Seth Rose Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Hey guys I posted a while back like almost a year ago about my reatta having some electrical problems which I thought was caused by the BCM but as it turns out that did not fix my problem what seems to be happening is the all the inside electrical stuff will shut off such as my speedometer and such and the lights dim when this happen I'm going to try to get a new battery here soon to see if thats it and if that doesn't work could it be the ECM and if so I have no clue where thats located on the car so any help with this question would be very much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Does the radio continue to play ? It sorta sounds like RAP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth Rose Posted August 28, 2011 Author Share Posted August 28, 2011 yes the radio will still play and even the crt is still on but only in the radio screen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Need a little more detail.......... You say the speedometer fails, do you mean everything on the instrument cluster goes black?You say the lights dim... what lights? The headlights? the dome light?Does the car sit outside?Is the carpet under the passanger seat damp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 My first thought is the ignition switch on the steering column. When it happens try moving the key slightly toward START. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth Rose Posted August 28, 2011 Author Share Posted August 28, 2011 ok yes everything on speedometer cluster goes black and its the headlights that dim the dome light just shuts off all together along with every other light in the interior except for the crt which stays on the radio screen for a while and then goes to sleep to save energy yes the car sits outside and yes the passenger side door seal leaks so the wires under the carpet could be wet and rusted and need replaced but when I asked about this in my previous mentioned post someone said not to worry about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth Rose Posted August 28, 2011 Author Share Posted August 28, 2011 ill try that padgett the ignition is broken so its very possible thats it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth Rose Posted August 28, 2011 Author Share Posted August 28, 2011 I wont be able to try tell later this evening because im at work right now but ill let you know alright Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth Rose Posted August 29, 2011 Author Share Posted August 29, 2011 no that didn't work padgett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mc_Reatta Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Think you may have multiple problems all at the same time.Agree you seem to be going into RAP mode which would mean the computers are losing power. Could be the ignition switch, might be the battery cables, battery, and common ground and power points.Hopefully you have looked into those areas before taking on the BCM, ECM, ignition switch.BCM is the common link between you symptoms. PROM was different in an 88.How did you determine it wasn't your problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth Rose Posted August 29, 2011 Author Share Posted August 29, 2011 i got another working BCM and swaped them out and it did the same thing and ya i checked all the connections on the battery cleaned the side posts on the battery the ground point behind the battery and i had to switch the prom in the bcm i already knew that the ignition on the car is broke so the car starts without the keys but i figured it was a power problem i just didn't know where Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mc_Reatta Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 OK. Think it's back to the ignition switch then. May just be the mechanical linkage between the key cylinder and the electrical switch down below moving around while your underway, or the switch itself.Will need to disassemble the column and take a look at what's going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Can check/change the switch just by dropping the column, do not need to disassemble. Yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth Rose Posted September 2, 2011 Author Share Posted September 2, 2011 Do you know where I can get one of the switches if thats what is bad? and how do I tell if thats whats wrong with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Think it is just a standard GM switch - try FLAPs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mc_Reatta Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 Before you sink your money into the switch, make sure its not the pawl at the lock cylinder, or the actuation rod causing the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 Why don't you contact Jim Finn and buy a whole column from him? That will address your ignition issue and if it might be something else you at least know this part of your problem is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth Rose Posted September 4, 2011 Author Share Posted September 4, 2011 because no matter how many times I email Jim Finn he never responds and i think it has something to do with the cylinder because the thing is broken so the car will start with out keys and when i had the column apart it seemed like the rod was kinda loose but i wouldn't know if that rod was supposed to wiggle a little or not it hasn't even been doing it now anyways it hasn't shut off for almost a week and a half now but id still like to figure out whats wrong with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 (edited) I have decoded this message to save anyone else some time who might want to read it.because no matter how many times I email Jim Finn he never responds and i think it has something to do with the cylinder because the thing is broken so the car will start with out keys and when i had the column apart it seemed like the rod was kinda loose but i wouldn't know if that rod was supposed to wiggle a little or not it hasn't even been doing it now anyways it hasn't shut off for almost a week and a half now but id still like to figure out whats wrong with it<div style="background: #cecece; padding: 10px; border: 1px groove #000000;">Because no matter how many times I email Jim Finn he never responds.I think it has something to do with the cylinder because the thing is broken. The car will start without keys. When I had the column apart it seemed like the rod was kinda loose but I wouldn't know if that rod was supposed to wiggle a little or not. It hasn't even been doing it now anyways. It hasn't shut off for almost a week and a half now but I would still like to figure out whats wrong with it.</div> Edited September 4, 2011 by Ronnie (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth Rose Posted September 5, 2011 Author Share Posted September 5, 2011 Thanks Ronnie =) I'll do better next time I write a message Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth Rose Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 and it was the column I just ended up putting a new one in and it fixed it so thanks guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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