Double check the wiring harness, anyplace that it could rub and chaff!

 

Thanks DonBrew. I couldn't find anything and you come up with a video and all. I see what my problem is now. Not the short, the box removal. Ok, off to trace these wires. (I got my new glasses today! That should help also.)

 

Made some progress today. Since I have multiple circuits shorting I'm guessing there must be a common affected place. But concentrating on one circuit. Isolated that specific wire. It runs from the BCM all the way back to the left rear quarter panel area. the door lock remote receiver. The common place for the other circuit wires are real bear the get to. I'm having to take apart alot and still that harness area is very well concealed at the moment.

I really could use this tool I came across in this video I'd like to share:


He uses a nifty inductive analog ammeter. Good idea. I could make one but would cost me more than what he sells it for. here it is:

Short Finder - realfixesrealfast

I'll find it and hope this is a fluke of my bad luck and not something that may become a common problem of the HHR f'ups.

 

Do you have an antenna mounted in the quarter panel window and a 2-way remote? That's the only reason your RCDLR would be back there where the service manual says it is. It is really under the headliner bump next to the mirror.

VCIM is the OnStar.

 

There's a trick I learned from an ol' timer. You don't need any fact electrical tools to find a short circuit, usually. You just need a cheap 12V test light. I could explain here but I found a clip. Enjoy! I would extend your lead on the tester so you can see when it goes out.

 

Cool old school method, however this might not work on a modern vehicle as the BCM controls a lot as do the other computers and might not close off to grind with the battery disconnected

 

Nope, the RCDLR is on the left rear quarter panel. The power wire to that is shorted. Somewhere. (Traced it from both ends to ground) That is only one wire shorted I found. I know I have others shorted. Hoping they are all in the same place. That wire takes a very convoluted route. That a ammeter would help in isolating where. Sorry but GM schematics suck. Although I wouldn't have gotten this far without it. Wish I had harness route pictures.

Took yesterday off completely. Raining and cold. Gonna snow / rain today. Not sure how far i'll get. Oh, that nap was delicious.

 

So, you do have the optional 2-way remote control with a display on the fob and an antenna in the window? If so, you're the first I've heard of.

However, the VCIM (OnStar module) is the item responsible for a couple of TSBs. You might scan through the https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/prob...-thread-23231/.

Well, on further review; maybe 2006 models do have the RCDLR back there. For a long time the Service Manual insisted that all years did, I know for sure that 2008-2011 is under the headliner next to the mirror. And that a GM tech tore my 2008 apart looking for the RCDLR in the quarter panel and finally declaring "it doesn't have one". I later followed the how-to https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-...ion-ap3-28551/ to make it work.

 

No, i don't have any fancy type remote. It's where the schematic said it was. Verified with correct plug wires. Its basically a black box about behind where the left rear seat latch bar is. I can't get that panel all the way off unless i take out the rear seats. (I can get in there enough though to unplug it and test the power wire.) Which i might have to because is seams as thought that harness that carries that wire seams to go under the rear seat.

I'll tell ya', I've disassembled allot to follow this harness and still not enough. Its quite a mystery as to its run. It really doesn't make sense its run from point a to b.

I'm really concidering just running a new wire for the circuit. Then tracing out the next shorted circuit. And just re-running that too. My fear in doing that is in where ever this failure is happening may eventually affect other circuits since I don't know what or how its actually shorting.

Will do to look at the tbs. Thanks for the heads up.

 

Well I'm sorry I haven't posted back as of yet. I did fix it and it was a doosey. I'm suprisized the car didn't catch on fire. I have lots of pictures and was going to post them, but I could not use my ftp. Still can't. Fighting with comcast to fix my tap at the pole. Long story and it's on going.

Do you want me to post the pictures "How to fix a blown out wiring harness"?

It was under the carpet, right where your foot goes. I assume I stepped on it too many times until wires broke and shorted.

You'll see in the pictures when I get my ftp up and running.