Weird Electrical Problem??
Weird Electrical Problem?? Ok so I have had this problem for a few days and now it got worse.
The problem
I start the car and the gauges do the full sweep like they are reseting. Then it got worse. The first time i turned the key and the seat belt warning was ringing really whacked out, then the lights in the car would all turn off if i turned the key to the start position. So i messed around with it turning it on and off a few times and all of a sudden it started up. So i figured eh what ever so i just kept driving it. Then a few days later (tonight) i walk up to my car to start it up and it does the same thing but this time it is worse nothing will turn on. I reached for the hood pop and accidentally hit the horn and i noticed it sounded really weak so i got a jumper pack and jumped it. It starts right up so i drive it home straight home. On the way i turn on the heater and the gauges reset a few times with all the warning lights on the dash turned on and the headlights also dimmed.
The weird part
So i get it home and i leave it running and i hook a multimeter up to the power dist box. I am getting 14.2 volts straight from the Alternator. It seems like it might be a bad battery but what is making me wonder is why my battery is gone bad its only a year old???? Oh also i noticed the EGR air pump is running constantly and i dont think it did that before since i deleted the egr.
Sorry for the long post let me know
The problem
I start the car and the gauges do the full sweep like they are reseting. Then it got worse. The first time i turned the key and the seat belt warning was ringing really whacked out, then the lights in the car would all turn off if i turned the key to the start position. So i messed around with it turning it on and off a few times and all of a sudden it started up. So i figured eh what ever so i just kept driving it. Then a few days later (tonight) i walk up to my car to start it up and it does the same thing but this time it is worse nothing will turn on. I reached for the hood pop and accidentally hit the horn and i noticed it sounded really weak so i got a jumper pack and jumped it. It starts right up so i drive it home straight home. On the way i turn on the heater and the gauges reset a few times with all the warning lights on the dash turned on and the headlights also dimmed.
The weird part
So i get it home and i leave it running and i hook a multimeter up to the power dist box. I am getting 14.2 volts straight from the Alternator. It seems like it might be a bad battery but what is making me wonder is why my battery is gone bad its only a year old???? Oh also i noticed the EGR air pump is running constantly and i dont think it did that before since i deleted the egr.
Sorry for the long post let me know
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,399
Likes: 3
From: Jacksonville, FL
I'd make sure the battery terminals are clean and tight. Did you test the battery voltage with it disconnected? I had a battery go bad within 24 months before, most have a 36 month free replacement warranty - bring it back and have it load tested. Guage sweep/resetting of the trip odo on the '99 cars is usually caused by low battery voltage.
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: West Lafayette/Munster IN
i have the problem with the gauges as well. they reset everytime i start the car. (which there is no problem with) battery reads 13.5 volts idle and 12.5 car turned off seems normal i checked the grounds and the seem ok. a short somewhere?
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 189
Likes: 0
From: Rochester, NY
I'm having the same thing too. I think it's the battery though because the original batter I had in there (and didn't have this problem) completely died from being stored for the winter and continuously jumping the car after it first died. I put a regular battery that was originally in my Silverado in there, and it's been doing it ever since. I have the warranty on the battery. I may take it back and get a better one.
