I swear, if this old GMC could talk, it would just laugh at me by now.
So last Saturday, the mechanic came over and we spent about two hours tinkering around with it. The good news first: after replacing the computer, the engine’s got more power and that “Reduced Engine Power” light is finally gone. I actually thought we’d beaten it for a minute — but of course, that was wishful thinking.
Now the new problem’s a whole different headache. It’s looking like we’re going to have to tear the entire dash apart. Yep, you read that right — every last screw, wire, and panel. He thinks it’s either the instrument panel cluster going bad or a ground wire that’s loose (or completely disconnected). Either way, it means gutting the dash just to find the right wire or plug.
And let me tell you — I am not paying $125 an hour for someone else to do what YouTube can probably teach me in a weekend. So it looks like I’ll be pulling out the screwdrivers and watching repair videos until my eyes cross.
Here’s what it’s doing now:
- The lights turn off and on all by themselves, like it’s haunted.
- The back wiper won’t quit running unless I pull the fuse out.
- The dash lights cut out randomly, then pop back on when I bang on the dash (real high-tech fix, huh?).
- The driver’s window quit rolling up.
- And the battery keeps dying, no matter what.
We’ve already checked every single fuse — in the truck and under the hood — with a tester. Every one of them is good. So yeah, it’s got to be that ground or cluster.
And for anyone keeping score, here’s what’s already been replaced on this beast:
Brakes, rotors, front calipers, shocks, struts, battery, main dealer fuse, fuel pump, spark plugs, complete throttle body assembly (with TP sensor), accelerator pedal sensor, new gas pedal, coil packs, and now a brand-new computer.
At this point, I’ve probably rebuilt half the dang thing. But honestly, I’m too stubborn to give up. I’ll either get it running perfect or I’ll at least learn how to rewire a whole truck in the process.
Stay tuned — I’ll let you know how my “dash-surgery” goes.