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Followup To
Question -
I have a 2003 chevy 3500 4x4 with a duramax alison combo. For the past couple of weeks when I start the truck the dash would not work. When I say not work, all the gauges would stay on zero. If I turn the truck off and restart the dash would work and be fine while driving. It doesn't happen every time but it has happened more than a dozen times in the past 3 weeks.
This morning I started the truck and the service 4x4 came on the dash display. The AC would also not work. I shut the truck off and restarted it did not fix the problem. I drove 11 miles to work, I then shut the truck off and restarted. The AC worked and the service 4x4 did not come on.
The truck is located in florida and has approx 70K miles on it. It has never been offroad and has never been in deep water.
Any ideas?
Answer -
Hello Jason,
I'd say there is a good chance it needs an ignition switch.
It is located on the steering column, up above the brake pedal, and operated by a rod from the steering wheel area.
The switch mounts with slotted holes, so it could also just need adjusting.
Have you tried wiggling the key when it is acting wierd?
Van
I haven't tried wiggling the key. I will try that the next time its acting weird. How difficult is it to change the switch? Any special tools? Do you need to pull the steering wheel or just remove the switch and install a new one?
Thanks for getting back to me on this. I really appreciate the assistance!
Jason
AnswerYou do NOT need to remove the steering wheel. The switch is down the steering column, mounted on the top of the column, but up from the floorboard about ten inches.
You may need to remove the bolts that hold the column up against the bottom edge of the dash, just to get to the switch.
But it is operated by a rod that goes down the top of the steering column, and is operated by the key tumbler.
Here is an address to an older truck site for repairing the tilt column joint, but it goes into where the switch is also, if I remember right.
http://www.chevyasylum.com/column/tiltcol.html
Van
