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'08 GMC Sierra electrical problem

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 7:05 am
by landscaper
...either that or it's haunted! Speakers turn on and off, instrument lights and headlights flash, doors lock and unlock repeatedly by themselves, and clock resets to 12:00 periodically.

Alternator maybe?

Any ideas?

Re: '08 GMC Sierra electrical problem

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:45 am
by stevea
my 07 was doing the same thing clean the battery cables sounds crazy but that caused it

Re: '08 GMC Sierra electrical problem

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:49 am
by landscaper
stevea wrote:my 07 was doing the same thing clean the battery cables sounds crazy but that caused it
I've checked the cables and they look like they're brand new. No corrosion or anything else apparent. Clean them anyway?

Re: '08 GMC Sierra electrical problem

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 12:14 pm
by jmh600
My speakers are cutting in and out on my '07. I just thought it was the speakers but might be the same problem.

Re: '08 GMC Sierra electrical problem

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 12:18 pm
by landscaper
I bought mine used. It was a lease vehicle and has been back through GMC to clean it up for the retail market. Most things are clean and pristine like the battery and cables. It came from up north though and has a little rust on the frame from salt. I'm wondering if there could be a ground strap rusted through somewhere that is causing it.

Re: '08 GMC Sierra electrical problem

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 12:57 pm
by stevea
mine looked clean too they had glazed over around post and not making good connection i would clean them

Re: '08 GMC Sierra electrical problem

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 8:51 pm
by Caller1
Could be bad battery. Negative pole may be a little busted internally causing loss of ground

Re: '08 GMC Sierra electrical problem

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 2:14 am
by 7ducks
stevea wrote:my 07 was doing the same thing clean the battery cables sounds crazy but that caused it
My son's 08 did the same thing...battery cables were replaced never did it again.

Re: '08 GMC Sierra electrical problem

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 6:45 am
by landscaper
Among other more complicated things I hear it could be caused by corrosion on the pigtail adapter, battery terminal, and/or loose, broken or corroded ground straps.

Battery checks out, I cleaned the terminals and wires, cleaned the pigtail adapter connections, and checked the ground straps last night. We'll see what happens.

Thanks for the input.

Re: '08 GMC Sierra electrical problem

Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 2:03 pm
by trey
Damm GMC and Chevrolet. Y'all can have em

Re: '08 GMC Sierra electrical problem

Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:24 pm
by drake09
Got an 04 doing same thing except battery light comes on no ac heat or gauges replace alternator battery everything cleaned and connected have no idea hit a bump and starts working for a cpl hrs then goes out again

Re: '08 GMC Sierra electrical problem

Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 6:22 am
by RedEyed Duck
drake09 wrote:hit a bump and starts working for a cpl hrs then goes out again
That is an excellent indication it's a wiring issue somewhere, might be a nightmare to find. I'd start with ground wires in obvious places and go from there.

Re: '08 GMC Sierra electrical problem

Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:02 am
by Scully
Had one years ago do that. The short itself turned out to be internal in the radio....making everything else go crazy

Re: '08 GMC Sierra electrical problem

Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 10:48 pm
by drake09
Yea I've cleaned all the grounds from front bumper to tail lights and still not working