POS 98 camaro with electical problems!
POS 98 camaro with electical problems! Are all these 98 model cars crap or just the one I bought? This thing cranks and runs everytime I get in it without fail, BUT it has an issue where it doesn't stream data from the MAF sensor which I haven't really done much to fix yet. In addition the driver's side window motor acts weak(typical) and when I let it up and down it will only make it a few inches before it stops working for a minute or so. I attributed this to a bad motor until it made the radio go off for a minute or so. The radio works 90% of the time but I would be much happier with 100% of the time! The gas guage works fine when we use the scanner to command it but not on its own. I figured it was just a sending unit but damn, with these other elecrical issues who knows?! Have any of you guys had a POS like this one? I'm wondering if I should even start to troubleshoot this thing. It may end up being somebody else's car.....
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,648
Likes: 2,574
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
My '98 hasn't had any of these problems in the last 15 years of its life. Sounds like your particular car has some issues. Could happen with any older used car.
No, and I'm not sure the car you have is crap or your problems are all electrical. They sound more like issues you'd find on any 15+ year old car. They don't sell '98's new any more...
Not sure what this means, but K&N oil filters are notorious for gumming up the MAF, keeping it from playing nicely with the rest of the car.
It is a bad motor. You can replace it with the new Dorman model (be sure to use the shbox method) and forget about it for a long time.
Check the electrical stickies to see if you have the common BCM problem around this.
If it was the sending unit, how could the scanner read it? It could be something as simple as a stuck needle on the gauges. (More likely if someone replaced the gauge face in the past.)
I've had most of these problems in the past. My car runs better than the day it came from the factory.
I've had most of these problems in the past. My car runs better than the day it came from the factory.
Well, my 2000 model camaro has none of these issues and it has 80K more miles so I don't really just want to say its the age of the car especially since I've got many older cars that have never had these type issues. The window motor shouldn't turn the radio off when it gets hot imo which is why I feel like its more than just a motor issue. The scanner will command the gas guage with a screen that's available for this car. When you set the scanner at 50% it shows 1/2 a tank and so on. Its not the guage. Its not a MAF issue because it sends data to the scanner fine when its on my 2000 model car and the one off of my 2000 won't send data on the 98, so its a "car" issue.
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Verdad Gallardo Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,648
Likes: 2,574
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
It's true that there are certain specific differeces between various model years, (i.e. between your '98 and '00), but none of those specific differences have anything to do with the problems you're seeing. All those same issues could be happening just as easily on a '00 or an '02. So it's not because it's a '98 that you're having these issues, it's because there are some issues with THAT particular car.
Sometimes you get lucky, and buy many used cars without ever getting a "problem" car. Then eventually, you end up with one that breaks the streak.
All you can do with those data issues/lack of connectivity is to start tracing various circuits, looking for damaged/chewed/loose/burned/etc. connections or wires. A shop manual may be helpful, since it will outline the diagnostic matrix that the dealer would use to trouble shoot the various issues.
Sometimes you get lucky, and buy many used cars without ever getting a "problem" car. Then eventually, you end up with one that breaks the streak.
All you can do with those data issues/lack of connectivity is to start tracing various circuits, looking for damaged/chewed/loose/burned/etc. connections or wires. A shop manual may be helpful, since it will outline the diagnostic matrix that the dealer would use to trouble shoot the various issues.
If you read more about the BCM fix, you'll understand why this happens. The circuit is more complex than a switch and a motor.
12 Second Club
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Bucks County, Pa.
I have a ways to go to catch you though with only 160K on the clock ("barely broken in", as they say).
