So I'm relatively new to cars. My 96 blazer has a rod knock, and as much as I'd love to throw a 4 rotor in there I don't have 40000 dollars to do that. Plus its complicated. I'd like to think my current issue is a lot more simple than that dream.

So today I wanted to pull the stock radio out of my 96 blazer. Its not a complicated truck. In fact its got the lowest package and a tach delete, bench seat, 4X4... The most advanced thing in it is the tape player. (IDK a good description to give, is there a factory number?) So I thought it would be relatively simple, right? Unplug the battery, pop off the 2 screws to undo the dashboard front panel, pop the radio out. Easy. Well, I ran outta time so I quick put the dash back together and plugged the battery back in. Now the damn thing won't start.

All the indicators are of a short. When the battery is plugged in the Turn Signals are on, the door ajar sound is going (the high pitch beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep when you put the key in the ignition, door ajar sound would be the correct description?), and the interior lights are on. Seems normal? It does this with the door closed. And the key not in the ignition. It also doesn't turn over like the battery is dead. But I just put a brand new battery in to replace an old one. If I hold the accelerator down to force an alternator start it'll turn on, and I could probably put it in gear and move, but I don't feel like snapping the transmission in half.

So my dad has a repair / inspection manual that I followed to see how to open the dash up. It said about the security system and how if the wheels weren't "straight forward" or the steering wheel wasn't in the "straight forward" position the airbag would pop or something stupid. Thing is, I'm not sure my truck has one. Or it doesn't work. Either way, I half interpreted that as "pull the truck and straighten the wheels out" as they were turned about 30 degrees. Pull the battery, do so, nothing. Next I thought "Well maybe chevy was so confident that people would love to steal this radio, for some reason, that it won't start without a radio????" That seemed a little crazy, but I popped the radio back in, nothing.

So.... Any suggestions? I'm new to this sorta thing to be honest so I'm not sure what to check next. I checked the radio fuse, its fine, is there an ignition fuse? I just thought of that as a thing to check but its midnight. Could it even be a fuse? Could there be a wire pulled out somewhere?

I was literally driving this truck on the highway yesterday so this occurred at some time today when I opened the dash.

 

Have you been able to fix that problem?