Radio stays on after shutdown in 2004 Chevy Express 3500 van

Sometimes, but not always, the radio stays on after I have shut down the
engine and exited the van and closed the door resulting in a dead battery
the next day. No dash lights are on. In this situation, turning the radio
off will still result in the battery being run down the next day when I try
to start it. I "play" around with it by sticking the ignition key in and
out and that sometimes fixes it. My "work around" is to always shut down
with the radio on and make sure it goes off when I exit the van. If it
doesn't, then I have to "play" with the ignition key in/out until it goes
off. Is there a relay sticking or what -- where is it? How do I fix this
problem. THANKS GENE

Gene wrote:

> Sometimes, but not always, the radio stays on after I have shut down the
> engine and exited the van and closed the door resulting in a dead battery
> the next day. No dash lights are on. In this situation, turning the
> radio off will still result in the battery being run down the next day
> when I try
> to start it. I "play" around with it by sticking the ignition key in and
> out and that sometimes fixes it. My "work around" is to always shut down
> with the radio on and make sure it goes off when I exit the van. If it
> doesn't, then I have to "play" with the ignition key in/out until it goes
> off. Is there a relay sticking or what -- where is it? How do I fix this
> problem. THANKS GENE

The ignition switch (the thing that the ignition lock operates) isn't
rotating all the way to the 'off' position when you take the key out. Its
either the lock (you can pull the key out while still in the ACC position)
or the switch (too much slop in the mechanism and it doesn't go to
the 'off' position like it should).

GM used to (and maybe still does) have an ignition switch mounted down below
the ignition lock along the steering column and connected via a linkage.
This linkage might also be bent or out of adjustment.

Some disassembly and investigation is in order. Be careful around the air
bag wiring!

--
Paul Hovnanian
------------------------------------------------------------------
definition: recursion; see recursion.

On Sat, 24 Sep 2011 18:58:51 -0500, Gene wrote:

> Sometimes, but not always, the radio stays on after I have shut down the
> engine and exited the van and closed the door resulting in a dead battery
> the next day. No dash lights are on. In this situation, turning the radio
> off will still result in the battery being run down the next day when I try
> to start it. I "play" around with it by sticking the ignition key in and
> out and that sometimes fixes it. My "work around" is to always shut down
> with the radio on and make sure it goes off when I exit the van. If it
> doesn't, then I have to "play" with the ignition key in/out until it goes
> off. Is there a relay sticking or what -- where is it? How do I fix this
> problem. THANKS GENE


1. Turn the radio off manually...
2. Turn the key to the OFF position, remove it from the lock, and THEN
open the door! Chevys are set up so if you want to leave a passenger in
the car, but not the key, that you open the door w/the radio on and then
remove the key. This leaves the radio on so someone sitting in the car can
listen (like the kids) without being able to start the car.

I think that's how it works, maybe someone can verify the procedure.
They've been doing it for at least 10 years, if not more.

On 9/24/2011 11:20 PM, Evan Platt wrote:
> On Sat, 24 Sep 2011 22:22:02 -0500, >
> wrote:
>
>> 2. Turn the key to the OFF position, remove it from the lock, and THEN
>> open the door! Chevys are set up so if you want to leave a passenger in
>> the car, but not the key, that you open the door w/the radio on and then
>> remove the key. This leaves the radio on so someone sitting in the car can
>> listen (like the kids) without being able to start the car.
>>
>> I think that's how it works, maybe someone can verify the procedure.
>> They've been doing it for at least 10 years, if not more.
>
> Probably not. Most cars / trucks will leave the radio on UNTIL you
> open the door. If you turn the car off, you can sit almost forever and
> listen to the radio. Until you open the door.
>
> At least that's how the last few cars I've owned did.

Whatever happened to the old 'accessory' position? Ya know, where you
could sit outside the stop'n'rob and eat your junk food, and listen to
the news without heating up the engine circuits, or maybe use the car as
a portable radio when working outside away from power. None of my recent
cars have had that. My damn van won't even let me leave the headlights
on when I want to, unless engine is running. Turns them off after 3
minutes, trying to be helpful. (If I get home late at night in winter, I
have to park in street until I climb the hill and use the snow blower on
the driveway. I'd rather not leave a dark car in traffic.)

Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:
> Gene wrote:
>
>> Sometimes, but not always, the radio stays on after I have shut down the
>> engine and exited the van and closed the door resulting in a dead battery
>> the next day. No dash lights are on. In this situation, turning the
>> radio off will still result in the battery being run down the next day
>> when I try
>> to start it. I "play" around with it by sticking the ignition key in and
>> out and that sometimes fixes it. My "work around" is to always shut down
>> with the radio on and make sure it goes off when I exit the van. If it
>> doesn't, then I have to "play" with the ignition key in/out until it goes
>> off. Is there a relay sticking or what -- where is it? How do I fix this
>> problem. THANKS GENE
>
> The ignition switch (the thing that the ignition lock operates) isn't
> rotating all the way to the 'off' position when you take the key out. Its
> either the lock (you can pull the key out while still in the ACC position)
> or the switch (too much slop in the mechanism and it doesn't go to
> the 'off' position like it should).
>
> GM used to (and maybe still does) have an ignition switch mounted down below
> the ignition lock along the steering column and connected via a linkage.
> This linkage might also be bent or out of adjustment.
>
> Some disassembly and investigation is in order. Be careful around the air
> bag wiring!
>
I agree.

Gene > wrote:
>Sometimes, but not always, the radio stays on after I have shut down the
>engine and exited the van and closed the door resulting in a dead battery
>the next day. No dash lights are on. In this situation, turning the radio
>off will still result in the battery being run down the next day when I try
>to start it. I "play" around with it by sticking the ignition key in and
>out and that sometimes fixes it. My "work around" is to always shut down
>with the radio on and make sure it goes off when I exit the van. If it
>doesn't, then I have to "play" with the ignition key in/out until it goes
>off. Is there a relay sticking or what -- where is it? How do I fix this
>problem. THANKS GENE

Is it just the radio, or the other accessories too?

I'd check the accessory relay and the ignition switch if it's all of
them.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On Sat, 24 Sep 2011 20:20:25 -0700, Evan Platt wrote:

> On Sat, 24 Sep 2011 22:22:02 -0500, hachiroku >
> wrote:
>
>>2. Turn the key to the OFF position, remove it from the lock, and THEN
>>open the door! Chevys are set up so if you want to leave a passenger in
>>the car, but not the key, that you open the door w/the radio on and then
>>remove the key. This leaves the radio on so someone sitting in the car can
>>listen (like the kids) without being able to start the car.
>>
>>I think that's how it works, maybe someone can verify the procedure.
>>They've been doing it for at least 10 years, if not more.
>
> Probably not. Most cars / trucks will leave the radio on UNTIL you
> open the door. If you turn the car off, you can sit almost forever and
> listen to the radio. Until you open the door.
>
> At least that's how the last few cars I've owned did.

I have never had a car that does that.

On Sat, 24 Sep 2011 18:58:51 -0500, Gene wrote:

> Sometimes, but not always, the radio stays on after I have shut down the
> engine and exited the van and closed the door resulting in a dead battery
> the next day. No dash lights are on. In this situation, turning the radio
> off will still result in the battery being run down the next day when I try
> to start it. I "play" around with it by sticking the ignition key in and
> out and that sometimes fixes it. My "work around" is to always shut down
> with the radio on and make sure it goes off when I exit the van. If it
> doesn't, then I have to "play" with the ignition key in/out until it goes
> off. Is there a relay sticking or what -- where is it? How do I fix this
> problem. THANKS GENE

It's calle Retained Accessory Power and was introduced by Cadillac in the
80's. It's supposed impimentation was to be able to close the power
windows after the ignition was turned OFF. It seems GM spead it across the
product line within a few years after that.

It also keeps the radio on until you open a door. You must be openeing a
door and THEN turning the key OFF. However, you have said that sometimes
the battery is dead, and there is supposed to be a 10 minute cutoff:

http://www.theimportkiller.com/forum...hp?topic=563.0

http://www.audiogroupforum.com/csfor...ad.php?t=60792


One person suggests the door pin is stuck. Does the overhead light turn on
and off when you open the door? If it does, then there is something else
wrong with the circuit. If it doesn't, the pin is probably stuck and the
circuit is not receiving the pulse it needs to disable.

I have something similar in my Scion, but it ONLY operates the windows and
the sunroof, and only lasts about 1 minute of until you open a door. No
radio flea power.

"hachiroku" > wrote in message >
> I have never had a car that does that.
>

I first experienced it on a GM pickup. I see no real benefit...it
is a gimmicky way to do something that didnt really need to
be done....and introduces another link in the failure chain.

hachiroku wrote:
> On Sat, 24 Sep 2011 18:58:51 -0500, Gene wrote:
>
>> Sometimes, but not always, the radio stays on after I have shut down the
>> engine and exited the van and closed the door resulting in a dead battery
>> the next day. No dash lights are on. In this situation, turning the radio
>> off will still result in the battery being run down the next day when I try
>> to start it. I "play" around with it by sticking the ignition key in and
>> out and that sometimes fixes it. My "work around" is to always shut down
>> with the radio on and make sure it goes off when I exit the van. If it
>> doesn't, then I have to "play" with the ignition key in/out until it goes
>> off. Is there a relay sticking or what -- where is it? How do I fix this
>> problem. THANKS GENE
>
> It's calle Retained Accessory Power and was introduced by Cadillac in the
> 80's. It's supposed impimentation was to be able to close the power
> windows after the ignition was turned OFF. It seems GM spead it across the
> product line within a few years after that.
>
> It also keeps the radio on until you open a door. You must be openeing a
> door and THEN turning the key OFF. However, you have said that sometimes
> the battery is dead, and there is supposed to be a 10 minute cutoff:
>
> http://www.theimportkiller.com/forum...hp?topic=563.0
>
> http://www.audiogroupforum.com/csfor...ad.php?t=60792
>
>
> One person suggests the door pin is stuck. Does the overhead light turn on
> and off when you open the door? If it does, then there is something else
> wrong with the circuit. If it doesn't, the pin is probably stuck and the
> circuit is not receiving the pulse it needs to disable.
>
> I have something similar in my Scion, but it ONLY operates the windows and
> the sunroof, and only lasts about 1 minute of until you open a door. No
> radio flea power.
>
>
>

RAP on a GM holds power to windows,radio and a few other accessories
depending on options. Most are set with a 20 minute on time until any
switched door is opened (basically anything but the hood). The relay
could be sticking and the easiest test would be to see if the other
accessories also operate when the problem occurs. The relay is number 23
in the fuse panel, should be in line with the fuses.

However it could also be a bad ignition switch that isn't shutting off
fully. Not real hard to replace and not real expensive.

--
Steve W.