97 tahoe clicking under dash, battery now dead

My wife called today to say she couldn't get the Tahoe to start. Got home this evening and heard a clicking sound coming from under the dash on the drivers side. Power was low, power seat barely moved back enough for me to crawl under the dash. Crawled up in there and located the sound coming from a module mounted just to the right of the steering column. It is a rectangular, shiny metal module (5 x 1 x 2) with a 15 pin Molex connector plugging into it. Only 10 pins are loaded into the connector. I unplugged it and the clicking stopped. It has drained the battery to about 5.7V. I cannot identify this module in my Haynes manual (electrical system section).....mostly because there are so many variations and wire color codes. Does anyone know what this might be? If you were to sit in the driver's seat and reach your right hand down under the dash and up, you would find it. Any help would be appreciated!!

Jeff

My wife called today to say she couldn't get the Tahoe to start. Got home this evening and heard a clicking sound coming from under the dash on the drivers side. Power was low, power seat barely moved back enough for me to crawl under the dash. Crawled up in there and located the sound coming from a module mounted just to the right of the steering column. It is a rectangular, shiny metal module (5 x 1 x 2) with a 15 pin Molex connector plugging into it. Only 10 pins are loaded into the connector. I unplugged it and the clicking stopped. It has drained the battery to about 5.7V. I cannot identify this module in my Haynes manual (electrical system section).....mostly because there are so many variations and wire color codes. Does anyone know what this might be? If you were to sit in the driver's seat and reach your right hand down under the dash and up, you would find it. Any help would be appreciated!!

Jeff



I just wanted to add that this clicking sound can be heard with the keys out of the ignition, thus I believe the reason for the battery drain. We drove the vehicle on Monday without any apparent problems. Seems to have cropped up overnight.

Jeff

I was reading your post and was thinking that the clicking might be a system that needs power all the time, like the alarm system. With the battery being low in power that might cause the relay to cycle. If your battery runs low all the time and you have checked to see that it is not your battery you might search under suburban for 1999 Suburban Interior Lights. Just a thought Dave

I was reading your post and was thinking that the clicking might be a system that needs power all the time, like the alarm system. With the battery being low in power that might cause the relay to cycle. If your battery runs low all the time and you have checked to see that it is not your battery you might search under suburban for 1999 Suburban Interior Lights. Just a thought Dave


Well, I don't know for sure if this was the fix or not, but I called the stealership today to see if they could identify the box. Or look it up with the part numbers I retrieved off of it. The service guy said that the problem was most likely my Battery. (the weather recently turned hot this week) He never identified what the module was, but said that if the battery were low enough it could cause the clicking sound I heard (I'm sure it was a relay). Well, the battery in the Tahoe was aftermarket (Interstate) and had 3 years on it...(I'm guessing from the code, and the PO put it in prior to me buying it.) Couldn't find any (Checker/Kragen, Autozone, Pep Boys, etc..) that carried Interstate. So, decided to pass on the pro-rated idea and get a new battery. Picked up a Bosch at PepBoys, put it in and everything works fine. My only concern is that this may only be masking the problem, if there is a short somewhere draining the battery. I guess time will tell. Any thoughts out there?

Jeff

I had a similar problem when I purchased my '99 Tahoe a few months ago. All I did was tighten the battery connections. I believe the unit that makes the clicking sound is the body control module.

I had a similar problem when I purchased my '99 Tahoe a few months ago. All I did was tighten the battery connections. I believe the unit that makes the clicking sound is the body control module.


When I replaced the battery my "old" connections were tight. However, the mystery continues to unfold and I believe comes to a conclusion. My wife complained to me today that the door open/ajar buzzer would not go off once the door was closed. She could only make it go off if she used a pen to push the plunger a bit once the door was closed. I came home and checked it out. Sure enough, the buzzer wouldn't go off and neither would the interior lights. Having read the earlier response regarding the 99 Suburban interior lights, I decided to fiddle with the switch. I twisted it 180 degrees and the plunger seemed a bit more sensitive and in the right place to "plunge" once the door closed. Buzzer went off and lights, too. I am sure now that the switch did not activate and the lights stayed on the night before we noticed the battery was drained. I also realize I probably could have saved the old battery by putting it on a charger and might have wasted $80 for a new battery. Ehh, oh well...from what I've been told those Interstate batteries may not have the longest life expectancy in them anyhow.....(at least I'll tell myself that in order to feel better about buying the new Battery).

The door light switch is only $8.00 and it pulls right out. I would get a switch next time you are by GM. Dave

I'd be interested in what others have found in regards to this clicking noise. I have the same thing coming from my 97 K2500. Have already replaced the battery, alternator checks out fine and I've replaced the door switch. I still have the clicking noise, it's intermittent and not steady in clicks. It sounds like someone is trying to click out a Morse code message and is driving me insane. I did have to pull the bulb and fuse for my interior lighting because it was draining my battery.

I have a 99 suburban just replaced the starter and when I try to start the truck it turns over great but won't start and when I turn the key to the on position there is a clicking under the dash sounds like a finger nail tapping on plastic any ideas?

I have a 99 suburban just replaced the starter and when I try to start the truck it turns over great but won't start and when I turn the key to the on position there is a clicking under the dash sounds like a finger nail tapping on plastic any ideas?

new member you should be posting your own post not adding to a 10 plus year old vehicle issue. no start is on these a fuel delivery issue 90% of the time. step 1 fuel pressure test with a pressure gauge. these vehicles will have fuel problems much more than other types with keeping the fuel levels too low like 1/4 tank .. keep fuel above 1/3 at all times. then also replace fuel filter 40K miles.