NHTSA Complaint #10416763 — 2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE

ON JULY 28TH 2011, MY 2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE AWD WOULD NOT START. IT HAD POWER TO THE SEATS, HORN, LIGHTS, BUT NO POWER TO THE LOCKS, WINDOWS OR RADIO. THEREFORE, I KNEW I DIDN'T NEED A BATTERY JUMP. I CHECK THE INSIDE FUSE PANEL AND NO BLOWN FUSES WERE FOUND. I WENT TO THE FUSE BOX UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND DISCOVER THE 40AMP IGNITION-B FUSE WAS BLOWN. I INSTALLED ANOTHER 40AMP FUSE AND IT IMMEDIATELY BLEW OUT. I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, INSTALLED ANOTHER FUSE AND THE FUSE BLEW OUT WHEN I RECONNECTED THE BATTERY. I REMOVED THE STARTER, DISCONNECTED THE ALTERNATOR, CRANK SENSOR, OIL LEVEL SENSOR AND BOTH IGNITION COIL PACKS. THE FUSE STILL BLEW OUT WHEN I RECONNECTED THE BATTERY. I RECONNECTED ALL ITEMS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED AND WENT UNDERNEATH DASH-BOARD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND CHECK ALL THE WIRING HARNESSING AND WIRES. I WENT BACK TO THE FUSE BOX UNDER THE HOOD, FLIPPED THE FUSE BOX UP TO SEE THE UNDERSIDE. LOCATED THE WIRE THAT'S CONNECTING TO THE BLOWN FUSE, TRACE WIRE UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD TO THE HARNESS NEAR THE STEERING SHAFT. THE CONNECTING WIRING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HARNESS (RED WIRE WITH A WHITE STRIP) WAS SHORTED ON AN EIGHTH INCH METAL BRACKET BOLTED TO THE FIREWALL WITH FOUR NUTS. THIS SAME METAL BRACKET IS UP AGAINST AND POSSIBLY CUTTING INTO THE WIRES ATTACH TO THE WIRE HARNESS NEXT TO THE STEERING SHAFT. I APPLIED ELECTRICAL TAPE TO THE WIRE THAT SHORTED ON THE METAL BRACKET TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. I INSTALLED ANOTHER FUSE AND THE TRUCK STARTED UP. *KB