Odd electircal issues, advice??

[river]

Here's the situation;

After about 7 months of my car sitting I decided it was time to work on it and get it running again. I finally got the motor work done and it was time to fire it up, so I try to start it and find out the battery is dead. I threw the battery on a charger and fully charged it. Put it back in the car and started the car up, runs like a champ. I shut the car off and went to get out of the car and the seatbelt wouldnt come forward to let me out. I turned the ignition on and the seatbelt did not come forward. I started the car and the seatbelt did come forward. So this made me wonder what else was acting funky...here's what I got happening....

Car shut off, ignition off....
-Door locks don't work simultaneously as they should

Car shut off, ignition on....
Dash lights illuminate
Headlights do not move from the off position, to on position
windows wont roll up or down
open door buzzer does not come on
interior lights will not turn on
seatbelts will not move forward or backward upon door opening/closing
etc, etc

Car running, ignition on (obviously)
all systems function properly

Another odd issue is the stereo will reset itself while driving. It will be on playing music, then shut off quickly, then turn back on.

I think it's most likely a relay somewhere, but have no idea what one. Please help!

 

[deerhunter0881]

I really don't know much about electrical, but I know some people around you want too start a car club, maybe one of them can help you. good luck
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/anchorage-area-dsm-forum/346502-wheres-all-alaskan-dsms.html

 

[JStoops]

Check your voltage coming from the alt

 

[river]

voltage coming from the alternator has no effect on my issues. my issues happen when the car is powered off.

 

[Blak Pearl]

Have you messed with anything under the dash lately? It can't be the ecu because all that stuff works off the battery. Sometimes if another ground is needed it will short stuff out because I had this problem with my gauge cluster and other lights not working properly, and adding a ground fixed it.

 

[JStoops]

"Headlights do not move from the off position, to on position
windows wont roll up or down
open door buzzer does not come on
interior lights will not turn on
seatbelts will not move forward or backward upon door opening/closing"

Sounds like an alt issue. But hey ask for help then reject it...

 

[river]

"Headlights do not move from the off position, to on position
windows wont roll up or down
open door buzzer does not come on
interior lights will not turn on
seatbelts will not move forward or backward upon door opening/closing"

Sounds like an alt issue. But hey ask for help then reject it...

I agree with you, but I think you missed the point that all of this is happening with the car not running, key in the "on" position. The alternator should have no effect on how components work when the car isn't running.

Everything functions fine when the car is running.

Shut the car off, return key to "on" position (without cranking) and nothing electrical works except the warning lights on the dash.

 

[Bud92gsx]

....Theres gotta be a loose ground there in the dash or fuse panal..Start with that..Always a good idea to check fuses while your there..
My alt went out like a month ago, but I had dash lights..Dome lights were really dim..So it's probly not that
I had a stranger thing happen like a week after..I drive to work park, car off.came out for break an hour an a half later everything working fine..Lunch got bored put in a radio, car now off, cranked fined..After work, Completly dead, had to get jump..Drove home fine everything tip top..Let idle for cooldown shut off car...Cranked right back up..Came out next day cranked right up went to work. Came out for break Dead again, got jump again..Drove home fine, fired right back up..

I got smarter after that, put jumper cables in car and jumper pack, and that smart little car hasn't had a problem since..It's been over a month now..

 

[river]

61 views and no viable advice?

wher'd all the real DSM'rs go who were on here back in the day who answered technical stuff like this?

 

[steve]

The alternator fuse also bridges part of the electrical system.
The defogger, automatic seat belts, pop-up motor, power windows, condensor fan, AC clutch, door lock relay, heater, stop lights, internal lights, radio, TCU and so on don't actually have a connection to the battery except through the alternator fuse. Once the car is running and the alternator providing voltage these work.

Start by measuring it and then if you still have a problem you'll have to take the wiring diagram and identify what common to all the systems that aren't working and find where they branch from those that do.

 

[river]

Good deal, thanks for the help Steve. I'll check it out as soon as I get home and post up my results.

 

[steve]

Also check the #9 ground that attached to the sheetmetal below the liftgate latch in the hatch.

 

[GooeyGus]

I had the EXACT same issue and a new alternator fuse fixed me right up. My problem would come and go randomly, but I found that when the problem was occuring, the battery would not charge even though the alternator was working fine. My alt fuse was all melted and in need of replacement anyway, so I swapped it out and haven't had a problem since! Hope that helps you out a bit.

 

[river]

RESOLVED guys! It was the alternator fuse. Thank you very much!!