86 with bizarre electrical problem...please help!
Thread Starter
1st Gear
Joined: Aug 2009
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86 with bizarre electrical problem...please help!
Our 1986 Corvette has a bizarre electrical problem we'd appreciate some help with.
Last night it overheated...so my husband removed the thermostat...that went okay, but when we got back in to go home, the lights in the doors stayed on (even though they were both shut), a chime kept dinging...all the way home, and also there are no lights on the heater/AC panel, and it isn't working at all. Also, there are no lights coming on the section to the left of where the warning lights are located. And the ANTI LOCK light is staying on.
Before the overheating incident, all the above things were working perfectly.
Did a wire or something get knocked off?
Thanks in advance for any help!!
Last night it overheated...so my husband removed the thermostat...that went okay, but when we got back in to go home, the lights in the doors stayed on (even though they were both shut), a chime kept dinging...all the way home, and also there are no lights on the heater/AC panel, and it isn't working at all. Also, there are no lights coming on the section to the left of where the warning lights are located. And the ANTI LOCK light is staying on.
Before the overheating incident, all the above things were working perfectly.
Did a wire or something get knocked off?
Thanks in advance for any help!!
Corvette Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: So. Cal.
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vette
Maybe dis connect and re-connect battery? Good luck. Fuses?
Corvette Mike
Corvette Mike
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
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From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Check the gages fuse, A/C fuse, inst fuse and the ctsy/clk fuse with an ohmeter. Interior lights staying on is likely a shorted ground wire (shorted to ground) that goes to the door jam switches. The door jamb switches close circuit when the door is open and ground the common ground wire from all the internal lights. The chime will go off with headlights on and ign in off, lock, or acc or if the key is in the ign and a door is opened. Most likely the chime is due to the shorted ground wire going to the door jamb switches and the key in the ign (so you could drive the car).
A blown brake or gages fuse can cause the ABS light to stay on.
I recommend you buy the GM electrical diagnosis book which provides a lot of troubleshooting information and a circuit diagram and parts location pictures if you want to repair your vette.
A blown brake or gages fuse can cause the ABS light to stay on.
I recommend you buy the GM electrical diagnosis book which provides a lot of troubleshooting information and a circuit diagram and parts location pictures if you want to repair your vette.
Last edited by jfb; Aug 21, 2009 at 12:33 AM.
Drifting
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,428
Likes: 7
From: Chewelah Wa
I am not sure if this is your problem, but there is a ground wire that attaches to one of the thermostat bolts on my 85. It is also possible that a wire got pinched underneath the thermostat housing when it was bolted down. Just throwing that out there, you might check it out.
