Dash swap goof up

[christian92gmc]

Hi guys, my 1992 gmc k1500 had a very badly beat up dash. I ended up buying a parts truck for it with a good dash and motor , but anyways to the point. After completing the swap I reconnected my battery and was shocked by the terminal bolt, this was the first wierd thing I noticed. Then I got the headliner out in after redoing it and plugged the dome light in, it will not turn off now. And on top of that my gauge cluster lights aren’t working. Anybody know what’s going on with this?

 

[MIHELA]

Check your grounds, especially the one under the steering column.

 

[89obsSB]

Check your grounds, especially the one under the steering column.

Isn’t there a ground on the screw for the dome light? It’s been a long time since I’ve had a headliner out of one of these.

 

[christian92gmc]

Will do

 

[christian92gmc]

Isn’t there a ground on the screw for the dome light? It’s been a long time since I’ve had a headliner out of one of these.

There is a ground for the dome light, it is good I believe

 

[89obsSB]

There is a ground for the dome light, it is good I believe

Should be good ground obviously the light is on. My bad I wasn’t thinking.

 

[christian92gmc]

Check your grounds, especially the one under the steering column.

Ok so I checked the ground and there was a little surface rust on the plate it screws too, I cleaned it up then I put a new 20a fuse in and when I turned the parking lights on, it popped the fuse? Any ideas what to check for?

 

[xXxPARAGONxXx]

Ok so I checked the ground and there was a little surface rust on the plate it screws too, I cleaned it up then I put a new 20a fuse in and when I turned the parking lights on, it popped the fuse? Any ideas what to check for?

Sounds like a short to ground. When I bought my truck (used) and inspected the headlight area after removing the grill, I noticed that the previous owner had worked on the wiring for the parking lights. So, it seems with these trucks, the wiring insulation will start to crack due to age, and then the wires short against one another. I would recommend you thoroughly inspect the parking light wiring around the headlights, especially where the wires enter the connectors.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Sounds like a short to ground. When I bought my truck (used) and inspected the headlight area after removing the grill, I noticed that the previous owner had worked on the wiring for the parking lights. So, it seems with these trucks, the wiring insulation will start to crack due to age, and then the wires short against one another. I would recommend you thoroughly inspect the parking light wiring around the headlights, especially where the wires enter the connectors.

Also,the lighting wiring harness goes through holes in the radiator core support that do not use/have grommets, and the looms are old , cracked and falling off, if they were even there to start with. The front lighting wiring on every truck I've seen at the yards lately is just hanging there, unprotected. So I could definitely see where they could rub on sharp edges...all it takes is a little bare wire, touching metal, to create all kinds of problems.

 

[christian92gmc]

Thanks everyone for the help, I was wrong. The ground under the steering column had wire touching the metal plate as well as the connector, I moved the wire and now all good.