Electrical Problems, Crazy Cluster, Failing Radio and Other Electrical Problems
02-25-2012, 10:00 AM
#1
Electrical Problems, Crazy Cluster, Failing Radio and Other Electrical Problems I've just about pulled my hair out trying to fix this and 3 weeks later the shop that's been working on my car still hasn't been able to find a fix.
I have a problem where during driving, at random times my gauge cluster will go haywire, needles swinging everywhere or at zero, reading no oil pressure while the car is running well, reading empty tank when it was just filled, 0 rpm while the engine is running, 0 water temp even 30 minutes into my commute. ABS, TCS, SES and a bunch of other warning lights come on too. Many times I lose power to the radio, sometimes it will come back, other times it won't and I'll have to restart the car to let the radio reboot (aftermarket head unit).
Sometimes the effects are mild, where the only thing that happens is the TCS light comes on and stays on. Won't switch off when the button comes on but everything else is alright.
My car is a 2000 Trans Am, I have a new 145 amp alternator installed last November, big 3 mod, 4 pin connector on alternator was replaced, battery has been tested and is good.
These problems started after I finished my big 3 mod and replaced the 4 pin connector this December. I thought I had screwed something up. Checked everything, couldn't find out the problem was. Took it to a fairly reputable shop in the area. They didn't think the problem was the new parts. They said they believed if was a weakness elsewhere in the system which would have failed over time anyway but was exacerbated by the added power of a bigger alternator and bigger cables. First they though it was a short in the main harness, then they thought they had identified and fixed it. Problem was still there, then they came to the conclusion that it was the BCM, the BCM was replaced, problem was still there. Then they went back to looking for shorts in the main harness, thought the found it and fixed it but the problem would not go away.
Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated. Please help me out guys.
I have a problem where during driving, at random times my gauge cluster will go haywire, needles swinging everywhere or at zero, reading no oil pressure while the car is running well, reading empty tank when it was just filled, 0 rpm while the engine is running, 0 water temp even 30 minutes into my commute. ABS, TCS, SES and a bunch of other warning lights come on too. Many times I lose power to the radio, sometimes it will come back, other times it won't and I'll have to restart the car to let the radio reboot (aftermarket head unit).
Sometimes the effects are mild, where the only thing that happens is the TCS light comes on and stays on. Won't switch off when the button comes on but everything else is alright.
My car is a 2000 Trans Am, I have a new 145 amp alternator installed last November, big 3 mod, 4 pin connector on alternator was replaced, battery has been tested and is good.
These problems started after I finished my big 3 mod and replaced the 4 pin connector this December. I thought I had screwed something up. Checked everything, couldn't find out the problem was. Took it to a fairly reputable shop in the area. They didn't think the problem was the new parts. They said they believed if was a weakness elsewhere in the system which would have failed over time anyway but was exacerbated by the added power of a bigger alternator and bigger cables. First they though it was a short in the main harness, then they thought they had identified and fixed it. Problem was still there, then they came to the conclusion that it was the BCM, the BCM was replaced, problem was still there. Then they went back to looking for shorts in the main harness, thought the found it and fixed it but the problem would not go away.
Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated. Please help me out guys.
02-27-2012, 01:19 AM
#2
Sounds like a bad ground to the body. I know you want to keep the bigger alternator but you may need to try the old alternator again, if that doesn't fix the problem you know it's the wiring. If you undo the big 3 and it's still doing it I would pull apart the dash and look for loose wires to the radio or any other frays in the area
02-27-2012, 06:16 AM
#3
Thank you for the post. Old alternator cannot go back in. It is completely dead, left me stranded on the side of the road last November, that's why the new one was installed. I think I should also mention that the replacement alternator is new, not re-manufactured. Car was running fine for over a month after the install and problems only arose after big 3.
03-16-2012, 01:46 PM
#6
Battery is in great condition, even if it weren't I don't see how this could be a problem while the motor is running and the alternator is powering the car. Turned out to be the ground. The grounds were clean, problem was a corrosion resistant coating over the connector rings at the end of my cables. After hitting the faces of the rings that make contact with some sandpaper and bringing them down to bare copper the problem went away. Thanks guys.
