So I'm pritty sure my problem is something Electrical. The other day I was re-installing my stereo and when i finished i started my truck to move it back into the garage, well i turn my running lights and the dash lit up ok but the right turn signal light on the dash was solid illuminated.

I then turned my headlight on and they were dim and it dimmed my all my dash lights. it seems light something is drawing way to much power but I'm not sure what it could be or if the battery could be going bad?

I thought it might be my stereo but i unplugged everything from it but it still did the same thing.

another note. my seat belt light lights up when i start my truck then just disappears, but now with the dash light problem the seat belt light flashes and beep all the time now and I'm not sure what is up with that either.

my other thought on what might be wrong is i have no hood on it and I left it uncovered for about 20 mins and it started to rain. but i have no fusees under the hood everything is on the inside of the firewall and right under the dash.

All thoughts are welcomed, appreciated, and helpful, thanks

1989 Chevy Silverado Ext. Cab 355 2WD
Jeremy G.

 

Your dash isn't grounded.

Allan

 

Had the same thing happen to my 1990 Suburban and just like posted above the dash grounds were off. Happened when I put the stereo in the truck.

Best bet it to go through the dash and trace down the grounds.

 

Sounds like somehow you hook something up wrong causing a short.

 

Well pull dash off look for ground off I had a car with a bad wire was 600$ just to fix one wire

 

Does anybody know where the grounding points usually are at? All the in dash wiring is in the stock electrical tape looking wrap.

I have had problems with both of my tail lights before this started like the reverse lights don't work and I need to replace the left tail light circuit board. could it be possible that something in the tail lights to cause a problem in the dash like this?

another note - When I installed my stereo I put a system in. I have the power wire running through a rubber gromment in the firewall and I have the amp grounded to the bolt that hold the passenger side bench seat to the body.


I have the dash mostly apart atm, just an fyi.

 

Update -

Ok so I was reading through my Haynes Manual and in the back electrical section it stated that you can test for shorts by removing the fuse and using a test light or a volt meter to tell if it is shorting out by touching the prongs to the fuse plugs.

the book says that if there is a short your test light/volt meter will light up/show voltage.

well so I used my volt meter to test if it was shorting out and I have to fuse spots that are showing voltage.

First:
The CTSY "or Courtesy Lamps" fuse is a 20amp and it is showing 4.0-4.5 volts between fuse

Second:
The Stop fuse is a 15amp and it is showing 11.5-12.0 volts between fuse.

 

ok well I'm pritty sure that I found the problem. It was in the wireing block that goes into the firewall. im not sure what the block is called but im posting a picture with this post


All I did was wiggled the wireing harness around and then the dashlight problem stoped.

 

sounds good.

 

ok well I found out today that the wiring harness block was not the cause of the short. I also found out that the short was being caused in the drivers side headlight and the drivers side turn signal.

I pulled the wiring out of the factory wire loom crap and was inspecting for exposed wire and I found the nasty factory wire splicing/crimping that was done. I cut the crimps out and cleaned the copper wires with a wire brush with a bit of brake cleaner to get the glue gunk off, I then spliced and soldered and topped it off with some good heat shrink/electrical tap and now my problem is 100% completely fixed. For now till some other electrical problem comes up, it is 22-23 years old with lots of ugly rust lol.

So my conclusion is that it was a mix of a couple corroded ground wires and some bad wire splices.

Thanks everyone for all the help info.