minoodnick

Greetings car gurus!<br />New member here long time reader of the forums.<br />Can't find this issue here so I'll post it.<br /><br />I have a 2008 chevy express 1500 AWD 5.3L<br />Van has been good to me over the years<img src="https://chevroletforum.com/forum/images/smilies/cool.gif" data-cke-saved-src="https://chevroletforum.com/forum/images/smilies/cool.gif" title="Cool" alt=""></img><br /><br />I was recently checking the wiring under the steering wheel around where the remote starter that I had installed years ago was. Down near the brake pedal I was fixing the tape around the splice where the power draw for the remote starter is. Its a thick red wire comes through the firewall and down goes down under the carpet. I must have touched it to the brake pedal because I heard a pop and smelled a short <img src="https://chevroletforum.com/forum/images/smilies/eek.gif" data-cke-saved-src="https://chevroletforum.com/forum/images/smilies/eek.gif" title="EEK!" alt=""></img><br />After this I tried turning the key to start and nothing.<br />No instrument cluster or gauges responding, though I did notice the check engine light glowing and the airbag light on.<br />Headlights work and turn signals work.<br />I checked the fuses under hood and under driver seat with my multimeter for continuity and heard a beep across all fuses, i even checked the relays with the meter and saw a resistance across at least one of the combinations for the ignition related relays. <br />Van responds to key being in with a slight noise but does nothing on turning key.<br />remote unlock does nothing, power locks do nothing.<br />After doing some research I'm suspecting a wired fuse somewhere? Theft resistor blown? possible something under the dashboard near the steering wheel?<br />I can't find a wiring diagram of this van. I'm handy but no auto expert.<br /><br />What am I missing?<br /><br />Thank you in advance! Any help appreciated.<br />-Minoodnick<br />

mountainmanjoe

You shorted out whatever is on the thick red wire.

Follow the thick red wire to find the source of your anguish.

minoodnick

Follow the red wire towards the engine or down under the carpet?
thanks for the reply!

Kanai Pence

Have you tried checking your battery? You should also check the ground it can get disconnected .

minoodnick

Hi,
Yes, battery is fine.
Which ground wire should I check, from where, under the dash somewhere?

Kanai Pence

underneath the dash there should be something that it is grounded to if not try looking under the hood by the firewall.

Kanai Pence

my recent post I don't think went through so I said that it SHOULD be underneath of the dash or under the hood by the firewall . If it isn't there I don't really know what the hell. Also have you tried testing the ECU.

mountainmanjoe

Engine.
But I would want to know what's at the other end too.

minoodnick

Thick red goes to BCM, the spliced section where I shorted it goes to the the remote starter.
I checked power at BCM and at the shorted spliced and only .8 volts.
Battery is at 12 volts.
Voltage across engine compartment fuse box positive and negative is 10.5 volts.
Randomly it seems the alarm system will trigger and start honking until I put key in and turn half way.
Could it be a relay? I checked continuity across the fixed side of the starter relays but I guess there's no way to check the high current side.
what fuse/relay specifically should supply most of the power to the BCM?
Thanks

minoodnick

Traced the thick red wire to the BCM fuse block. It goes in just at the base of the fuse block under driver seat toward rear of vehicle. checked voltage there was .8.
Engine battery voltage at terminals was 12V
checked voltage at engine compartment fuse block input was 10V
checked voltage across #77 Mega fuse, voltage was .8, when i tirn the key to stage 2 start., This mega fuse protects the thick red wire that leads down under firewall towards the BCM or vehicle body fuses.
disconnected battery,
replaced Megafuse 125 AMP and cleaned terminals,
pulled out horn fuse #43 to stop the annoying antitheft alarm from going off.
reconnected battery and everything worked back to normal.

Thank you those who responded, you were enough motivation for me to retrace that wire connection and learn more about my van in the process. Hope this helps someone out there.
~vanspeed