genius, but it seems to make some sense!!
Lester l. I read another post on here a while ago about the pulse module! Although I don't recall them calling it that. However, after some quick research it sounds like that may very well be the problem. I would be more certain if that circuit board controls the mist pump. If so, I'll Change it out tomorrow!!
The Pulse module controls all aspects of the wipe. Usually the most common failure is the solder connections of the 6 or so pins that come in from the connector to the circuit board. Turn wipers on wiggle wires at connector, see if wipers get goofy....
Nice! That sounds like the issue then! I'll pull the board and inspect the solder points! I heard they tend to Crack over the years! Even if it's not the cause, thanks for talking me through it. I'm very unfamiliar with this tahoe even though I've had it for a couple years. Haven't had to do anything bit the a/c system and Gen maintenance. Usually with a used car I'm very knowledgeable after a year lol! Thanks again, and thanks to everyone else who posted! I'll update as soon as I get er dun!!!!!!
Glad ya gotter licked.....Maybe it was one of your previous posts or replies I had read!
I too have a soldering gun but my old board looked ok except for all the goo all over the place! Hard to really see anything with that crap on there! I may clean it just to see what was wrong with it. It literally only took 5 min to remove and install so it's money (22$ pepboys) well spent and time saved!! 1 more minor project and my 99 will be tip top. Power steering pressure line leak! Thanks lesterl...
I too have a soldering gun but my old board looked ok except for all the goo all over the place! Hard to really see anything with that crap on there! I may clean it just to see what was wrong with it. It literally only took 5 min to remove and install so it's money (22$ pepboys) well spent and time saved!! 1 more minor project and my 99 will be tip top. Power steering pressure line leak! Thanks lesterl...
