Chevy Colorado Electrical Problems

Always start with the fuses when any electrical problems arise with the Colorado. A Chevy truck contains two fuse boxes: one in the passenger compartment and one under the hood. Each fuse box has a diagram detailing what each fuse controls. The fuses, bright plastic tabs with two metal tongues, protect electrical parts from overload in case the electrical power surges, which can happen with batter and alternator combinations. When the power surges, the fuse burns out instead of an expensive radio or climate control system.

Fuses have different amp ratings printed right on the top. Always replace a fuse with the correct size fuse. Don't assume a bigger fuse will do the job (such as inserting a 30-amp fuse into a 5-amp slot). All this practice will do is allow more electricity to flow into the Colorado's component and allow serious damage to the circuits, motor, wiring or all three.

Chevy Colorados seem to contain miles of wires, which the truck requires to carry all the electrical power to everything under the hood, the power window and door accessories, the dashboard, overhead dome lights, power seats and a seemingly endless list of parts. With the headlights in the front and brake lights and tow package in the rear, electrical wiring literally goes from one of the truck to the other.

If a certain component on the Colorado is not getting electrical power and the fuse remains intact, the first step involves tracing the wiring supplying power. Look for frays, chafing and breaks. Even if you find the wire is intact, broken wrap (insulation) on the wire may allow it to touch metal and will ground the wire. This can prevent power to the radio or the Colorado's digital instrument panel. Intermittent power may indicate that the open wire is moving with the truck's motion and touching and then not touching metal. Either take the time to replace the wire or, for a simple fix, seal the wire with electrical tape.

The final step in repairing electrical problems on the Colorado is the actual component itself. Fortunately, repairing electrical problems with motors, radios, engine management, lights and other devices is simple: Replace it. There's little chance of taking apart a fan motor and finding a problem and fixing it. Furthermore, the time and effort to do that sort of repair far outweighs the ease of going to an auto supply store and buying a new unit. Just plug it in, attach the wires and your repair is complete.