Center stack electrical problem

[Nothinghead]

I’ve been having a problem over the last month in my 05 GX with 175,000 miles.

It usually happens within the first ten minutes f my 45 minute commute. When I apply the brakes, the power to the stereo and hvac cuts out momentarily. The lights go out and audio cuts out. It doesn’t seem to affect gauge lights or any other electrics.

I have base non-nav, non-RSES, non-third row truck. I did add a from Bluetooth unit about 60,000 miles ago.

I don’t think it’s an alternator or bateery issue and is isolated to the center. Should I be looking at fuses or is there a ground down behind there? it happens even with a gentle tap of the brake pedal not just heavier braking and it’s only as I initially touch the brakes, and power comes back even if I continue to brake.

Has anyone ever encountered this?

 

[z00t3ch]

Dunno how much help this will be, but I've installed dozens of remote starts over the years and there's really only one thing that comes to mind since it affects the stereo and HVAC, and that is that they're both "Accessories", powered on after a key turn but unpowered during cranking. My first thought is some manner of chafing of that accessory wire against the brake pedal somehow, although I must admit I've been under my dash and that's a stretch as the ignition harness is well routed and secured...

May also be a poor ground on the brake light circuit...would explain why it happens only upon initial, even light, braking but stops immediately even with continued braking - it's essentially a surge, a bunch of amperage looking for its ground and finding it in unwanted places like your dash cluster.

I don't know where the grounds are on these trucks, but I'd check for that chafing and perhaps look in the footwell and kick panel areas for cluster grounds, and also check the tail light housing grounds, which may be near the housings themselves or perhaps in the jack storage.

 

[Nothinghead]

Dunno how much help this will be, but I've installed dozens of remote starts over the years and there's really only one thing that comes to mind since it affects the stereo and HVAC, and that is that they're both "Accessories", powered on after a key turn but unpowered during cranking. My first thought is some manner of chafing of that accessory wire against the brake pedal somehow, although I must admit I've been under my dash and that's a stretch as the ignition harness is well routed and secured...

May also be a poor ground on the brake light circuit...would explain why it happens only upon initial, even light, braking but stops immediately even with continued braking - it's essentially a surge, a bunch of amperage looking for its ground and finding it in unwanted places like your dash cluster.

I don't know where the grounds are on these trucks, but I'd check for that chafing and perhaps look in the footwell and kick panel areas for cluster grounds, and also check the tail light housing grounds, which may be near the housings themselves or perhaps in the jack storage.

Thanks...that’s a place to start.