Bus Bar Ground

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texasmike

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Does anyone know where the bus bar ground for the door panel switches is located? I was hoping that it was behind the drivers side kick panel but it wasn't. While looking, I ran across a device attached to the bottom of the steering column. What is it?
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gmbellew

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should be under the dash above the kick panel above the e brake. you will have to get upside down to look up under there with a light. prob has 6 prongs, mounted to metal. prob only 2-3 actual grounds attached.

the photo is the wiper delay module
 

texasmike

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Thanks again Glen, I will take another look. I will also try to examine the wires where they pass from the door to the cab. I don't hear the relay click when I work either door lock switch. Those switches were installed in 2020 and it's hard to believe that both would go out at the same time. My windows work fine. Do they use the same relay?
 

gmbellew

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Thanks again Glen, I will take another look. I will also try to examine the wires where they pass from the door to the cab. I don't hear the relay click when I work either door lock switch. Those switches were installed in 2020 and it's hard to believe that both would go out at the same time. My windows work fine. Do they use the same relay?
windows are on a separate circuit breaker. if both switches are out and you have power, id suspect the ground or maybe the driverside switch or the relay. i think passenger ground goes back through the driverside switch before the bus bar.

if you jump the switch, do the locks work?
 

texasmike

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That's a really neat device.
 

texasmike

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I don't know if anyone is following this thread but here is my latest report. I was getting 12v at the power lock switch plug but when I jumped across the plug pins, the locks would not work. I figured a bad ground or relay so I started searching for the ground bus bar but never put my eyes on it. I can't fit my head between the brake pedal and kick panel so I gave up. I did move a lot of wires around and even removed one end of the rubber door boot to check the condition of the wires which looked okay.
While looking through the library, I saw an excellent detailed post, including a lot of good pictures, by KilgoreTrout on July 13,2019 titled Power Door Lock Issues (resolved). Anyone who has power locks should read this post and save it for when your problems start. In this post he pointed out the location of the relay. I looked and found it where he said it was (above the brake pedal located way up there). I could touch it and pushed on the two plugs. My next plan was to visit my local square body truck dealer to see if he had any of those relays laying around.
I finished putting everything back together and for grins, I hit the switch and the locks worked! WTF, what did I fix? I'll see how long they last. Anyway, thanks to this website, the reference library and all of those guys and gals who post and try to help others, especially old farts like myself who are not accomplished mechanics. :)
 

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For future reference, if you ever have the guage cluster out, you can see right down on the bus bar ground then.

My guess Is by the little bit of movement you put on the relay, it restored a crappy connection. Don't be surprised if it gives you fits again, now you know where to look first.
 

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