{"id":752,"date":"2011-05-22T12:17:42","date_gmt":"2011-05-22T19:17:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/minniebiz.com\/gmcmotorhome\/?p=752"},"modified":"2011-05-22T12:44:28","modified_gmt":"2011-05-22T19:44:28","slug":"how-to-jumper-the-park-neutral-safety-switch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/minniebiz.com\/gmcmotorhome\/2011\/05\/22\/how-to-jumper-the-park-neutral-safety-switch\/","title":{"rendered":"How to jumper the Park-Neutral Safety Switch"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have been fighting with my starter since I have owned the GMC.\u00a0 At first, it would occasionally go slow when it was hot but would always start.\u00a0 On our big trip last Summer we got stuck for a couple of hours while I jacked the coach up and re-tightened the electrical end of the solenoid because it had come loose and wouldn’t start.\u00a0 Some time later, when the starter was hot it would just not start at all – just turn the key and the dash lights would go out and there would be no noise whatsoever.\u00a0 This kept happening and on one trip I jacked the coach up at a gas pump and swapped the solenoid but still no joy.\u00a0 About an hour and a half after the problem began, it suddenly went away.\u00a0 This failure happened on several occasions and went away on its own each time.<\/p>\n

In April 2011 we went to the GMCWS <\/a>rally in King City, CA where one of the most knowledgeable GMCers (known in GMC circles as Mr. ERF) promised to help me solve the problem.\u00a0 Under his guidance I connected the battery cable directly to the starter – the rest of the electrical system was still routed through the battery shut-off switch and multiple connections – and replaced the ground cable to the engine because the battery connector was suspect.\u00a0 I also jumpered out the Park-Neutral Safety Switch (PNSS).\u00a0 I considered replacing the starter at this time but decided that I would rather know what the problem was – I don’t like throwing parts at a problem (my computer diagnostic background) but would rather solve it.\u00a0 The starter turned noticeably faster than it had but failed again on the way to Sacramento.<\/p>\n

We left Sacramento after several days and headed to San Jose for another visit.\u00a0 We couldn’t pass through Fremont without stopping at Applied GMC <\/a>for a visit – also had to deliver my recently replaced Rostra cruise control (thanks JimK).\u00a0 The starter failed again in the Applied GMC<\/a> parking lot – perfect, now it would get fixed one way or another.\u00a0 I figured it would now have to be the starter and proceeded to buy a rebuilt from JimK at Applied and installed it myself – but, it did not fix the problem!\u00a0 I asked JimK for help and Alonso (we love Alonso) started to work on it.\u00a0 Using a schematic (what a concept!) he traced the problem to an open in the wire to the starter solenoid and found that I had my PNSS jumper on the wrong connectors – the starter problem is now gone.\u00a0 The newly rebuilt starter combined with the rewiring I did at the King City rally now sounds like a new car.<\/p>\n

It turns out that the information on the GMC forum <\/a>is mostly text and the photos that did exist were poor and didn’t help me.\u00a0 I had read that the switch was at or near the bottom of the steering column and easy to get to.\u00a0 Well, it turns out that the switch is just part of a larger multi-purpose switch that also contains the back-up light switch and another associated with the air suspension compressor.\u00a0 Without a lot of effort – you have to be “part snake” to get down there to work on it – it looks like the air suspension switch is the only one there because the rest of the switch is hidden behind the steering column.\u00a0 I decided to take some photos to post on the GMC photo site <\/a>so that others might not make the same mistake as I did.\u00a0 Here they are:<\/p>\n

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The Passenger side of the switch<\/p><\/div>\n

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This is the part of the switch that I could see without a lot of effort.\u00a0 This is the wrong connector and has nothing to do with the starter.<\/p>\n

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The driver's side of the switch<\/p><\/div>\n

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This is the switch from the driver’s side where you can see the backup light switch connector and almost see the unconnected Park-Neutral Safety Switch lugs.<\/p>\n

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The driver's side of the switch - different view<\/p><\/div>\n

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This is a slightly different view of the switch with a clearer view of the PNSS connecting lugs – hard to see unless you are part snake.<\/p>\n

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The wire to the starter solenoid with a jumper.<\/p><\/div>\n

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The correct wires to the starter are purple and normally connected to the driver’s side of the switch.\u00a0 A well-made jumper on the correct connector solved my problem.\u00a0 Thanks Alonso.<\/p>\n

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I have been fighting with my starter since I have owned the GMC.\u00a0 At first, it would occasionally go slow when it was hot but would always start.\u00a0 On our big trip last Summer we got stuck for a couple of hours while I jacked the coach up and re-tightened the electrical end of the […]<\/p>\n

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