Help 98 Eldo light show - Page 2

97EldoCoupe · #16 (**permalink**) 06-17-09, 07:15 AM

Battery to Body/Engine ground cable. Run a jumper cable from the battery to the engine & body. If this helps, replace the ground cable and clean the grounding points.

consigliori · #17 (**permalink**) 06-19-09, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 97EldoCoupe

Battery to Body/Engine ground cable. Run a jumper cable from the battery to the engine & body. If this helps, replace the ground cable and clean the grounding points.

I'll try this when the light show comes back, thanks.

Ok, other than a small fiasco with the UTD honking and flashing lights everytime I open the door - my keyless remote is broken so I couldnt disarm it. So it went off in the parking lot, at the liquor store, the gas station and I finally just Luke Duke'd it in my driveway once I got home since it was about 11:30pm. Problem solved by unlocking the door with the key, which is the only was to disarm it without the remote.

Other than that, everything seems to be, well.. ok. So far. After clearing codes, the only ones that have returned are B1319 (H) Sunload Sensor Short Circuit and P0420 (C) which is the bad Cat, this is normal. And after new wires, my misfire even feels like its gone.

Time will tell...

Turboprop · #18 (**permalink**) 06-27-09, 11:04 AM

Help!! I'm also experiencing the same exact problem with my 99 ETC. Dealer is banging their heads trying to figure out the problem. I'm so afraid of what the final cost will be. My question to you is did you resolve your issue with the light show, and the car not starting? and if so do you know, or could you find out what the culprit was that was causing your issues? Any help that you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

consigliori · #19 (**permalink**) 06-27-09, 06:02 PM

DAMNIT - its happening again

Jumped in my car this morning and the light show is back. Now she wont even start- starts up then quickly dies...

Tried replacing the negative battery cable with jumper cables grounded to engine and frame, and that didnt change anything.

I think it has to be something under the steering wheel, because thats twice now that its started working fine for a bit after poking around down there....

Turboprop- PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know what the dealer comes up with to fix this! I can't afford to take mine to the dealer right now. Any and every detail you can give me about what the dealer is looking at or doing or trying, replacing parts or whatever!

Turboprop · #20 (**permalink**) 06-28-09, 09:22 AM

I'll be glad to let you know. As of Friday my wife spoke with the service center, said they had one of their best guys on it. At the time he was working in the trunk, still no word. I'm soo afraid of the cost. I sure hope its the ign. cylinder that they replaced last year, therefore it will becovered under warranty. Will keep you updated.

consigliori · #21 (**permalink**) 06-28-09, 11:59 AM

Thank you!! It's greatly appreciated -
I'm afraid of the cost for you as well, yikes. I would think that the ignition switch would be one of the first things they checked... I don't know though. I wonder what he was checking in the trunk, other than fuses...?

I've searched through countless threads here, and have not found much about this problem. Gathered from the threads that I did find about it, a short list of what could be the cause is:

bad battery
bad ground
ignition switch
VATS reader
pcm
alternator
wire connecter/harness somewhere

I'm so interested in how this plays out- thanks again for sharing. Here's to hoping they dont totally gough you! Or better yet, covered under warranty.

Good Luck & Thanks For Your Help!

consigliori · #22 (**permalink**) 06-28-09, 02:41 PM

k, just to clarify- up until now when I've said "ignition switch" I've actually been reffering to the ignition lock cylinder, not the electrical connector on the steering column...

I'm thinking its the switch causing my problems now...

consigliori · #23 (**permalink**) 07-01-09, 02:39 AM

Well, I went pooching around under the steering wheel again. With the car running, I unplugged the headlight dimmer/high beam switch and everything went normal... for about a minute, then went back to the light show. I moved around and looked at the big wire connector under there and sometimes moving it did nothing, sometimes the car would return to normal for a moment, then back to problem state, sometimes it would switch back and forth without me even touching it at all. Sometimes turning the wheel back and forth would change things, sometimes it wouldnt. Same thing with tilting the wheel up and down.

I tried to narrow it down to a single action or a wire or group of wires but I could'nt. It was insane, and quite frustrating.

Feels like I'm just going in circles now.

A new ignition switch is $120 - $150, but if its just a bad ground, it'll do the same thing as its doing now. Still, I'm thinking of grabbing one from the junkyard, if I can find one there.

Another thing- I drove it a few miles in the problem state- light show, no radio/climate - and when I got home and popped the hood it was hot, real hot. The silver ac lines and battery were super hot, way more than seemed normal for a short drive- don't know what that means, but thought it was interesting.

I guess I'm going to undo the big connector again, and double check to make sure every wire connection looks good in it...? Then what, I dont know

consigliori · #24 (**permalink**) 07-02-09, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by consigliori

I'm going to undo the big connector again, and double check to make sure every wire connection looks good

And, of course this fixes it - back to normal again, for now.

But who knows for how long this time....

consigliori · #25 (**permalink**) 07-03-09, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by consigliori

And, of course this fixes it - back to normal again, for now.

But who knows for how long this time....

Sure didn't fix it for long

Any word on what the dealer found, Turboprop?

N*Caddy · #26 (**permalink**) 07-04-09, 11:33 PM

It does sound like a sticky relay (say RAP and such)…

consigliori · #27 (**permalink**) 07-05-09, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N*Caddy

It does sound like a sticky relay (say RAP and such)…

I'm on it - going to check that

:searching:...

Thanks For Your Help!

consigliori · #28 (**permalink**) 07-05-09, 06:54 PM

Well, I can't really check now, because its back to acting normal for the moment, of course... figures

But just to clarify, are we talking about the Inadvertent Power Relay thats located in the MaxiFuse center?

Thanks For Your Help!

N*Caddy · #29 (**permalink**) 07-05-09, 08:49 PM

Nope, the RAP relays located in the trunk (relay cluster - 3 clusters, look to the first two in the right), but check that one too (for that one look for pin corrosion first - very common issue).

consigliori · #30 (**permalink**) 07-08-09, 02:02 AM

^Nice, thank you. I'll have a look-see asap. I just switched out the Inadvertent Power Relay because I had one in the garage. But like I said, its hard to tell anything, because right now everythings acting fine...