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Mark’s Suburban: When the Install Doesn’t Take, Check This First
Most of the stories we publish go the same way: the install takes an hour, the truck starts, everyone celebrates. Mark Gilmore’s story, from December 2014, is more useful than that. Almost everything that could go sideways did, and every step of it is instructive. If your install did not take on the first try, read this one.
The setup
“My suburban has 130,000 miles and has been very reliable with only one major repair several years ago… Gradually, the ignition started acting up. The first time I would turn the key to start it nothing would happen. Turn it off and try again and it would start everytime. Then one day it started and immeditately died and the security light was flashing. Oh no – the GM passlock system had taken over my vehicle and my mechanic wanted $700 to fix it!”
He ordered the module, printed the instructions while he waited for delivery, and had his mechanic do the install. So far, routine.
Then it went sideways twice
“He got it done and I thought I was ready to go until I got home and tried starting it up several times just to make sure it was working. On the third try, my starter died. No problem, I thought and I replaced the starter. And then things went from bad to worse. Now it would start and die – just like before the PRO Bypass module was installed.”
Stop and appreciate how discouraging that moment is. A new module, a new starter, and the truck is doing exactly what it did before anything was fixed. This is the point where most people conclude the product does not work. Mark called support instead.
The harness that fell out
“I worked with the Newrockies support team and was able to troubleshoot my installation. I’m a novice, so it took me a while to finally reach the point where the technician told me that if everything was plugged in then my Suburban evo module had failed. Plugged in, I said to myself. Somehow, the wiring harness had fallen out of the evo module. No wonder it didn’t work!”
“Of course, by now I had killed my battery so I had to take it to the autoparts store to get it recharged. After putting the battery back into the vehicle, I plugged the harness into the evo and it started right up! What a relief. It’s now been two weeks and it starts the first time and stays running. Thank you NEWROCKIES for all of your support!”
Why the EVO matters on these trucks
On the 1998 to 2000 Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon, Sierra, Silverado Classic and Escalade, the Passlock signal runs through an EVO module under the centre of the dash, and the PRO Module works by feeding that module the signal it needs to see. The EVO stays in the circuit. Which means every connector on it has to actually be seated: a harness that has been disturbed during the install and left half-latched produces exactly the start-and-die behaviour the security system produces, and no amount of rechecking the new wiring will find it, because the new wiring is fine.
So the checklist from Mark’s experience, in order: every splice correct, every dip switch set, and then every factory connector you were anywhere near, reseated firmly, especially at the EVO. Only after all of that does the conversation turn to whether a component has actually failed.
Two details for fellow installers
“Install notes: I velcroed the Bypass Module to the bar that runs behind the kickplate. In the installation instructions it states: If your security light should stay on after the vehicle is running, cut the yellow wire in B2 and tape it off. Well, my security light stayed on and I hesitantly cut the yellow wire. I was so relieved when it started up again!”
Both notes are exactly right: the yellow-wire step is in the instructions for precisely his situation, and it works.
If you have one of these trucks
The NEWROCKIES PRO Module covers the whole 1998-2000 EVO platform, and the wiring for it is here: 1998-2000 Chevrolet Silverado Classic, Sierra, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade.
