No power to dash when I turn the key over

Sometimes when I turn the key over to start my 97 with 103k it doesn't send power to the dash. This doesn't allow the fuel pump relay to kick on and it will not start. I've pulled the three relays in the glove box and they have nothing to do with the power to the dash. Sometiimes it works fine.

Is there another relay under the hood? or is it in the ignition switch. 1 out of 3 starts I have the problem.

thanks
JKdon

If you pull the bottom cover of your steering coulumn off (Haynes says you have to pull the steering wheel off but you DO NOT, just remove the 2 torx screws, tilt lever, and wiggle it out) you will see a black box near the ingition switch. They say this part is not servicable. But I pulled the bottom of that box off and found the offending connection by wiggling the 4 or 5 wires one at a time (I believe this is the wire that powers the gauges, fuel pump, ignition, ect). I then pushed that connection off to one side and wedged a small piece of plastic in there.

I know this may not be an appropriate fix, but the problem hasnt happened again in over 6 months.

its in the ignition switch, it isn't getting power to the pink wire

Sometimes when I turn the key over to start my 97 with 103k it doesn't send power to the dash. This doesn't allow the fuel pump relay to kick on and it will not start. I've pulled the three relays in the glove box and they have nothing to do with the power to the dash. Sometiimes it works fine.

Is there another relay under the hood? or is it in the ignition switch. 1 out of 3 starts I have the problem.

thanks
JKdon

I Just experienced the same thing today. It started yesterday with a hard start, started then stalled, restarted and was fine.
Today while shopping 30 miles away, the SO has this same problem.
I drove over to it and noticed no power to the gauges, no warning lights, nothing on the dash.The engine cranks, but no fire.
I'm thinking the ignition switch also. Tried to get the truck out of park, it won't move from park, so no go for the home tow method.I'll have to get it towed tommorow.

As both Jeremy and roadieken suggested, and I also thought, It is the ignition switch on mine.

There's a small plastic box under the key that's disintegrating internally.
The metal spring that causes the key to return from start to on position
is the culprit, causing the plastic housing to crack under pressure.
As Jeremy pointed out, no power is traveling out thru the pink/red wire.
You'll have to remove the bottom panel from the steering column, plus the rubber boot below the key that you pry out from the top edge then slide it up over a plastic shaft that holds it in place.

$99.00 at Napa, but they're out of stock. I had to get it from the local Chevy stealer @ $124.00.

Good Luck
Mike

I had the same problem on a 2001 S-10 Blazer. Do a Google search on Service Bulletin 01-07-30-002C to see if your year/model is covered under this bulletin. If so, replace the ignition switch.

thanks for the help so far guys. can't the ignition switch pop out from a pin below the colum, or do you have to pull the steering colum. and how do you key the new igition switch

JKdon

you should be able to remove the lower cover and remove the switch without removing the column.

My understanding is that the ignition switch is an electrical module and the place the key goes is the "tumbler" and should not have to be rekeyed.

its a little black box in the steering column.

I've gotten to and found "the box". I pulled the bottom off the box and I see the wires. I'm not sure where to go from here. The black box seems like it is two pieces but yet Ii'm having trouble seperating them. Is it the bottom part with the wires in it or the top part and , if the top, how do I release whatever is holding it?

I'm going to try doing the wire-wiggle-jam-in-place thing like roadieken did.

Well I did find the problem. The 2nd wire from the dash side (solid pink) is the culprit. I wiggled each wire and the dash lights came on with the solid pink wire.

Just a side note; I could not see any movement where the wire connects; typically you can see something when working with a wire problem.

Started right up. Now I'm going to do the "jam" thing and good to go.

Cost only time; no dollars!

Thank you, thank you , thank you. I will return!

4:00pm I'm not having any luck in "jamming" the wire into position.

Not able to make the connection repetative. Only good for one time. Turn the key off and same problem. Maybe I'll have to buy new part.

Do I have to pull the key cylinder out to do this?

you better get in there and solder it back to where it was supposed to go or it will die on you on the highway and lock your steering.

No safe, be smart, repair the friggin thing.

you better get in there and solder it back to where it was supposed to go or it will die on you on the highway and lock your steering.

No safe, be smart, repair the friggin thing.

The problem isn't the solder joint, and the steering wheel only locks when the key is in the off position with the tranny in park.
The problem lies in the upper part of the two piece box. There are springs and metal contacts actuated by the key tumbler that are making intermittant contact. The contacts are worn out (Burned on mine).If you take the box apart, GOOD LUCK trying to get all the pieces back in the right order. This all happened because of the tension the metal spring put on the plastic housing.

The only solution is to replace the switch. It comes as a wire harness assembly. Held on the column by two screws, the bottom end of the harness bolts (1 in the center of the block) to a block on the firewall.