04 suburban strange electrical issues
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Joined: Feb 2016
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04 suburban strange electrical issues
Acquired an 04 Suburban for my daughters. Only issue I've found yet is that the radio, an Alpine, which looks like it was not the original, will completely shut off; however, I've narrowed the factors down to these:
Heat being on very high, I hear 2 chime sounds (as though someone's seatbelt is off, or a door is ajar) and then radio shuts off
Once this occurs, if I apply the brakes and come to a stop, power will return to the radio. The radio will also turn back on, most of the time, if I activate the windshield wipers.
Let me also add that my cluster does the typical Suburban stuff; RPM gauge is either stuck at 1 or 8, oil pressure gauge is pegged, but sometimes, they work OK. I notice that whenever those 2 gauges begin working OK is when I hear the 2 chimes and lose the radio.
I'm just a mom who wanted to put my girls in a nice safe truck on the cheap....you get what you pay for I guess. They are teenagers and reportedly will perish without a reliable radio. Thus far, I have not noticed any other electrical problems. Anyone have an idea?
Heat being on very high, I hear 2 chime sounds (as though someone's seatbelt is off, or a door is ajar) and then radio shuts off
Once this occurs, if I apply the brakes and come to a stop, power will return to the radio. The radio will also turn back on, most of the time, if I activate the windshield wipers.
Let me also add that my cluster does the typical Suburban stuff; RPM gauge is either stuck at 1 or 8, oil pressure gauge is pegged, but sometimes, they work OK. I notice that whenever those 2 gauges begin working OK is when I hear the 2 chimes and lose the radio.
I'm just a mom who wanted to put my girls in a nice safe truck on the cheap....you get what you pay for I guess. They are teenagers and reportedly will perish without a reliable radio. Thus far, I have not noticed any other electrical problems. Anyone have an idea?
CF Pro Member
Joined: Aug 2013
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From: SE MI
An Alpine unit is definitely an aftermarket radio.
When you say the heat is on very high, I'm assuming you mean you have the blower motor cranked on high?
I'd say you have a loose ground. Check the battery connections, and the grounding wires in the engine bay. One is attached to the engine block, the other to the firewall.
Does the voltage gauge move when this happens?
I'd also take it to an auto parts store and have them check the charging system and battery.
When you say the heat is on very high, I'm assuming you mean you have the blower motor cranked on high?
I'd say you have a loose ground. Check the battery connections, and the grounding wires in the engine bay. One is attached to the engine block, the other to the firewall.
Does the voltage gauge move when this happens?
I'd also take it to an auto parts store and have them check the charging system and battery.
Thread Starter
CF Beginner
Joined: Feb 2016
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The radio ended up crapping out entirely yesterday, but once that occurred, my RPM and oil pressure gauges now work beautifully 
I ended up taking the truck to my mechanic, he did a test of the battery, checked fuses, and stated that he would rather find me an OEM radio that fits that truck and pull the Alpine out entirely, as in his experience any installations of radios other than the originals tend to cause trouble. So I'm going with that.
Thank you for your reply.
I ended up taking the truck to my mechanic, he did a test of the battery, checked fuses, and stated that he would rather find me an OEM radio that fits that truck and pull the Alpine out entirely, as in his experience any installations of radios other than the originals tend to cause trouble. So I'm going with that.
Thank you for your reply.
