Rust Belt Owners of Late Model GM-GMC Trucks & SUVs: GET YOURSELVES GROUNDED!

[mrrsm]

If you own ANY Late Model GM Vehicles and you wind up getting a Whole RAT’S NEST of Trouble Codes…. The GM Diagnostic Tree is just a MORASS due to SO MANY MODULES BEING ON THE BUS NETWORKS.

BUT… Don’t Panic... and Don't Be Fooled… Divide your Electrical Issues IN HALF… First... Check for Power Losses on the B+ Battery Voltage Sides of Suspect Modules. Then… Check on the OTHER Side… Wherever You Have ANY GROUND CONNECTIONS.

In THIS Case involving 2019 Chevrolet Silverado Z71... GM's use of Braided Copper Bonding Straps in The Rust Belt States means that eventually… Cupric Oxide Corrosion WILL Set in and Dissolve the “Woven Fabric” of the Fine Copper Metal Mesh Fibers ...INTO A USELESS, POWDERY MUSH.

At the First Sign of having issues with the Power Electric Steering (Which can Draw up to 175 Amps when under Load) ...if the Power Steering Suddenly Drops Out and Stiffens... and you get a mess of other inexplicable Electrical Gremlins… STOP!

In situations where any of the Ground or Bonding Straps are COMPROMISED... Electricity WILL Seek to FIND GROUNDS by ANY Means POSSIBLE in the Vehicle... Hence the "Weird" Electrical Behaviors of other... possibly unrelated Modules Raising their Ugly Heads.

The Very First Thing To Do… Is REVIEW THIS VIDEO and Watch Eric “O” Show you Precisely Where to LOOK and What to LOOK For to perform a Basic Ground Strap R&R in as many locations as can be found that have turned GREEN… and Replace them ALL.

Here are some Before and After Screen Grabs from this Linked Video that will stress and emphasize What To Look For:

 

[Mooseman]

Yeah, I saw that and am keeping an eye out for it. All I can say is DUMB!

 

[azswiss]

All I can say is DUMB!

Criminal, more like.

Edit: Absolutely jaw-dropping amount of rust on a 2019. That's only 4 winters!!!

 

[Mooseman]

That's related to the waxy film that quickly washes off the frame. It's garbage.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10154649-9999.pdf

I had to replace parts of the frame on my son's 2011 Silvy. Seems to be worse where they use salt brine rather than rock salt.

 

[Reprise]

I can attest to this, as well. My Sierra's Quadrasteer system has two braided ground straps connecting to the 4WS PCM in the back of the truck. First time I was working on the rear axle, I found the one crumbling in my hand as I unplugged one of the harnesses, and had to re-terminate it.

Even though my truck was largely kept out of the salt, those braided straps just don't survive. I may replace mine with the same thing, just to keep the 'stock' aesthetic going for my QSteer, but especially for those not visible, an upgraded replacement type is warranted. Given the locations of some of these things, it's not a job you want to have to repeat.

 

[northcreek]

On a similar note, on my wife's 2015 Equinox. Got a PO442, small leak fuel emission system. Found a rusted vent line (only steel line under the car,Thanks GM). Still getting CEL and filler neck looks rusty too, so that's coming from RA (assuming it's not via DHL) paid for FedEx.
This is usually when I start shopping for new wheels....crap!

 

[Mooseman]

I may replace mine with the same thing, just to keep the 'stock' aesthetic going for my QSteer

Here's an idea for those wanting to keep the original copper strap. Years ago, when I had my 1978 Camaro Z28, the engine to body strap corroded away. I got an original replacement and when I saw it was just bare copper, I painted it with clear rust protective paint. It still had enough flexibility to not crack and it looked like new until it's grave.

So maybe a flexible rubberized coating would be good here.

 

[Reprise]

So maybe a flexible rubberized coating would be good here.

Makes sense. When I replaced the one that grounds the hood to the firewall on the Sierra, the new one was enclosed in a sheath (we'll say 'rubberized' just for kicks, although it's probably plasticized). That still left stress points at the two ends, but the oxidation should be kept to a minimum.

It's too bad GM didn't decide to do that with ALL of the braided grounding straps on their vehicles. But I suppose that it would then raise the point of 'why did it need to be braided' in the first place?
One thing I do know... the braid (whether as raw material in a roll, or as pre-cut / pre-terminated / ready-to-install sections)... tends to be a bit pricey, compared to a similar length of multistrand wire.

I've got $5 that someone comes along and explains what the benefit(s) of a braided ground strap are, as we know it's not 'price' . Flexibility, I'm sure -- but most of these never need to move, where they're installed.

 

[mrrsm]

The actual problems of failure with these Pure Copper Wire Mesh Ground or Bonding Straps has more to do with the Dynamic Physics of the Automotive Environment... and THAT is not strictly one that involves the Annual Winter Exposure of them all to Air and to the regular seasonal splashing of Salt Brine from local roads and streets that can get on them... and INSIDE of them, too.

If you look closely at Eric "O"s Video as he pulls, twists and tugs upon that one disconnected Ground Strap... you can see that a certain amount of Road Grit and Sand emerges and puffs out nearby that wound up getting INSIDE of the Copper Webbing , And once therein... That stuff in combination with changes in Temperature and Vibration... sets up conditions that can act to abrade each small Copper Wire Mesh Strand after they make physical contact with these Hard Substances.

Thus... they constantly wear-in and expose New Surface Areas of Copper to the Open Air. It follows on that New Cupric Oxide (CU203) conversions are constantly at work... and so, the individual Copper Strands keep getting THINNER..and THINNER, finally becoming more brittle and fragile by Work Hardening themselves to Death.

Anyone who finds this "Green Copper" Bonding Strap phenomena should also realize that as a Natural, Conductive Element (CU)... once any portions of these Copper Strands do become converted to their Oxide Form (CU203)... Their Electrical Resistance increases dramatically within the Bonding Strap and instead of being able to pass along the Electric Current... it will perform a conversion of that Amperage into HEAT using what is coined as a "PTC" or Positive Thermal Co-Efficient".

One easy way to determine just how far the Corrosion of these Copper Bonding Straps has progressed is to just point a FLIR or Thermal IR Camera at them when the Vehicles are running. If you can SEE the Infra-Red Energy in them causing ANY Glow at all... they should be replaced ASAP. So... This problem involves our understanding the very Nature of Electricity itself ...and for us to take the Environmental Conditions into consideration as well. In the end... Eric "O" really did NOT need any *Fancy Diagnostic Scan Tools and Gear* at all... Did He?

No.

He just needed his Eyes to LOOK FOR THE BRIGHT GREEN COLOR ON COPPER WIRE ITEMS and then take his straightforward actions for the R&R of those Ground Straps...On Sight... :>)

Copper oxide - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org