Chasing an electrical gremlin (1 Viewer)

[DirtyLittleSecret]

Okay, so last week I noticed that my radio turned off while driving, but turned back on a few seconds later (but was reset). A few days ago my dash lighting, clock, heater fan, and radio are all out and the dome light is having some issues. Blinkers, windows, door locks, headlights, horn, and antennae work fine.

When I put the key into the ignition I can hear a faint buzz sound which I never noticed before (from the steering column/dash)...rig runs fine (V8 conversion) and done so for over 10k miles since the swap.

Anyone got thoughts as to where/what is haunting me? I'm sending a 6 pack or a nice bottle of wine to whoever first figures this out...

 

[Benjaman]

Okay, so last week I noticed that my radio turned off while driving, but turned back on a few seconds later (but was reset). A few days ago my dash lighting, clock, heater fan, and radio are all out and the dome light is having some issues. Blinkers, windows, door locks, headlights, horn, and antennae work fine.

When I put the key into the ignition I can hear a faint buzz sound which I never noticed before (from the steering column/dash)...rig runs fine (V8 conversion) and done so for over 10k miles since the swap.

Anyone got thoughts as to where/what is haunting me? I'm sending a 6 pack or a nice bottle of wine to whoever first figures this out...

Bad ground. The buzzing could be a weak connection(bad ground)with a relay.

 

[DirtyLittleSecret]

Bad ground. The buzzing could be a weak connection(bad ground)with a relay.

Im pretty certain that its a grounding issue, but am trying to figure out where in the electrical charts would do this...of course, I go get milk this morning and everything works fine.

 

[Tinker]

It was cooler this morning & the metals had shrunk. It'll happen again when it's hot. Get a FSM & find, clean, & tighten all the grounds. Of course I've never done that, so it's easy for me to say.

 

[PERUVIAN]

I am going with a relay..
When you hear that buzzing.. stick your hand/head up under the dash and feel around for your relays.. up on the left normally.. You may have one that is going bad.. contacts inside.. or has some corrosion on the plug in terminals..
But If it was a grounding issue.. ( which it could still totally be ) I do not think you would see it in directionals, door locks, etc as they are things that actuate temporarily.. where as the dome lights, dash lights, etc are always on units.. and you would notice a flickering.. especially when they are looking at you..

But to just give another option.. I am going with one of your main relays..

 

[Pin_Head]

few days ago my dash lighting, clock, heater fan, and radio are all out and the dome light is having some issues. Blinkers, windows, door locks, headlights, horn, and antennae work fine.

...

Most of the things that are out are on different circuits with different grounds. It is very unlikely that all the separate grounds would be bad at the same time, so it is more likely that the problem is upstream of the fuse block where they have a common connection, like the fusible link for the large white wire or the ignition switch. What you hear may be the switch contacts arcing.

 

[Front Range 4x4]

Okay, so last week I noticed that my radio turned off while driving, but turned back on a few seconds later

The clock blinks out with the radio too, right? Mine's been doing that forever but only if I'm running the heater. Replies to my posts here on 'Mud said to check the ground for the dome light which is apparently the same circuit. The weather turned warm and I haven't had it happen so haven't pursued it.

 

[alaska60]

what kind of wine?........

 

[1tontoy]

When someone says electrical 'gremlins', I think electrical 'groundlins'...

8-9 times out of 10, it's a ground issue.

 

[stonefly]

did you ever find the gremlin? Think I'm having a similar issue.