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Pontiac Grand Prix Electrical/Lighting

226 messages,  Last post on May 07, 2013 at 3:40 PM

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What is this discussion about? Pontiac Grand Prix, Lights, Electrical, Sedan

Messages Page 8 of 23

#68 of 226 Accessory power not turning off. by smokified

Oct 25, 2007 (3:34 pm)

Normally when one opens the door after the car has been shut off, the accessories (ie the radio) should power off.
 
In my case this does not always happen. I can open the door and the radio will stay on, I can leave it for 10 minutes, up to hours, and it will not power off the radio. I have noticed that if I slam the door or hood that it will power off sometimes. To make the situation even more strange sometimes if I do get it to power off the accessories THEY WILL COME BACK ON in a minute or 2 which is bad because if it happens when I do not notice it I am stuck needing a jump.
 
The car is registering that the doors are opening and closing because the dome lights respond normally. This is just a situation where the accessory power is not being turned off.
 
Is there a relay switch that is involved here? To me it seems as though there may be a relay sticking or something. I am extremely technical and mechanical so please feel free to share any knowledge of this situation you may have no matter how technical it may be.
 
Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

#69 of 226 Change Oik Soon Light On Dash by compton6974

Oct 30, 2007 (4:25 pm)

Can anybody tell me how to reset that switch??? Should be in the owners manual, but mine didnt come with one !! Thanks its for a 97 Grand Prix SE

#70 of 226 Re: Change Oik Soon Light On Dash [compton6974] by cowboypinky

Oct 31, 2007 (11:43 am)

Replying to: compton6974 (Oct 30, 2007 4:25 pm)
Press the mode button on your "information center" until it displays oil life. Then press and hold the reset button about 5 seconds. It should return to 100%

#71 of 226 Re: lights/heat/ac/fan ?? random on/off [shldbiafrd] by cowboypinky

Oct 31, 2007 (12:16 pm)

Replying to: shldbiafrd (Oct 21, 2007 9:28 am)
I have a 97 GT with 188,000 miles and have just installed my third alternator. First, it is my personal opinion that the electronics in this car are a bloody nightmare! Now that thats out of my system, here are the electrical things I have seen go wrong, and how they were fixed:
Noise in anti lock brakes on first press of the pedal soon after startup - fix: Replace/recharge battery
Rear speakers "Popping" - Fix: Replace/recharge battery
Random lights going out in the HVAC panel - Fix: lightly slam the temperature dial to the cold side repeadly until they come back on.
Rear windows randomly work/stop working - Fix: move passenger
Radio sending cryptic jibbrish on the display - Fix: Replace/recharge battery
Fan not working on levels 1-4, but working on 5 - Fix: Replace Diode behind the glove box near the fan.
Information center turning off when fan is used on levels 1-4 - Fix: Replace/recharge battery
Steering wheel lights stopped working - Fix: Replace/recharge battery
 
Moral of the story here is that most of the electrical problems were remedied by either replacing or recharging the battery.
 
The best electrical issue: I placed my aftermarket XM antenna on the trunk lid. When I drove under a certain high voltage power transmission line, the ABS, Brake, and Low Tire Pressure lights would come on and I would loose some (not all) of the power steering. I moved the antenna up between the windshield and the sun roof and the problem left.
The second best, Replaced broken factory fog lights with aftermarket lights. Replaced butt connectors on the aftermarket lights with the mate to the factory plug. When turned on, the fog lights worked on dim headlights, but not brights - normal right. However, when you have the fog lights off, switch the headlights to bright, turn the fog lights on, then switch the headlights from bright to dim then back to bright, the fog lights stay on...fishy!
 
Final thought: This has been a great car for the 120,000miles that I have owned it, but whomever designed the electrical system either deserves a medal or a kick in the nuts.

#72 of 226 Re: Unable to shift into Park [kpg102] by cowboypinky

Oct 31, 2007 (12:41 pm)

Replying to: kpg102 (Jan 19, 2006 10:12 am)
I had a very similar issue twice.
 
The first time was a couple years ago. The problem was that the gearshift would not go into park and the key would not come out of the ignition. I got so frustrated that I slammed my hand straight down on the gearshift and it worked again. Aparently, with age, the knob/park sensor will slide up the post if you grip it the wrong way to shift out of park. Basically, your Park release sensor doesn't connect, so it won't let the car come out of park if it is in, or go back into park if it is out. Normally this happens when taking the gearshift out of park while in a hurry. I played with it after that and found that if you wiggle the knob and apply some upward force, you can raise the knob up. Only go about half an inch or so, but then use the palm of your hand to kind of slap the knob back down. Don't use too much force, but you should hear it make a "thunk" sound. Then try to put it back in park.
 
Lifting up slightly on the gearshift and leaving it this way is also a great way to mess with the wife's head.
 
The other time I had this problem was when my alternator went out the other day and so the battery went dead and left me stranded. Aparently this Park sensor is electrical not mechanical because there was not enough voltage for the car to acknowledge that the shifter was in park and therefore, I couldn't remove the key. The bigger problem was that there was also not enough voltage to release the trunk lid remotely to get the jumper cables.
 
I couldn't get the key out to get the trunk open to get the jumper cables out to jump the car to get the park sensor to acknowledge that the car was indeed in park to get the key out to unlock the trunk manually.... You understand my frustration!

#73 of 226 Re: All these problems, now I'm stumped! [thirteen] by cowboypinky

Oct 31, 2007 (12:58 pm)

Replying to: thirteen (May 11, 2006 7:45 pm)
97 GT Sedan 188,000 miles. I've got a list of different ones, I'm sure it would be entertaining to compare. I might be able to shed some light on your issue. The GP has an idiot sensor that if you leave a dome light or some other accessory on, then after about 15 min or so, the car kills ALL power to the car. Power stays off until you find the pesky item that was left on and turn it off. I got in my car one day during a snowstorm and found everything dead. I jumped the battery... still nothing. Finally I called 1800PONTIAC and their dimwit operator said to look for a switch that was left on. After nearly an hour of poking and freezing I found that someone had left the rear seat reading light on. Turned it off and the car lit up like a Christmas tree. That problem sounds very similar, however deeper than just a accessory on somewhere.
I also have a 98 CHevy K2500 Pickup. The security light on the dash would go on and off intermittantly and then got progressively worse to where the truck would be dead when the ignition was turned on. Took it to the dealership and they replaced the relay that controls that security function and the problem disappeared. The difference there though was that I had interior lights, just dead to start...different vehicle though.
One thing I found to work on the truck was that while the starting function was "dead", I could pull the security fuse and the truck would start and immediately die (this is what it was supposed to do). When I put the fuse back in, the starting function was dead again.
 
Hope any of this helps.

#74 of 226 Re: HUD [erichthecatt] by cowboypinky

Oct 31, 2007 (1:08 pm)

Replying to: erichthecatt (Apr 03, 2006 6:24 am)
Is your car older? My 97 HUD image will also vibrate. The projector is located in that "pod" above your instrument gages and the mounting has worked loose. It is a simple mechanical fix. Open up that pod and tighten the mounts...easier said than done right!

#75 of 226 Passanger side lights and heater a/c not working! by l0l061

Nov 03, 2007 (3:13 pm)

I have a 2002 GP and for several months (basically all summer) my heater a/c has not worked. When it first stopped working it would only work on 5 then that stopped and sometimes would come on, now it does not work at all. Sometimes I can hear a fan or something coming on but nothing blows. Around the time it stopped working on 5 my passenger side headlight went out. I replaced it and it worked for about a month then it went out again and with it the passenger fog light also. I have replaced them and they still do not work. Also sometime the sunroof will short out when opening or closing and I will keep having to push the button to get it to open/close. Sooo I don't know if anyone knows if these things are all connected or if my whole electrical system is going. I haven't had any other issues then that I just don't want to go to the dealership with "I don't know what's wrong" and have them do a bunch of crap just so they can charge me like crazy. Any help would be appreciated. Also I have checked all fuses in the car and under the hood. Thanks!

#76 of 226 NEED HELP!!! A/C blower & head lights by blown342

Nov 09, 2007 (7:15 pm)

I have a 2002 pontiac grand prix se 3.1L and i'm having a problem with the A/C blower fan. If I turn the fan switch to settings 1-4 the blower fan will not run and the head lights will go out and if I turn the fan switch to 5 the blower fan and head lights will come on. I have already installed a new fan resistor.
 
can someone please help me thanks,
Travis Ragans

#77 of 226 Re: NEED HELP!!! A/C blower & head lights [blown342] by sraby

Nov 12, 2007 (8:50 am)

Replying to: blown342 (Nov 09, 2007 7:15 pm)
I too am having a problem similar to that which you described, and have changed the resistor, what a pain in the butt. I came across the following information on another forum, in which the individual describes this problem to a tee... I'll be purchasing the wiring harness descibed below today, hope this helps you. Stan
 
fraubayer04-16-2007, 12:27 AM
  
Grand Prix GT 2001. AC/Heater fan not working. Replaced the fan blower resistor, didn't fix the problem. Also, when NOT working, if i turn to the fan switch to speeds 1-5 my headlights/daytime running lamps go out along with the fan not responding. Please help! Also, after I got my car back from the shop, the alarm has gone off twice in the past two days for no reason at all. Could that be related to the problem???
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
richtazz04-16-2007, 07:05 AM
Sounds like a faulty ignition switch/harness assembly. The contacts get weak and start arcing, causing all kinds of electrical gremlins. Refer to the tips and maintenance section for detailed proceedure. here's the link for convenience.
 
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=653340

Messages Page 8 of 23

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