My car, Sybil

[ChrisWhewell]

She's at it again, her many personalities.    When I jacked her up to change struts, I was in the office and heard loud click sounds.   She was repeatedly energizing the trunk solenoid.   Click click click, cachunk cachunk cachunk.   Randomly.   I took the battery out of my remote fob thinking it was the culprit, but no.   So, what could cause Sybil to, out of the blue, just start wanting her trunk to be opened ???   I checked, there's no bodies in there, no money, golf clubs, nothing of any interest.   In fact the trunk is empty.   Still, I sense she is trying to tell me something.....   Maybe cellphone towers overload microwave output ?   Maybe aircraft signals set off the trunk latch ??   Aliens ?    Yes, aliens, too many of those lately

[ChrisWhewell]

Thanks.   I'll pull the seats and carpet based on your suggestion.   

[Guest HuevosRanchero]

absolutely agree, even if you don't have problems...if the status of the splices under the seats is unknown they must be examined in the first opportunity. Doing this would probably prevent a lot of heartache down the road.  Fixed a couple of problems on my car this way. The state of them may shock you, thank goodness for the plastic troughs or there would be dead shorts galore!

[2seater]

10-4 on the splices. For whatever reason, this area holds moisture for long periods of time. It seems to act like Gore-Tex in reverse. Water goes in but doesn't leave. I mean periods of 6-8 months, or more, and yet the carpet is dry on top. I've had my '90 for 23+ years, know the history, and yet the corroded splices bit me too. Inner turn signal bulbs stopped working, automatic door lock/unlock stopped working, left side door courtesy lights inop., exterior trunk lock quit etc.. Things I didn't even realize worked better after the repair.

[ChrisWhewell]

I agree the splices can be an issue sometimes, but in this instance I have an intermittent which I believe is a BCM fault.  The latch opens itself without any regular pattern, even when the vehicle is not moving.   If it were a short, think about it, would a short cause the latch to open ?   If it were a hot wire touching the wire that triggers the latch (statistically improbable for energization from one wire to an adjacent one, both would need insulation worn at a precise point) it is not explainable when the vehicle is sitting at rest, since the latch typically opens 3-4 times within 5 seconds, then does nothing, then goes at it again.    We see this alot, as a "google" search for "trunk opens by itself" reveals.   I've also experienced in my Rivieras, the alarms going off suddenly for no reason, lots of google results on "alarm goes off for no reason".   These modules are old, way beyond their design life.   I'll try to find a BCM and ECM, the trouble is, how do you know the BCM or ECM you get is actually in good working order when received ??    I mention that after reading some dude's thread about him replacing his ECM on these boards, then pulling his hair out trying to hunt down a problem, that was fixed when he replaced the replacement ECM with a second replacement ECM.

Edited September 14, 2016 by ChrisWhewell (see edit history)

[ChrisWhewell]

Why is it relevant whether a ground or a "hot" is switched  ?  Put a light bulb across your battery with an SPST switch in series with it.   Then throw the switch and write a dissertation on whether you're switching the "hot" or the gnd.        Then, take the switch out of the circuit and install it in reverse and re-analyze.    Those ground faults are way overrated IMO.  Most of the component failures I've had are due to components, but that's just my limited experience

[DAVES89]

My opinion has always been that other then the connections under the passenger [and drivers] seats and the grounds are clean, it is almost always the component. The wiring [unless the car is molested] is very unlikely to be at fault.

[ChrisWhewell]

Thanks, I appreciate your inputs.