Fuse Box Electrical Fix! This is a MUST READ!

[Rick Norwood]

For the past couple of years, I was dealing with an intermittent overheating problem on my 2014 Traverse LS 3.6L V6 engine. The Passenger Side Radiator Fan would just stop working, and would later start working again with no rhyme or reason. After testing Fuses and swapping Relays in the Fuse Box under the hood (over the front passenger tire), reading wiring schematics (Thanks Old Master) and chasing electrical circuits to kingdom come, and not to mention stumping the local Dealership, I finally discovered the 2 Bolts inside the Fuse Box (see photo, circled in Red) were LOOSE! These Bolts are designed to pull the 2 large Wiring Harness Plugs up into the Bottom of the Fuse Box using nuts installed in each of the 2 plugs. The bottom side of the Fuse Box Panel has a number of Male Prongs that make contact with their respective Female sockets in the Wiring Harness Plugs, if these connections are not made properly or are loose, the result is burnt/pitted connectors, and poor to no connections. Poor connections cause High Heat due to increased resistance, and ultimately result in circuit failure. My Fuse Box actually MELTED around the Fan Relays a few years ago, probably due to this very issue, and had to be replaced (BIG BUCKS)!

In reality, the Bolts weren’t really loose. The length of the Bolt threads are actually too short, allowing the bolt threads to pass completely through the nuts (the design of the bolts allow this to happen) so, when you try to tighten the bolts, they just pass through the nuts and spin, disallowing the Bolts (and Plugs) to tighten up.

The Fix is so stinking easy. I took 2 lock-washers (approximately .100 inch thick) and using my Bench Grinder, I ground a little of the washer away to make “C” washers, (See Photo in next post) after flattening the washers, I then loosened up the 2 Bolts and installed one washer under each of the Bolt Heads, (you cannot remove the Bolts) then tightened them up, being careful not to over torque the bolts (The Bolts should now actually tighten instead of spinning). This pulled the harness plugs securely and firmly up into the bottom of the fuse box (instead of wiggling, vibrating, and arcing with every Bump). My fans started working normally, and my overheating problem is a thing of the past!!!

I cannot take credit for this fix, I actually saw it online. But this problem of the wiring harness plugs being “loose” in the bottom of the fuse box is reported to cause a HOST of problems including Low Power Mode, Over Heating, StabilaTrak issues, many other electrical issues, and various DTC’s.

2009-2017 Traverse, Acadia, and possibly other models using this same fuse box design could also be affected (I’m not exactly sure of the years).

PLEASE check to see if you have this problem by removing the Fuse Box cover and simply try to tighten the 2 Bolts, regardless if you are having electrical issues or not. If the bolts just Spin and don’t tighten up, you’re on borrowed time. You need to install this fix ASAP!

Hope this Helps!

[Rick Norwood]

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Here is a picture of the Modified Lock Washers.