Cadillac: 87 deville digital control center lights out, steering colum, bomb shell

Question
I have an 1987 cadillac deville. I installed a new kenwood 200 watt aftermarket radio. I noticed the digital lights in the fuel and climate control center flickering as I was turning up the radio. Then suddenly the lights went out, the power antena dropped, and the radio cut off. I reconnected the factory radio and the clock works and radio plays as normal. But the digital display on my dash continues not to work. I have checked the fuses in the box below and to the left of the steering colum and below the glove box. I can't find any thing wrong. I have tried diconnecting the battery cables but that didn't work. The funny thing is when I shut off the engine the digital display flashes once quickly like it's been on all the while and fades off? If it were a fuse I wouldn't think it would light up when i turn it off. Please help, maybe there's a relay I'm missing? I'm definately missing something.

Answer
I have seen this problem many times. Let me make a guess and say that you used a TEST LIGHT and just started probing wires of which you had no idea of what they are for or where they go to.

8 out of 10 vehicles that come into my facility with these exact problems were the result of installing a different radio and a test light and inexperience in installation of a radio in specifically a CADILLAC resulted in destroying the BCM (Body Control Module) which is one of the 2 computers in the vehicle and also destruction of the digital display circuit board within the speedometer cluster.

Without actually performing the required test procedures, I would have to say from experience that your looking at a NEW speedometer cluster @ $500.00 plus a new BCM @ $275.00 plus the diagnostic and installation costs.

This is what happens when you do NOT have a qualified experienced radio installation/repair facility perform this type of radio installation.

I wish I had better news for you than to hit you with this bomb shell but had you asked BEFORE making this radio swap, I would have informed you of your impending disaster.

And don't even THINK about getting JUNK YARD electronic components as you have no idea if they work or not and or how long they have been exposed to the elements and you can cause further damage by installing a faulty JUNK YARD part.



autohelp