Electrical Issues
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 621
Likes: 2
From: Stillwater Minnesota
Electrical Issues
Today I was out driving my 99 FRC and the dash threw and electrical falt. Then all the guages and dummie lights reset.
The car now has all sorts of electrical issues:
ECU resets while driving.
-- DTC(s) get trown randomly (ABS, Traction, etc.)
When using any accessory the electrical system goes haywire (dash flickers, ecu resets, etc)
-Lights work randomly
-Dashboard flickers.
I checked the following items:
-Checked battery voltage... 14 volts when running 12 when off.
-Checked grounds in chasis ground connectors on frame rails behind lights. All grounds are ok and no corrosion is pressent.
-Then car went completely dead so I wiggled the battery cables and it started working again.
Now when I turn the ignition on the dash flashes wildly, stereo won't work, and I hear a crazy clicking noise from the passenger side.
Please.. any help would be greatly appreciated. I don't have a clue where to go.
The car now has all sorts of electrical issues:
ECU resets while driving.
-- DTC(s) get trown randomly (ABS, Traction, etc.)
When using any accessory the electrical system goes haywire (dash flickers, ecu resets, etc)
-Lights work randomly
-Dashboard flickers.
I checked the following items:
-Checked battery voltage... 14 volts when running 12 when off.
-Checked grounds in chasis ground connectors on frame rails behind lights. All grounds are ok and no corrosion is pressent.
-Then car went completely dead so I wiggled the battery cables and it started working again.
Now when I turn the ignition on the dash flashes wildly, stereo won't work, and I hear a crazy clicking noise from the passenger side.
Please.. any help would be greatly appreciated. I don't have a clue where to go.
Last edited by weinerschizel; Oct 13, 2007 at 11:19 PM. Reason: Troubleshot the problem
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 621
Likes: 2
From: Stillwater Minnesota
I did some reading. Somebody had almost an identical problem to me on the forum here. However, they never posted a solution.
One theory they had was battery cables. Mine look brand new though. This guys did as well and the person that suggested that said perhaps corrosion could have gotten into the inside of the wire???
Please... any help would be appreciated. I'm shooting in the dark here.
One theory they had was battery cables. Mine look brand new though. This guys did as well and the person that suggested that said perhaps corrosion could have gotten into the inside of the wire???
Please... any help would be appreciated. I'm shooting in the dark here.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,737
Likes: 349
From: Layton Utah
By the numbers your giving on the battery, it seems you may be picking them up from the DIC readout which I believe it more a readout of your alternator. I would start by going in to an autoparts store and get the battery tested under LOAD. You may have a weak cell which is what I had. How old is the battery? This is the time of year when various battery problems start cropping up.. Good luck and let us knowl what you find.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 621
Likes: 2
From: Stillwater Minnesota
The battery is brand new. It measures around 12-13 volts when car is off using a voltmeter.
I also disconnected the positive power rail for the amps and speaker in the back of the car. I just bought the car and it came with the stereo so I have no idea where the ground is.
I checked my ground connectors under the hood. All of them look clean and measure around 0.5 ohm to battery cable ground. Then with the battery installed they measure 1.2 ohm to the battery cable's ground.
I took the foot panel out on the passenger side and there is a crazy clicking noise in there when I turn the ignition on. I removed all the relays from the box under there and I still have it.
The security system was working fine just the other day. However, none of the keyless entry is working now. How do I check the security system now?
Oh and my blinkers no longer work now. It acts just like the flasher unit got fried.
I also disconnected the positive power rail for the amps and speaker in the back of the car. I just bought the car and it came with the stereo so I have no idea where the ground is.
I checked my ground connectors under the hood. All of them look clean and measure around 0.5 ohm to battery cable ground. Then with the battery installed they measure 1.2 ohm to the battery cable's ground.
I took the foot panel out on the passenger side and there is a crazy clicking noise in there when I turn the ignition on. I removed all the relays from the box under there and I still have it.
The security system was working fine just the other day. However, none of the keyless entry is working now. How do I check the security system now?
Oh and my blinkers no longer work now. It acts just like the flasher unit got fried.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,953
Likes: 490
From: Hilton NY
Remove the fuse/relay cover next to the battery and check the nut on the threaded stud where all the large + red wires are connected, it must be clean and tight or you will have all kinds of electrical problems.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 621
Likes: 2
From: Stillwater Minnesota
I unplugged the amps. The gentleman had wired them into that stud on the relay pannel there. The stud looked perfectly clean when I took them off.
What had me more concerned was, I cannot find any relay or fuse for the amps. Plus I remebered a small problem I srugged off just before this all happened.
I was driving down the highway listening to the stereo at a reasonibly loud volume. When the subs hit, the dash started reading charge fault. So I turned the stereo down and it kept working. Then about an hour later everything started going haywire.
The more I dig into the stereo the more I wonder. I cannot seem to get a hold of the guy I bought the car from last month. He did the stereo install too.
I'm wondering if the alternator didn't get damaged when the subs hit. And now I'm seeing artifacts of a dying alternator. The car still starts up and runs. And what has me thinking it isn't the alternator is that, even before the car starts running I have all sorts of problems. So I'm still at a loss.
What had me more concerned was, I cannot find any relay or fuse for the amps. Plus I remebered a small problem I srugged off just before this all happened.
I was driving down the highway listening to the stereo at a reasonibly loud volume. When the subs hit, the dash started reading charge fault. So I turned the stereo down and it kept working. Then about an hour later everything started going haywire.
The more I dig into the stereo the more I wonder. I cannot seem to get a hold of the guy I bought the car from last month. He did the stereo install too.
I'm wondering if the alternator didn't get damaged when the subs hit. And now I'm seeing artifacts of a dying alternator. The car still starts up and runs. And what has me thinking it isn't the alternator is that, even before the car starts running I have all sorts of problems. So I'm still at a loss.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 621
Likes: 2
From: Stillwater Minnesota
The gentleman got back a hold of me from which I got the car. He thinks the battery is fried and also told me the amps are wired into a fuse.
The battery is a new "autolite", not even one month old. I could believe it's the battery cause when I monkied with the cables a little things started behaving differently.
However, the issues don't go away when the car is started.
The battery is a new "autolite", not even one month old. I could believe it's the battery cause when I monkied with the cables a little things started behaving differently.
However, the issues don't go away when the car is started.
Last edited by weinerschizel; Oct 15, 2007 at 01:29 PM.
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 621
Likes: 2
From: Stillwater Minnesota
Ok... I figured a good part of it out.
THe battery I had was brand new. However, I pulled it out and took it to the parts store... they checked it out and it was SMOKED. So I got a new top of the line gel battery.
Went home threw that in and car works MUCH better. However, when things went out they affected, the relay panel under the foot board.
Pulling relays I found my chattering was the daytime running laps. And my blinkers are also blown out.
However, I checked the relays I found with an ohm meter and they appear to be fine. I get 85 ohms across the coil.. and a short as well as open where it indicates on the relay.
So I'm not quite in the clear yet... any suggestions? Things to check before I look into circuitry?
THe battery I had was brand new. However, I pulled it out and took it to the parts store... they checked it out and it was SMOKED. So I got a new top of the line gel battery.
Went home threw that in and car works MUCH better. However, when things went out they affected, the relay panel under the foot board.
Pulling relays I found my chattering was the daytime running laps. And my blinkers are also blown out.
However, I checked the relays I found with an ohm meter and they appear to be fine. I get 85 ohms across the coil.. and a short as well as open where it indicates on the relay.
So I'm not quite in the clear yet... any suggestions? Things to check before I look into circuitry?
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,737
Likes: 349
From: Layton Utah
Sorry, your getting beyond my experience level but at least I'm glad you got the battery issue resolved. My battery would register ok on a volt meter but when it was put under a load, it would show a weak cell.
Hopefully somebody here can help you get the rest of way home.
Good luck, keep us posted.
Hopefully somebody here can help you get the rest of way home.
Good luck, keep us posted.
