Electrical Issue in my 89 Riviera

[luvmy89riv]

I have an electrical demon possessing my 89 Riv1. I can drive the car all day and then sometimes the next day it will start just fine or the battery will be completely dead. I have had to connect a trickle charger to it to be sure it will start the next day. I recently noticed one night in the dark garage, I saw a very dim glow to the dash inside. I mean the garage was dark and it was barely visible to see the buttons for the lights and windshield wipers had a low glow to them. Can't remember now exactly, but either when I opened the car door or pushed the LIGHTS OFF button, then they were completely out. This may be the entire reason or not. IDK Even after making sure the lights were out at night, the next day the battery was still dead. Any ideas from anybody out there?

HELP!
Thanks,
Ray

[buik]

Hi I have a 1964 riviera with a 425 motor and everytime I turn it on the AMP light turns on I have no idea what makes it turn on does anyone know Plz reply to Albertsalmeron@ymail.com
Thanks

[Rivieraman]

Ray

your going to have to put a meter on the car and start pulling fuses and see when it drops. Could be a few different things mine. The lights for the wipers and headlights switch has it own power supply

[luvmy89riv]

I have had the car at the best auto electrical shop in Wichita, Kansas called Central Auto Electric. For 3 months, they have been stumped. Then again, I am not sure how good they really are. They have checked all fuses and power draws from all over the car. I will mention it to them about the wipers and headlights hiving their own power supply. Any chance you or anybody out there have an electrical diagram for the 89 Riv? Or is it all in the Service manual? I have the manual. Other than this electrical issue, this car is SWEET! I have owned it since 1989 and babied it for 22 years. This car looks like i t came off the showroom floor and everything else works perfectly except for this electrical issue. It is killing me.

Thanks,
Ray

2 X 1989 Riviera Arctic White (Twins)

[63viking]

My Reatta "HAD" the same problem. And for the last four months I have been searching for it. Only last week I discovered the problem. A badf cell in my battery. I pulled the battery out and put it a battery minder until the tester read 13.0 volts. I then placed my meter across it and then a small test light and watched the voltage drop. I replaced the battery and all is well.

[Rivieraman]

Ray,

I hope that all you have to do is replace the battery like john did. For my 89 Riviera that did the same thing i found the molding around the windshield was leakingand water got in the overhead consolel where the power sunroof switch and map lights is and there was a short i unpluged all that and the drain on the battery stopped. mine had 153,000 miles and was a daily driver hope this helps.

[luvmy89riv]

I have replaced the battery twice now. I wish it would have been that simple.
@Nathaniel - Nice find on that leak. Which 89 Riviera did happen in? The Blue or the white?

[padgett]

OK first need to put an ammeter in series with the battery that can read milliamps. Best to also use a jumper wire because when a battery is disconnected, things happen for a few minutes.

Once quiecent the steady state current draw should be less than 50ma (more like 20). It would take more like 300-500 ma to drain a battery overnight so difference should be obvious.

Other possibility is a bad ground or cabling issue. When ded the next moring is it completely ded or just mostly ded ? What is the voltage reading at the battery terminals ?

Or if everything else is normal but won't crank, it might be a ded ign switch or starter.

Need more information.

[luvmy89riv]

@ Nathaniel - do you or anyone here know where the power supply is and/or how it works that goes to the lights and wipers switches? Is there anything else in that same power supply?
What are all the fuses in front of the air filter for? Any chance there could be my power drain in there? Bad fuse?

Thanks for any help here.

[luvmy89riv]

padgett - sorry. the next day, sometimes the lights are very dim and not enough power to crank it up to start. Sometimes not enough power to even light the interior lights. I am trying to pass the info onto the electrical shop where the car is again for the last month. Does anybody know of a good electrical technician that might be able to help located near Wichita, Kansas?

[Rivieraman]

Sorry i have been busy and not on line. The power supply is in the back of the dash not fun to get at. Not sure if anything else is on that both of mine work fine. I dont think that is your problem. Have you put the tester on and pull one fuse at a time (under the hood) have to say it is a ground wire bad somewhere. mine did the same thing.