An Emergency "Get Home Checklist" for Our GMT900s Would Be Useful, IMO

[Scrappycrow]

Y'all,

I consider myself an above-average shadetree mechanic and am competent at doing almost everything except for welding and final paintwork. What gives me anxiety, though, is the possibility of something like this happening and getting stuck somewhere away from home because I don't know some obscure fact about our GMT900s and how a problem with some module or other component can cause seemingly illogical unrelated failures.

So, what I'd like to see if we can develop some sort of "Get Home Checklist," with the sole purpose being to limp home or to a safe area. A proper diagnosis and fix would be out-of-scope for this checklist, and wouldn't include situations that could occur with most vehicles on the road (e.g. water pump locks up) or are base-level simplistic and/or not related to getting home (e.g. burned out bulb, rear wiper fails). This is just to get the vehicle mobile, no matter how lights/warnings pop up and how many unnecessary functions you lose. The suggestions should also consider whether a particular uncommon tool is needed, but not necessarily require you to have a Tech2 or similar diagnostic tool on hand.

I'm willing to create and maintain the checklist if others who are far more knowledgeable and experienced with our GMT900s can work out what should go into checklist. Ideally, the number of failure situations should be limited so the checklist doesn't become unwieldy. This would be a "live" document that will change as suggestions are received and are agreed on by consensus.

What do Y'all think? Consider this a brainstorming session.

Thanks,
Scrappy

 

[GMCChevy]

Unless you want to keep a bunch of modules on hand in case they're ever needed there's not much to do. Murphys law would probably come in to play and whatever you need you probably won't have.
If you're going on a trip make sure there's no neglected servicing you've been putting off and go for it. If it breaks down and can't make it home most shops can deal with a GM truck.

 

[Doubeleive]

Y'all,

I consider myself an above-average shadetree mechanic and am competent at doing almost everything except for welding and final paintwork. What gives me anxiety, though, is the possibility of something like this happening and getting stuck somewhere away from home because I don't know some obscure fact about our GMT900s and how a problem with some module or other component can cause seemingly illogical unrelated failures.

So, what I'd like to see if we can develop some sort of "Get Home Checklist," with the sole purpose being to limp home or to a safe area. A proper diagnosis and fix would be out-of-scope for this checklist, and wouldn't include situations that could occur with most vehicles on the road (e.g. water pump locks up) or are base-level simplistic and/or not related to getting home (e.g. burned out bulb, rear wiper fails). This is just to get the vehicle mobile, no matter how lights/warnings pop up and how many unnecessary functions you lose. The suggestions should also consider whether a particular uncommon tool is needed, but not necessarily require you to have a Tech2 or similar diagnostic tool on hand.

I'm willing to create and maintain the checklist if others who are far more knowledgeable and experienced with our GMT900s can work out what should go into checklist. Ideally, the number of failure situations should be limited so the checklist doesn't become unwieldy. This would be a "live" document that will change as suggestions are received and are agreed on by consensus.

What do Y'all think? Consider this a brainstorming session.

Thanks,
Scrappy

that particular instance you referenced would not be something that you could determine on the side of the road without a tech2 and even then I am not sure if just unplugging the module or pulling a fuse would suffice as a work around.
what you are talking about is a complete roll of the dice, the only thing you "could" try in a unknown situation is either try pulling fuses 1 at a time or visual inspection and that is a gamble at best, if a electronic part goes bad your stuck in most situations.
my suggestion is if you are road tripping it beyond mildly out of town then throw the tech2 in the back somewhere, at least you might be able to atleast figure out why your stuck

 

[Doubeleive]

your best "get home" fix is going to be a tool bag, zip ties, duck tape, extra fuses, water, jumper cables, spare tire, jack.
and/or if you do something stupid like me and drop your fob in the water, lake, river then a spare key also.

 

[mikez71]

If a module goes bad and messes with the network signal, you should be able to bypass it by jumpering the 2 tan wires together, and 2 tan/blk wires together.

 

[PPV_2018]

I used to carry WAY too many tools and parts in my vehicles. . . In my 2 decades of driving experience, there are only really two things that will leave you stranded: flat tires, and dead batteries. For tires, i always had a spare and jack, so never ever technically stranded.

I had a first gen explorer that threw a rod(?) when i was pulling off my street onto the main thoroughfare. I limped it back home spewing oil and smoking like a rastafari. I guess that is one roadside stranding i narrowly escaped being so close to home, but none the less, there’s nothing i could have used to fix it anyways, so moot point.

now, the only think i keep in my Tahoe is a duffle bag in the back with a socket set, electrical tape, spare fuses, jumper cables, flashlight, OBDII reader, and a spare set of clothes. For newer models K2’s and T1’s maybe a spare FPCM. . .seems to be more of an issue with the T1’s though.

BOTTOM LINE is , i love the idea OP, but it’s just not practical and I’ve learned that from experience. Just keep your vehicle maintained as best you can and keep truckin. It’s not like a car from way back in the day just keep some spark plugs and a few basic maintenance parts .. nowadays you’d have to keep an AutoZone and a GM parts counter in your trunk to be prepared for every and anything.

Oh yeah, i forgot. One time i bought an old Buick Electra from an older fella in the city. Well he neglected to tell me that the gas gauge was broke. On the way home the motor killed.. i let the car glide into a store parking lot. There was no way i could leave the car behind and walk to go get gas because any gas station was hella far, and the area i was in the car would *definitely* been gone by the time i got back. Had to call a friend of mine who had to leave work, go buy a gas can, go fill it with gas and bring it to me so i could get home.

 

[intheburbs]

I have one each of the stupid shifter cable grommets in each of my trucks.

On long road trips, I do bring my Tech 2 with me.

Spare serpentine and long ratchet to install.

Other than that, just the usual stuff, and a AAA card.

 

[blondie70]

One should have a breaker bar and a deep well socket to fit the tire lug nuts....the stock truck tools will have trouble removing tire as tire shops use impacts set at max ugga duggas.!

 

[j91z28d1]

on trips I take things that make common failures easy to repair. like my hybrid didn't come with a spare tire, so I added a spare tire kit. but for trips I won't rely on the little tool kit. I'll throw a small aluminum jack and impact in the back to make quick work of it.

as for tools, a small bag, the tech 2 and something to access prodamand software. since while any shop can fix a common gm. zero shops can fix these hybrids if it breaks. so I would at minimum have to trouble shoot it for them and find the parts. if that's not possible, I gotta figure out how to tow it home because you're just not repairing something like a transmission failure on the side of the road. Uber to a u haul is what I'm thinking. I used to always keep AAA but they have gotten so bad. this is the first year after 30 year member I didn't renew. I was visiting a buddy back home out doing some pulls in his car and the tranny broke. was like eh I haven't used AAA tow in years, I'll Just tow us home. 3 hours of waiting around later he called his girl, got her to pick him up, go get a tow strap and we just towed it home. they finally called back saying the tow truck was on its way later that night. i told them to cancel it. after I got back home I happened to check my account and that counted towards my 4 free tows a year. even those they never showed up.

from what I'm told by drivers AAA pays so low of rates, you're always the last on their list. drivers avoid AAA calls if they can. I've probably paid 160$ a year for 15 years and used it 2 or 3 times. for that money I could just Google a local tow company and come out ahead. everything has become a scam these days.


as said above being able to bypass the can bus network for a failed module could be very helpful. so some wiring diagrams printed out could be good. but the only one I can think of would be that suspension one under they spare tire.