97 TA electrical problem:
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: Albuquerque, NM
97 TA electrical problem: Symptoms:
Parked the car one night, would not start the next morning. When the key is put into the ignition, the car gets a very weak electric signal, interior lights come on, but very dim, weak dings from dashboard etc. If the key is rotated forward all electric power to the car is killed, no dash lights, nothing. If the key is rotated backwards (it actually cannot rotate back, but if you push the key back against the off stop) the power signal is strong and normal, interior lights and dash lights are normal. The second the key moves forward poer is again killed.
checked:
Battery is strong. Replaced the ignition switch on top of the steering column. Checked the connector going into ignition switch, looks fine with virtually no burning/scorching on the contacts. After replacement, the symptoms are identical with no change in the least.
battery cabels look ok, im not real sure what else to check. Judging from symptoms it would seem its something in the column(mainly that when the key is pushed backward the power is normal), is there something else inside the column that needs to be checked before i put all the the wires and panels back in place/while i have easy access?
Parked the car one night, would not start the next morning. When the key is put into the ignition, the car gets a very weak electric signal, interior lights come on, but very dim, weak dings from dashboard etc. If the key is rotated forward all electric power to the car is killed, no dash lights, nothing. If the key is rotated backwards (it actually cannot rotate back, but if you push the key back against the off stop) the power signal is strong and normal, interior lights and dash lights are normal. The second the key moves forward poer is again killed.
checked:
Battery is strong. Replaced the ignition switch on top of the steering column. Checked the connector going into ignition switch, looks fine with virtually no burning/scorching on the contacts. After replacement, the symptoms are identical with no change in the least.
battery cabels look ok, im not real sure what else to check. Judging from symptoms it would seem its something in the column(mainly that when the key is pushed backward the power is normal), is there something else inside the column that needs to be checked before i put all the the wires and panels back in place/while i have easy access?
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,452
Likes: 3
From: somewhere that doesn't get snow
don't flame me for asking this, but are your battery cables tight on the battery? i only ask because my car did something similar once where it acted like the battery wasn't charging and when i went to start the car all the lights and everything went out. turned out to be a loose ground cable on my battery. i know you said the cables look ok but i did the same thing, looked at the cables and didn't see any damage (other than a repair i have on one of them after the serp belt cut it because a shop misrouted it) and thought they were ok and didn't bother checking to see if they were tight.
When you replaced the switch did you accidentally move something else?? Well if the battery, cables, and fuses are good then all I could think of would be something in your column(like your VATS)
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: Albuquerque, NM
I will double check the battery cables again, just to be sure, could be something that simple.
The dash is still mostly apart, ill recheck the other wires underneath there, but it was all relatively straight forward. Ill make sure i didn't jar something else loose, but the symptoms did not change at all with the new switch, everything is identical.
Is there some special adjustment method for the ignition switch? When replacing it it was quite simple, keeping it in the lock position and not moving the key cylinder, turning the key forward moves the switch properly though all of the switch points, just the power isnt transferring somewhere down the line. The more i think about it the more it sounds like a bad ground, off to wiggle some cables! LOL!
The dash is still mostly apart, ill recheck the other wires underneath there, but it was all relatively straight forward. Ill make sure i didn't jar something else loose, but the symptoms did not change at all with the new switch, everything is identical.
Is there some special adjustment method for the ignition switch? When replacing it it was quite simple, keeping it in the lock position and not moving the key cylinder, turning the key forward moves the switch properly though all of the switch points, just the power isnt transferring somewhere down the line. The more i think about it the more it sounds like a bad ground, off to wiggle some cables! LOL!
