Instrument cluster resets during start

Tiny
ARUN AMIRTHARAJ
  • MEMBER
  • 2009 HUMMER H3
  • 5.3L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 200,000 MILES
When starting, the instrument cluster goes blank while cranking and goes through the startup sequence again after the engine has started. Along with the associated chimes during its start sequence.
Please point me towards troubleshooting this.
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Friday, June 25th, 2021 AT 9:46 AM

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Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Couple questions. First did you just purchase this vehicle or what is the history of this happening? Did you replace the cluster and this started happening or did you replace it attempts to fix this and the new cluster is doing the same thing?

Clearly you don't need this video as it appears you have it apart but this is a video on a GMC cluster replacement that may help others as this process is similar on a Hummer:

https://youtu.be/_HEC44xENxw

Basically we are needing find out if this is different and what happened to cause the change? The cluster is responsible for running its own diag tests and initialization processes so if this is a new cluster and it was not doing it before then I suspect the cluster is the issue.

If this is a new cluster and it was doing this before then the only thing that would make sense is there is an issue with the BCM or one of the inputs from the BCM to the cluster.

The cluster does this sweep and chimes as a normal process to make sure it can communicate with everything it needs too.

Let's start with this info and we can go from there. Clearly it should not do this twice but without this info there are a number of things I am thinking this could be.

Thanks
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Saturday, June 26th, 2021 AT 1:44 PM
Tiny
ARUN AMIRTHARAJ
  • MEMBER
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Hi,

This is the original cluster that came with the vehicle.

Honestly I don't remember if it did this before. Got this H3 as a project vehicle. The shroud covering the cluster was out to disconnect wires I had running out of it to power the Side Mirror turn signals. That didn't help. They were initially connected to the harness going to the cluster per the instructions that came with this product:

https://www.hummerpartsclub.com/p/HPC_2200249H.html

Did have starting issues initially, after replacing the battery which didn't help, replacing the battery terminals solved that issue.

The next that might interfere is the aftermarket Android stereo I've fitted along with a module to reproduce the warning sounds/chimes. Have yet to disconnect the stereo.

As of this video, all the 'mods' I've done electrically were disconnected.
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Sunday, June 27th, 2021 AT 5:08 AM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Sorry. I should have asked if there were aftermarket parts as that will cause this type of issue. GM used their own form of a CAN bus and this is like an electrical highway where the modules all communicated with each other.

Here is a guide that will help with this:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/can-scan-controller-area-network-easy

The reason these initialization processes repeat or fail is due to a module that it doesn't recognize or get a bad message from one.

You can try unplugging all the aftermarket components to see if this will correct it but even if it doesn't I suspect it is still an issue along these lines.

Does it do this if you just put the key in and start the engine or does it only do it once then?
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Sunday, June 27th, 2021 AT 8:33 PM

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