Headlights Always on, then fuses blew, then heater blower died

[Sidewinder01]

This is a fix for this issue. May be related on 1999~2004 Vitaras, but was discovered on my 2000 Tracker.

My headlights came on highbeam while driving, and then my heater blower failed. I pulled the fuses, went to work. Replaced fuses, left work, when clutch peddle depressed, high beams went off, when released, high beams came on again. 10 minutes later, both headlight fuses blew.

What I discovered: With a meter on resistance hooked up between ground and one headlight wire, At some times, I could see 50 Ohms, other times not much, sometimes 500 Ohms. I removed the lower access panel below the steering wheel an started looking. I noticed the wiring harness, above the steering column, looked like it might have been pinched at assembly, onto the assembly that holds the brake/clutch peddle. After much swearing, I managed to remove the hole assembly after disconnecting all the wires going to the clutch switches and brake light switch, and removing 4 nuts, and 3 bolts. After cutting open the plastic harness cover, I found 6 wires melted together right where it was pinched on the right side of the steering column, at the top of the Brake cylinder mounting studs. 20 minutes of butt splicing and using thick special electrical tape, re wrapping the harness, all was normal again! Total time of repair from investigation start to having an assembled running vehicle again, 5.5 hours. Tools used, Socket wrench 10 MM with extensions, 12 mm with extensions, phillips screwdriver, pliers (Removing pivot studs on peddles) Special electrical tape, crimpers, Loom, a cut up rad hose around sharp bits on peddle assy. Special knowledge, non, just remember to disconnect the battery first, and remove the bracket to the right of the steering column holding the auto lock and Daytime running light module (One 10MM nut)!

I saw a load of Tracker owners (1991 and up through 2002) complaining of similar issues online. After looking at my similar mileage Vitara, and my buddies heavily abused off-road Vitara, I did not see the same alignment of the harness so close to the pinch point. Hope this helps anyone with similar issues!

[Bex]

Well done, and thanks for the post and fix (although you might want to indicate that this is a 'fix' in your title - if it can be changed...???) Wiring on these old vehicles is becoming a bit of a nightmare, as insulation is perishing etc. Glad you got yours sorted - working under the dash is a nightmare as well - often it saves time (and swearing) to remove the seat, so that you can get in there without becoming a pretzel......

[Sidewinder01]

Whoopsy, thought I had done that! Thanks for pointing it out!
I put XL7 seats in for the arm rest and the 1" height increase, and they seem to slide back farther. So I got my 6'2" frame in their for 20 minutes at a time, then a beer break, then 20 minutes more (Repeated until completed..hiccup), with only a few pretzled muscles this AM.

[xxx]

wrong forum, but that's ok , we love grief over here..
and our harness is totally unlike any 2000.
but all wiring is like that, on all cars with non attentive mechs just slamming
parts together , not wanting to take care.
or like all cars, with hacks.
alarms, remote starts, new audio toys.....
i think our only burn up issues is DRL device, melting... that is about it.

btw we have the full harness diagrams in the FSM and in Mitchells..
so finding ground outs, is a breeze with the right docs.
schematics
harness point to point
full connector docs. all in our FSM. (suz has great docs)

can pull all that you mentioned, in 30min on our years. and even faster below 96.
sure can.

[GumbyCT]

Isn't this one of those "common mfg problems" on 2000 an up?

[Sidewinder01]

@XXX, sorry I never seem to post to the right forum! And as I have rewired many Samurais over the years for EFI swap overs, PO stupidity and jury rigged repairs that got forgotten about because they "Still worked", I thought this found and fixed arical might help all of the other Tracker owners suffering from the same issue.

I seem to have all of the colour coded wiring in my head now, and in all of my FSM's in my garage for those "Just in case" moments of blankness.

Still wondering why such shoddy assembly on the North American built Suzuki Products.

Google 2000 Tracker headlights wont turn off, it's pretty depressing

[xxx]

the wiring on 2000 is vastly different.
HL have DRL on some
2 relays.
and whole body with different collision protection making stuff
hard to reach and crush wires,easy.

my 2004 has sun detector for the DRL, one more part to mess up
or wires to crush. vastly diffr.

[GumbyCT]

Maybe if Chevy Tracker was listed in the forum title people could find it?

There was another problem with 2000+ Trackers I saw which mentioned a "Silent Recall" for a front-end cross beam that rusts out. Apparently GM did NOT want all owners to know about this fix.

[xxx]

his post HARNESS PINCH not Rust.
and was from bad service. bad service has infinite effects. (random too) this is how to start the diagnosis and save vast time) the answer is BOOKS.

heck im on the wrong forum. have no idea how I bled over (must have been and email invite?)
yes, GM dropped GEO to CHEVY.
its the wiki GEO page. arcane but true.
if you need the schematics for your car just ask
will send via PM.

my 2000 Tracker.

????
but i need the full spec?
what engine?
what tranny?
and door counts? 2wd, and 4wd, would help too, if valid.
the schematics are all different !
and DRL do you have DRL
with this information comes real drawings.

sorry im on the wrong forum. ( have a 04 chev tracker so know it too)
and a full FSM (bought day 2)

i can assure you, with a real FSM , electric fails are 10 times easier, for sure.
the FSM even has the harness color break outs and connectors fully identified and exact locations , and amazing fact. this alone saves 10 hrs labor.
volume 2 , section, lighting systems.
50 schematic pages (real suzuki) (i will PDF them this week)
case in point.:
page 9A-41 is HL (STUCK ON)
here is the cheat
No DRL?, page 41,
pull E17 connector to THE combo switch ,
if HL turn off , the comb is bad, if not short is forward. (pull the upstream conns, and ring it out (continuity and shorts)
---------------------< or >-------------------------------------------
DRL page 42,
do the same, if lamps stay on (pull E17) ok still on.
pull DRL E24 conn,.
if lamps still on, short is on red/white line from DRL to Combo
if not ? on, put back the DLR E24 , back stuck on. again.

pull Autolght controller G34 , conn.
if you unplug this Sun detector unit and is
still on?, you have a bad wire from G34 to E24
goes out? , bad sun detector. stuck to NIGHT.

this assumes you know how the DRL works,? on mine they work different than any pre 99.
even the hand brake effect is different.
Dont feel bad , i hate DRL too, mines defeated, with a switch, (me , and next owner) i flip the switch if i sell the car. cost $1

all that?, with the DMM meter in tool box.
if you have the book ,you find the connectors in 5min,not 10 hrs. ouch
also can open paths and check continuity and ground outs on that same set of wires.

BTW2 my public lib. has access to mitchells for free, so all the above, is free, .... check it out.

direct
https://ondemand5.com/
$15 bucks
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1998-1999-20...e9bb60&vxp=mtr

be proactive buy the book or cd when you buy the car, then when it breaks, the books saves 100s to 1000s of bucks.
or saves you.