dash lights are flickering and gauges going crazy....
05-23-2008, 04:13 PM
#1
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dash lights are flickering and gauges going crazy.... Would a loose/bad ground cause the problem in the title?....anyone have a similiar experience/problem and how did you fix it?....
05-23-2008, 05:09 PM
#2
Almost the exact same thing happened to me and I was originally thinking it was the PCM or a ground. Went to go loosen the battery terminals and the positive post on it just came off. My symtoms were that the gauges and lights would flicker erracticly when I put the car in the ON position, but would go dead trying to start it. I noticed that with the car in ACC that when I stepped on the brakes it would kill power in the entire car and the stereo would barely work too. Had me worried as hell in not such a great section of town. If it a bad ground start by checking ALL of the fuses which would give you the direction to go in. The battery thing may not be your same problem but just sharing from experience. If there is any corrosion near the battery at all, get rid of it. The corrosion, not the car
Last edited by DVS99TRANS; 05-23-2008 at 05:11 PM. Reason: oops
05-23-2008, 08:25 PM
#4
Brake lites require a lot of current and just as much ground to make a complete circuit. With a loose BATT terminal there isn't much power left over for other items. People who live in states that support the 2nd amendment to the Constitution of the United States don't worry(as did DVS99TRANS) when they cross the railroad tracks to the "not such a great section of town". They take comfort in the knowledge that their two friends Smith & Wesson are only inches away should the boogie man come to call. Southern man can't see the attraction above the Mason/Dixon.
05-24-2008, 11:09 AM
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...uh..ok...I support the 2nd amendment (God bless Charlton Heston) and own a custom PWalther/S&W semi-auto.... but thats a little off topic...let's try to get back on point...
The battery terminals are tight, no bad fuses, ground connections are good( 1 behind each head, 2 on driver side block from battery& harness) ...are there any more?
The problem is still occuring intermittantly...everything is fine one minute , and then things just goes haywire ...gauges, dashlights, security warnings, etc...including the transmission electronic shift which really affects drivability...any other ideas?
The battery terminals are tight, no bad fuses, ground connections are good( 1 behind each head, 2 on driver side block from battery& harness) ...are there any more?
The problem is still occuring intermittantly...everything is fine one minute , and then things just goes haywire ...gauges, dashlights, security warnings, etc...including the transmission electronic shift which really affects drivability...any other ideas?
05-24-2008, 01:18 PM
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What are you doing when it happens? Is your battery straped down? I've seen occasions where the battery wasnt tightened properly (loose) and on acceleration the batery would tip back and the positive terminal would arc on the AC can causing the same exact problem.
EDIT:
there's another ground, it attatches to the passenger side of the block, right next to the dip stick. I believe it comes from the battery aswell..
I dunno what year your car is, maybe you don't have that one. I only have one on the driver side of the block and none on my passenger side head. Two on my driverside head though.
I think all the camaros have the ground next to the dip stick though.
Also, look around anywhere the positive cables come close to the frame. Could have a nick or a slice in the cable and when the car hits the right angle or position it could be shorting on the frame, K member, etc... Maybe wrap the positive cables where they're close to anything that could possibly ground them.
EDIT:
there's another ground, it attatches to the passenger side of the block, right next to the dip stick. I believe it comes from the battery aswell..
I dunno what year your car is, maybe you don't have that one. I only have one on the driver side of the block and none on my passenger side head. Two on my driverside head though.
I think all the camaros have the ground next to the dip stick though.
Also, look around anywhere the positive cables come close to the frame. Could have a nick or a slice in the cable and when the car hits the right angle or position it could be shorting on the frame, K member, etc... Maybe wrap the positive cables where they're close to anything that could possibly ground them.
Last edited by jermzz; 05-24-2008 at 01:25 PM.
05-24-2008, 01:44 PM
#7
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...it happens when both sitting still and moving...but interesting on the battery tipping scenario....good stuff to think about... I'll check the harness end-to-end and look for anything out of the ordinary....
Anybody know if an arc from the coils/spark plugs can cause something like this?....
Anybody know if an arc from the coils/spark plugs can cause something like this?....
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05-24-2008, 05:39 PM
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...this is strange, after starting the engine, and then turning off (with the ignition turned off and key out)...the electric fan is still running (?), and the security light is flashing...there's an audiable clicking sound (not the blinker)....both signal lights on dash are on steady(?). The only way I could get it to stop was to disconnect the battery...what was that?..
02-07-2015, 11:57 AM
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Has this been answered? Has this issue ever been resolved? I am experiencing issues like this - dash lights and gauges just go crazy, brakes or trans pulses so it is difficult to drive. This comes and goes and can't find and rhyme or reason. Radio sometimes freaks out as well - will shut off then on - not sure if it is all related.
2000 Camaro SS
2000 Camaro SS
09-01-2016, 11:56 AM
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Not correct Brake lites require a lot of current and just as much ground to make a complete circuit. With a loose BATT terminal there isn't much power left over for other items. People who live in states that support the 2nd amendment to the Constitution of the United States don't worry(as did DVS99TRANS) when they cross the railroad tracks to the "not such a great section of town". They take comfort in the knowledge that their two friends Smith & Wesson are only inches away should the boogie man come to call. Southern man can't see the attraction above the Mason/Dixon.
