[PapaTugz]

Alrighty then. I’m going to try to give as much information as possible.

2000 4.3 Extended Cab here

I have a lot of experience installing aftermarket stereos, lighting, audio systems etc. I wire everything as professionally as possible blah blah blah.

Easy peezy, just installing some led strips today. Popped off the S10’s flimsy trim and removed the stereo.
NOW.
I decided I didn’t like the lame USB connector that it came with since I like everything hidden, and cut it off. Stripped the two wires. I spliced them into the illumination and ground wires on the stereos harness following the “proper” wiring diagram and I have literally done this for every car and I’ve owned.

I turned the truck on.
No lights.
No gauge/cluster lights, stereo didn’t light up, and no LED’s.
Huh.
I’ve had two previous S10’s. Figured maybe I had forgotten that the Dimmer/Headlight plugs needed to be connected or something. So I laid the dash trim back up on the steering wheel and plugged everything in.

I wired the lights to the dimmer. So yea they worked, but nothing else.

No problem. I found the actual illumination wire and spliced the LED strip power onto it instead. Plugged everything back in, checked all the wiring for the stereo harness, checked all the interior fuses nothing. Somehow the gauges came back on, after plugging the harnesses for the headlights and hazards and such back in, but the odometer and stereo still won’t work. No LEDs now either. (Which is, reminding again,wired to the illumination wire now)


NOOOOO idea what tf I did. I also disconnected the battery just out of hope that it was gonna reset. I’m sure it’s something simple, but I am absolutely baffled...

Any suggestions?

 

[Rhotpursuit]

Moved to Electrical/Lighting

 

[oldeerslayer]

Would love to help but since you seem to have more experience than almost anyone here, if you can't figure it out I doubt any of this handful of semi knowledgeable folks can. I'm a retired GM tech and I don't even know what led "strips" are or what they do.
The little I sort of know is that USB is 5V and your radio wiring is 12V. But I also understand LED's can work with a wide range of voltage but it has to be going in the right direction.
If you figure out what you did please let us know for future reference. Some one here may be thinking about installing LED strips.

 

[Jayhawke]

you have a ground issue in the dash harness and or the main grounds.try a bypass to ground and see if led strip lights up- if it doesn't - you might have a dead short in the strip. if it does- pull cluster out and check for a ground lug from the harness- IIRC its at about 8 oclock on a support just to the right of e-brake bracket

 

[oldeerslayer]

On my 99 the dash ground was 2 lugs under the upper edge of carpet on the passengers side. You can't miss them if you pull the top of the carpet back.