Weird Electrical issue
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,556
Likes: 0
From: Quincy IL
Weird Electrical issue
'98 C5, only with Engine on - I'm stumped on an issue that just started, all the lights in the cabin blink crazily, unless I turn on the headlights. I could hear relays clicking and the blinking stops when both of the DRL relays are removed. I can't believe both would go bad at once. Has anybody ran into a similar issue before? I tried searching but came up empty.
Here's a vid of what is happening:
Here's a vid of what is happening:
Last edited by Jeff Wilson; Apr 3, 2017 at 02:17 PM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,556
Likes: 0
From: Quincy IL
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,862
Likes: 594
From: Prescott, Arizona
Since those are history codes, can you get clear them and then see what comes up without turning the ignition off?
I'm not the greatest on electrical issues, but- I would first cycle the hazard switch on and off a number of times. The hazard switch is a failure prone part because the internal contacts corrode enough to lose contact. sometimes cycling it will restore function at least for a short time and the hazard switch provides power to the turn signals.
Perhaps there is a short in the hazard switch or hazard power wiring.
You could pull fuse No. 15, (Hazard/ Turn Signal) in the passenger footwell fuse center to see if that stops the electrical on/off cycling. Your owner's manual has a diagram for both fuse centers in the back pages. Also, position 54 in the under hood fuse center is supposed to be a fuse puller.
Does the cycling continue with only one or the other DRL relay pulled?
I'm not the greatest on electrical issues, but- I would first cycle the hazard switch on and off a number of times. The hazard switch is a failure prone part because the internal contacts corrode enough to lose contact. sometimes cycling it will restore function at least for a short time and the hazard switch provides power to the turn signals.
Perhaps there is a short in the hazard switch or hazard power wiring.
You could pull fuse No. 15, (Hazard/ Turn Signal) in the passenger footwell fuse center to see if that stops the electrical on/off cycling. Your owner's manual has a diagram for both fuse centers in the back pages. Also, position 54 in the under hood fuse center is supposed to be a fuse puller.
Does the cycling continue with only one or the other DRL relay pulled?
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,862
Likes: 594
From: Prescott, Arizona
Taking a step back, did you do any maintenance or work on the car before this symptom started?
I also notice that passenger footwell fuse No. 8 supplies power to the hazard switch and stop lights-
I also notice that passenger footwell fuse No. 8 supplies power to the hazard switch and stop lights-
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,375
Likes: 424
I had symptoms similar to this when I "adjusted" the multiple ground point on the drivers side up by the headlight. It doesn't look like a ground point, it looks like a relay. But it's not. It was sticking up at a funny angle and I pushed it down to look nice. The car turned into "Christine".
Take the ground point off it's post, take it apart, clean it, clean the post and contact points and tighten the bolt carefully. If possible add a "star" washer to increase the connection.
Repeat on passenger side.
Even if it isn't the problem, you needed to do this eventually.
Take the ground point off it's post, take it apart, clean it, clean the post and contact points and tighten the bolt carefully. If possible add a "star" washer to increase the connection.
Repeat on passenger side.
Even if it isn't the problem, you needed to do this eventually.