90 Reatta intermittant 00 Error

[Guest EFCrabill]

I'm experiencing the "00 Error" on my 1990 Reatta, but it usually goes away after about 10 minutes of driving (usually, but not always). I can't go into diagnostics mode.

Just prior to the problem, the car had been sitting idle in my garage for 2 weeks while I was out of town (during big heat wave, so it was hot in the garage). Just prior to that, I had the A/C repaired (new compressor).

Any idea why the problem sometimes goes away after a few minutes of driving? Could the hot garage have affected something?

Thanks for any tips!

[Ronnie]

The dashboard goes dark and Speedometer shows 00 and the word ERROR comes on. The orange idiot light also comes on showing "Electrical Problem". This is a common problem that is usually caused by one of three things: A bad connection at the dash, a bad key switch, or a bad dash unit.

First clean the key and spray some cleaner in the switch. Try another ignition key. If that did not fix it, pull the dash unit and make sure all of the contacts on the back of the dash unit were tight and clean.

If that fails use the Field Service Manual to troubleshoot the problem further or send in the unit for repair or buy a new rebuilt one. Jim Finn is a great source for used Reatta Parts. He is well respected on the AACA Reatta Forum. He can be reached at: jfinn@cpinternet.com

Steveskyhawk, another member of this forum, is also a good source for the panels. email: steveskyhawk@prodigy.net

You also might find this useful:

Digital Dash Panel/IPC Removal - '90 & '91 Models*-*ReattaOwner.com

Edited August 18, 2011 by Ronnie (see edit history)

[Jim]

Ronnie,

Thank you for the nice comments.

From my experience the instrument panel cluster ( IPC ) is the most common part to go bad in the '90-91 Reattas. When they go bad they will either be black all the time and read ERROR and 00 or do this intermittently.

I do have a tested good one available and can be reached at jfinn@cpinternet.com

[padgett]

Sounds like a bad solder joint - after a few minutes the board heats up, the joint expands, and it makes contact.

[NCReatta]

00 Error is the most common failure of the IPC. Second most common is the scenario where all the digital stuff is black, and all the idiot lights at the bottom light up.

Chances are you have a bad dash panel. While it won't hurt to do the stuff Ronnie has mentioned, you'll probably just end up getting a new dash panel.

If you decide to pass on Jim's panel (probably the best deal out there), I've got a tested unit with a refundable core charge.

Good luck and welcome to the forum!

[Guest steveskyhawk]

Jim is correct. The Instrument Panel Cluster in a 90-91 Reatta is a problematic component. The only good thing I have noticed about this problem is that replacing the cluster with a known working cluster has ALWAYS fixed the problem. Other components are not involved in this fault. Ronnie makes a good point also. Prior to any surgery make sure all the basics, wire connections, grounds, vats resistor etc are eliminated as a source of the problem.

[Ronnie]

Sorry Marck that I failed to include you as a supplier of the IPCs. Will do better in the future.

[Guest Kitskaboodle]

I totally agree with all your comments above.

Mine would display the 00 error code but in addition the whole screen would go blank and then come back intermittenly. Replacing it from a Riv in a PickNPull solved the problem.

A word of advice though:

When you get a replacement IPC make sure that you press the rectangular button on the far lower left that so that you can verify that ALL the orange lights come on! One of mine was burned out so I ended up having to disassemble the whole thing and solder in a bulb from another IPC.

Kit

[Guest steveskyhawk]

I wish the twilight sentinel "headlights suggested" bulb would burn out in my car. That twilight sentinel is the most useless feature they ever put on a car. Seems to me that if you cant tell that it is dark out, shouldn't you be on the city bus?

[NCReatta]

I wish the twilight sentinel "headlights suggested" bulb would burn out in my car. That twilight sentinel is the most useless feature they ever put on a car. Seems to me that if you cant tell that it is dark out, shouldn't you be on the city bus?

Agreed. When The Headlights Suggested light comes on in one of my cars, I start to freak out because I think that something is deathly wrong with my car... but then I read it, and it's just telling me that it's dark outside..:mad:

What's really bad is that it does it in long patches of shade on the road.. :confused:

[Guest EFCrabill]

Thanks for all the advice guys!

Today I was able to access diagnostics, while the dash was operating normally, and saw diagnostic code B336 H (Loss of IPC data). Does that mean the problem is more likely a bad connection, rather than bad IPC?

Thanks again!

[Jim]

It does sound like the IPC itself rather than something else.

Regarding the 8 small bulbs I also, after testing an IPC for at least a week in my personal car, check to make sure all the small 12 warning bulbs are good. If not, I bought 24 new ones and replace them as necessary.

[Guest blue72beetle]

Agreed. When The Headlights Suggested light comes on in one of my cars, I start to freak out because I think that something is deathly wrong with my car... but then I read it, and it's just telling me that it's dark outside..:mad:

What's really bad is that it does it in long patches of shade on the road.. :confused:

Before I learned what that feature did, I thought something was wrong with my panel dimmer.

[harry yarnell]

I think the 'HEADLIGHTS SUGGESTED' warning is a great idea.

How many times do you see an absent-minded driver at night driving without headlights? Plenty.

[Ronnie]

I would like to see a "DIM LIGHTS SUGGESTED" warning for those idiots who don't know they should dim their lights when a car is coming toward them.

[wws944]

I would like to see a "DIM LIGHTS SUGGESTED" warning for those idiots who don't know they should dim their lights when a car is coming toward them.

Or maybe just "DIM BULB!".

[Jim]

Or maybe just "DIM BULB!".

Thats funny. After reading Ronnies comment but before reading yours, I thought the exact same thing.

[Guest steveskyhawk]

I wear sunglasses at night.

[Booreatta]

I agree with all you guys about the headlights suggested light. It seems like mine always comes on way to early, Its still daylight and the light come on, Its lilke a wife, always reminding me of something, and I always thought I was perfect......OH well

Chuck

[padgett]

Cadillacs in the 50's and 60's used to have an automatic dimmer that sat on top of the dash pad.

Rather than the "headlamps suggested" why not just turn the fog lights on. Taillights come on also but do not take the mpg hit with the headlamps up. Unfortunately the warning comes on even if the fog lights are on.

[NCReatta]

Rather than the "headlamps suggested" why not just turn the fog lights on. Taillights come on also but do not take the mpg hit with the headlamps up. Unfortunately the warning comes on even if the fog lights are on.

That's the kicker for me. That's how I drive my cars (with the fogs on). I like the look better that way. But when I have them on, it still wants me to turn on the dang headlights..

Oh well. just one of my pet-peevs I suppose..

[Booreatta]

Is it legal to drive at night with just the fog lights on, or do you have to use the headlights? Im sure that all states are different

Chuck Kerls

[padgett]

Trouble is the "headlights suggested" is liable to come on when under some trees.

[NCReatta]

Is it legal to drive at night with just the fog lights on, or do you have to use the headlights? Im sure that all states are different

Chuck Kerls

When it's twilight, I drive with the fogs, but as it gets a little darker, I turn on my headlights.

It's a Law in NC that if you have your windshield wipers on, that you must have your headlights on too. If it's just a light shower, I go with the fogs, but in a good shower or downpour, I go with the headlights.

[Guest spiering.lucas]

I drive with my foglights on all the time. The nice thing about it is that the foglights turn on and off with the ignition. I also have H.I.D. upgrades in my foglights. They are bright enough that I could in fact drive at night with only my foglights on and no one would be the wiser. They are brighter then my headlights. Just for a suggestion also for anyone thinking about doing any H.I.D. upgrades. I would not use them in the headlights of the reatta. The headlights motor relays use the resistance in the bulb filaments to tell the headlights to go down after they have been shut off. In turn the headlights will come on and pop up but once shut off they won't shut and you are left with a constantly clicking relay until it is unplugged. after that the headlights must be manual rolled down. It is more trouble then it is worth. Back on the subject of the twilight sensor. I think it is ridiculous, and annoying. If gm could make a car with a completely touch screen dash why couldn't they make a twilight sensor that was at the right sensitivity to detect complete darkness. Secondly instead of making that sensor trigger a light to come on the dash why not make the sensor just turn on the bloody headlights.? Just have the headlights have three options. On. Off. and Auto. Like all of today's modern automobiles.... seriously haha. O well I still love my reatta.

[Rawja]

The headlights motor relays use the resistance in the bulb filaments to tell the headlights to go down after they have been shut off. In turn the headlights will come on and pop up but once shut off they won't shut and you are left with a constantly clicking relay until it is unplugged. after that the headlights must be manual rolled down. It is more trouble then it is worth.

Errrr I have HIDs installed as my headlights and they work exactly as the old halogens did. Your sequence of operation doesn't make sense to me. If the headlights were set up as you state what would happen if the lamp(s) were burned out? The operation of the bulbs themselves have nothing to do with the operation of the motors.

[padgett]

Do believe it is the current in the headlamp motors that is sensed to know when to stop. OTOH the headlight will not go down if the headlight is unplugged, this may be to tell the driver there is a problem.

[Guest spiering.lucas]

Do believe it is the current in the headlamp motors that is sensed to know when to stop. OTOH the headlight will not go down if the headlight is unplugged, this may be to tell the driver there is a problem.

Same case scenario. ^^^^

There are many factors that go into this also. The type of H.I.D.'s you have, and possibly the year of your reatta. 88 and 89 have a second circuit I believe for the headlight motors. Don't quote me because I am not certain. This would make sense if they did though since on the 88 and 89 you have a separate switch to have the headlights up or down without actually haveing the lights turn and and off.

As far as the different types of H.I.D.'s. There are 12v output and 120v output systems. Also high beam low beam setups are different. The setup I used on mine with this issue were the less expensive lower quality 12v with an H.I.D. low beam and a standard halogen high-beam. As far as the sequence of events its just as I said before. Turn them on headlights pop up and work fine. Turn them off the headlights turn off but they stay up. Followed by the headlight relay clicking continuously until unplugged. There was nothing wrong with my headlights before this upgrade and there is no way you can mess up a plug and play application.

SOooooo to solve this problem since the high-beams were halogens and low-beams the H.I.D.'s I simply switched the two wires in the wiring harness. Problem solved. Now low-beams were halogen and high-beams were H.I.D's. Headlight function returned to normal. This would mean the headlight motor circuit runs off the low beams..... That is in the 1990 anyways.

[jonlabree]

The motors will NOT work if the light bubls are disconnected or burned out.

And the motors have a physical stop, they don't know when to stop.

Jon..

[wws944]

Realize that Roger has the (no longer manufactured) Sylvania HIDs that are actually street legal and designed for the H6054 form factor. The so-called "HID kits" that people screw into H4 reflector housings are not safe, because the reflector optics are not designed for them. Stray light will scatter all over the place making them appear 'brighter', but also seriously glaring on-coming drivers.

There are projector housings on ebay in the 6054 form factor which should work better with HID kits. I have never tried them. But if someone were considering buying a pair, I would suggest making sure the depth measurements are compatible with the Reattas headlight buckets and limitations on how far back the connector can be - especially on the drivers side. (The connector is about 1/2" closer to the frame than the passenger side.) Also suggest getting real glass lenses - not plastic. Some HIDs have some sort of high/low beam mechanism. (I have my doubts about how well this would work with projectors that were not designed for bi-level HIDs.) Others leave you with only one light pattern.

[Guest spiering.lucas]

Ya like I said previously. Some halogen silverstars forth headlights work great. The H.I.D. Foglights I would suggest to anyone. They will fit in the stock housing and they work fantastic. Another benefit to doing the upgrade in the foglights is that legally you can have yellow foglights. In washington that is. Yellow foglights are legal yellow headlights are not. But too my point. 3000k color temperature hids put out the most lumens. White and blue lights don't put out nearly as much light.

[Ronnie]

Ya like I said previously. Some halogen silverstars forth headlights work great. The H.I.D. Foglights I would suggest to anyone. They will fit in the stock housing and they work fantastic. Another benefit to doing the upgrade in the foglights is that legally you can have yellow foglights. In washington that is. Yellow foglights are legal yellow headlights are not. But too my point. 3000k color temperature hids put out the most lumens. White and blue lights don't put out nearly as much light.

Can you give details about upgrading to the HID foglights? Part numbers?

[Guest spiering.lucas]

Well I'll have to call the guy I see where and if you can get the same lights I have. I'll post pics later also when I am on my desktop. As for the general information they are 880 bulb size plug and play 3000k 120v AC output. I'm sorry for I failed to mention that on my previous post everybody. That is a fundamental difference in the different kinds of H.I.D.'s. You want AC power output balasts. They are far brighter, more stable, and higher quality so they last longer. The cheap kits you can get ln eBay are gonna be DC power output. Like I said I will contact my vendor. I got them from Audio Northwest in Lacey Washington for 175$ plus tax. Check out there website Main

[NCReatta]

This sure has wandered far from the original topic of the thread...

[Guest spiering.lucas]

I was thinking the same. All in all its all Reatta related

[Guest mongeonman]

i get the 00 error(horror)a couple time a year and at the same time the climate control freeks out and blow heat,i never read anybody saying anything about the heat comming on,does it appen to your car too.

[padgett]

Well the HVAC system communicates on the ALDL line also. Is the ALDL cover by the parking brake that says "Do Not Remove" in place ? The cover has a jumper than completes the LAN loop.

[Guest mongeonman]

Yes the ALDL cover is in place,what i do when this happens is stop on the side of the road,stop and restart the car and everything always come back fine,the last time it hapened i hit a bump on the road and the cluster came back to normal display.

[padgett]

Might want to just R&R the IP, it uses a captive plug so cannot just wiggle.

[Guest spiering.lucas]

Yup Padgett is right. Based on the information of the symptoms given you should

Give Jim flinn a call and replace your IP. Mine does the exact same things and

It won't let me enter diagnostics mode, also the trip meter doesn't work half the time. I have come to the conclusion I will most likely need to replace mine as well.