I have 2011 Sierra SLE (?) Ext. Cab 4x4. the left side signal started rapid firing. When I checked the bulbs I noticed that besides flashing faster than normal that the bulbs were dim & the back up light was also flashing. i'm thinking that there must be a short somewhere in the harness, possibly in the trailer light loom. anyone seen this before or want to hazard a guess as to where to start looking??
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2011 Sierra signal issue
- Thread starter rober
- Start date
mogleybear
Member
Sorry your not getting any replies. I haven't seen this issue, so I can't suggest anything other than maybe the bulb that burned out is somehow shorting the system. Like I said, I haven't seen that before. First thing I would try is cleaning all the connections to the lights affected.
while trying to deal this signal issue I pulled the fuse panel cover off of the left end of the dash. there's a really thin ( maybe 18 gauge. ) that's attached to a screw in the dash & appears to be a ground wire. the other end is not connected to anything. any idea where this is supposed to be connected? might this be related??
I haven't had the time to deal with this yet & I've not found a meter to borrow. I do have a continuity test light that I used to use to static set points & timing ( yeah i'm old ). AND it's just been too hot out. there are no burned out bulbs. I am going to try unplugging the trailer light pigtail to isolate that & go from there. wiring issues can be a real P.I.T.A. to diagnose which can really run up the hours if I have to put the truck in a shop.
I miss my older trucks. when you opened the hood you could actually see the engine! to me all this electronic cr*p is not an improvement. I had an 83 ford truck with an inline 300 6 cylinder & a carburetor that got 18 M.P.G city & 21 M.P.G. highway. I also had the same engine in a 1990 ford with computerized E.F.I that got 13 M.P.G. city & highway no matter how I drove it. 1960's volvos got 28 M.P.G with carbs & points & 32 M.P.G at 80 M.P.H. on the models that had overdrive trannies. and anyone with decent set of common tools & 1/2 a brain could fix em'!
rants over
I haven't had the time to deal with this yet & I've not found a meter to borrow. I do have a continuity test light that I used to use to static set points & timing ( yeah i'm old ). AND it's just been too hot out. there are no burned out bulbs. I am going to try unplugging the trailer light pigtail to isolate that & go from there. wiring issues can be a real P.I.T.A. to diagnose which can really run up the hours if I have to put the truck in a shop.
I miss my older trucks. when you opened the hood you could actually see the engine! to me all this electronic cr*p is not an improvement. I had an 83 ford truck with an inline 300 6 cylinder & a carburetor that got 18 M.P.G city & 21 M.P.G. highway. I also had the same engine in a 1990 ford with computerized E.F.I that got 13 M.P.G. city & highway no matter how I drove it. 1960's volvos got 28 M.P.G with carbs & points & 32 M.P.G at 80 M.P.H. on the models that had overdrive trannies. and anyone with decent set of common tools & 1/2 a brain could fix em'!
rants over
Last edited:
mogleybear
Member
I feel your pain. Yes, a broken ground connection could be related. Unfortunately I don't know where it might be connected. When I get a chance I will look at my truck and see if I can see any wire like that. Who knows, GM has gotten really cheap and for some reason they seem to think using thin and shorter wire is a good thing. Saves about a tenth of a cent per truck, but frustrates the crap out of the owner.
this just keeps getting better. I disconnected the trailer light harness. no change. removed taillight & removed bulbs one at a time. still rapid flashing but got brighter without the backup light bulb. now for the good part. decided I change the flasher just for grins. turned the signal on & listened & it sounds like the flasher clicks are being broadcast thru the driver's side speaker!! now how weird is that??
mogleybear
Member
Definitely strange. Now that I think about it, I had an 88 Chevy that did the fast flash. I don't know about the reverse lights flashing with it though (all lights were working). If I remember right all I did was replace all the tail / brake light bulbs on that side and cleaned all the connections at the tail light.
I did look at my truck, a kind of quick look though, but I didn't see any thin wire. I will look more closely though and see if I can see anything. Is the wire behind the fuse panel cover or under the dash?
I did look at my truck, a kind of quick look though, but I didn't see any thin wire. I will look more closely though and see if I can see anything. Is the wire behind the fuse panel cover or under the dash?
the mystery wire is under the fuse panel cover. it is attached to the dash via a screw so it appears to be a ground lead. it was run into the dash area just above the fuse panel & is 2' long. it appears to be broken.
there is a lever switch on the front edge of both of the rear doors for the extd. cab. are these the dome light switches. a friend at the local body shops says they might be for the door ajar alarms.
I found this on you tune an hour ago. it's given me some hope. I'll check it out in the morning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxx3vkfMzgs
there is a lever switch on the front edge of both of the rear doors for the extd. cab. are these the dome light switches. a friend at the local body shops says they might be for the door ajar alarms.
I found this on you tune an hour ago. it's given me some hope. I'll check it out in the morning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxx3vkfMzgs
well I got a wild hair & pulled those connecting plugs again as shown in the video only this time I had my cheaters on & hooked up a drop light. the top connector which is the one that feed the driver's side taillight looked like it had clear silicone in it. after probing it it appeared to be some type of clear grease. I sprayed it with electric motor cleaner & blew it out with air. this time it cured the problem!!! downside is that each fitting has a neoprene-like gasket & the top & bottom connectors would not snap into a locked position with the gaskets in place. I 'll deal with that shortly but for now the light is working.
it looks like the dome light issue is coincidental & not related as it is still not
working. i'll try tracking fuses 1st since they do not work with either door.
research looks like the switch on the rear doors are far the door ajar alert & the dome light switches are tied in with the door locks.
AND there is no flasher. it's controlled by the BCM AND the alert chimes & the signal clicking are simulated thru the driver's side speaker.
I think I'm going to start shopping for a clean late 70's to mid 80's truck.
it looks like the dome light issue is coincidental & not related as it is still not
working. i'll try tracking fuses 1st since they do not work with either door.
research looks like the switch on the rear doors are far the door ajar alert & the dome light switches are tied in with the door locks.
AND there is no flasher. it's controlled by the BCM AND the alert chimes & the signal clicking are simulated thru the driver's side speaker.
I think I'm going to start shopping for a clean late 70's to mid 80's truck.
mogleybear
Member
I'm glad that you got it working. I looked today, I don't have a thin wire near my fuse box at all (except one that I ran for a ground for an aftermarket back up camera). Everything else is in a wiring harness.