I am getting the message when I start the car the for the first time of the day. I can drive it a half mile, park and shut the car off and the warning goes away. I have clear the code and continue for the day with no problem. Next morning it is the same thing for 7 days in a row. 1287 C H is the only code. I cleaned the front ground plugs this morning but ran out of time to do any more today. It sets the code as soon as I turn the key on before I even start the engine. Even after I have cleared it it sets as soon as the key is turned on. Any thoughts or experience would be greatly appreciated.

 

Yes, Apparently I did look it up and I spent some time using search and I wasn't able to find anything that exactly fit my situation. I know it is related the SWPS but a few others have been able to fix the problem without just jumping in and replacing the SWPS. I should have taken a little more time describing what I am looking for.

Nice copy and paste job though. Thanks.

 

The steering rack hasn't been removed and the car drives perfectly straight down the road. It doesn't show any signs of being out of alignment. It has about 7k on it since it was aligned. The tech at the shop I use has a lot of experience with c5's and he drives one of the nicest ones on this end of town.

The thing that seems so strange to me is that only sets the code after it has set all night and never while I am driving it. I know that in the past I have read about people having trouble with or a problem caused by a connection somewhere near the battery. I was hoping someone might be able to tell me or show me which one they were talking about.

 

watching !

 

It wasn't the SWPS. The sensor tests show that the sensor is okay. No dead spots or changes in voltage at all while turning the wheel in either direction. I took every one of the ground connectors off and cleaned the surfaces under the nuts, took the plugs apart and cleaned both halve's with CRC connection cleaner. I couldn't see any corrosion on all but the one on the right front. It cleaned off easily and neither surface looked pitted or etched.

While testing the SWPS I discovered that orange wire had an abrasion on the outside right where it enters the plug. I unplugged the connector and tested the wire connection to the pin and found that it would short out when it was moved. It took me 3 hours to fix it. I had to add an inch of wire to it in order to be able to solder and then shrink wrap it. After I fixed it and put everything back together I found the plug hangs below the plastic cover and that you can touch the plug with the toe of your shoe with out much effort. I can't imagine why or how someone would do that but there are scuff marks on the plastic cover in the direction of the plug. I can easily move my left foot past the dead pedal but I've never done it before today. It must have been to original owner.

I haven't driven it yet but I have started it several times to put it on the ramps for an oil change and so far there are no codes. I'm 99.9% sure that fixed it.