Electrical issues when it rains
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 949
Likes: 1
From: Oakdale CT
Electrical issues when it rains
The other day, I was driving home in some reasonably heavy rain. When I started the car the radio sounded kind of muffled. I didn't think much of it since it has happened before and always goes back to normal. I was almost home when the entire gauge cluster lit up like a christmas tree. The DIC was going nuts too, as were the radio and door locks. I tried to check the codes as this was happening but everything showed up as "NO COMM". The funny thing is that the car ran just fine during all of this even though the "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" message was flashing. My best guess is something got wet with the heavy rain and shorted out. I just need some ideas on what could be getting wet and how I can stop it. I noticed today on the drive in to work, that if the radio was left off, everything was normal. Once I turned the radio on, everything lit up again within 30 seconds of so, sometimes instantly. I'm clueless and need any suggestions you have.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 4,078
Likes: 27
From: Northeast South Dakota
I would pull out your passenger side floor panel and see if there is any moisture in there. If there is do a search for water leaks and you will find some great information on some of the places that water typically leaks into the passenger footwell area of a C5. You should be able to feel wetness in your passenger footwell if this is the problem or remove the panel on the floor and look inside there for signs of moisture.
-Justin
-Justin
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,097
Likes: 191
From: Vienna VA
Have you checked everything noted in the "sticky" about electrical issues?
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=896875
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=896875
Terminal Vette Addict
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 46
From: Philly PA
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Sounds like your Body Control Module got wet or damp! That can and will cause some very strange issues. Were you by chance running the defrost and or AC when this happened?
Theres a small rubber drain tube on the fire wall that allows the HVAC air box condensation to drain to the ground. If it plugs up, water will spill in the passengers foot well, wet the BCM and (you have already expierenced the results) the car goes crazy!
Thats the most likely cause of your issue.
Theres a small rubber drain tube on the fire wall that allows the HVAC air box condensation to drain to the ground. If it plugs up, water will spill in the passengers foot well, wet the BCM and (you have already expierenced the results) the car goes crazy!
Thats the most likely cause of your issue.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 949
Likes: 1
From: Oakdale CT
I know what tube you are talking about for the HVAC drain. Its behind the passenger cylinder head right? Is there some special way to get to it? The last time I tried to get to it, I just ended up with scraped knuckles. I didn't even think about this because the passenger footwell didn't appear to be wet.
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