Catastrophic Electrical Failure

brianp-cali

Registered User
First let me say that I belong to forums for most of my other vehicles, and this one has some of the best and most helpful users. Now that I've buttered you all up, I'll start with the basics:

95 SC 5-Speed. 101K miles, all options except electronic rear view mirror and factory alarm. Car does have factory keyless entry. The original owner (I am the 2nd) installed an aftermarket alarm and stereo back in 1995.

Last night I drove the car for about 5 miles and shut it off. It was running perfectly like it had for the last 20K miles or so. I hopped back in about 10 minutes later to head out to dinner. The car started right up and I drove it about 100 feet when there was a sudden electrical surge that made the engine stumble. All of my warning lights were on and shutting back off in the order they usually do upon startup. (Airbag, ABS, etc.) The stereo was going through it's usual startup screen. It was if I had a problem with the ignition switch and it suddenly opened for a split-second. After 10-15 seconds the ABS light was still lit. I thought maybe shutting off and restarting the engine might reset things. At this point, everything was still working, all lights, etc and the engine was still idling smoothly. When I shut off the motor though, all power was lost. No cranking, no headlights, no dome lights, no power locks, nothing. It's like the battery was disconnected. The alarm started chirping erratically like it was trying to go off. (When the battery is reconnected, the alarm automatically goes off so a thief cannot use this tactic to disable the system.) I pushed the car over to the side of the road and came back this morning.

My battery is one year old and shows 12.75 volts between the posts. There is no indication of a major short to ground anywhere. I used a DVOM to ensure positive and ground are completely open. I disconnected the alarm "brain" which effectively disables it completely and nothing changes. I did however hear some clicking from the trunk area where the keyless entry computer is when I reconnected the battery this morning.

I am hoping someone out there has seen this, because I don't know where to start. Sorry for the long post, I am just really stumped here. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks,

Brian
 
Might be a good idea to check the ignition switch (electrical part) on the column , thats what powers the whole car. That is where I would start at then move forward from there.

S
 
I'm not sure about the 94/95 models, but the earlier models had a problem with the switch seperating enough that the contacts wouldn't touch, thus breaking the circuits and giving you a no power situation.

It should be located under the steering column shroud, on the lower right hand side. Shouldn't be hard to tell if it's come apart.
 
I would agree. Check the ignition switch. Verify your battery voltage as well as the intermittent connection may have drawn it down.

the ignition switch is at the base of the steering column, you'll have to remove the plastic cowel from around the column to find it easy.
 
i had very similar issues, and come to find out it was the pcm relay in the fuse box under the hood.......its cheap...replace it.
 
You should be able to trace the power, make sure you have good battery and ground cables .. check if the main fuse and fuses inside the engine bay compartment are good, and move your way to the ignition switch.

Where in Cali are you located ?

- Dan
 
Also it could very well be your starter soleniod, pos cable from battery, or a bad ground. Go with the wiggle test first. It could be as simple as a loose connection on one of your battery terminals. Do the cheap items first and when in dout about a wire use a jumper cable to bypass it for testing.
 
Also it could very well be your starter soleniod, pos cable from battery, or a bad ground. Go with the wiggle test first. It could be as simple as a loose connection on one of your battery terminals. Do the cheap items first and when in dout about a wire use a jumper cable to bypass it for testing.

The 94/95 dont have the external starter solenoid like the earlier models .. its a part of the starter motor itself.

- Dan
 
The 94/95 dont have the external starter solenoid like the earlier models .. its a part of the starter motor itself.

- Dan

It is replaceable, (the one on the starter). I really dont know why they used 2 of them on 89-93 models. I had more problems with the soleniods on the 94`s. I think they call the soleniod on the fender a starter relay were years before it was the starter soleniod. If the one on the starter has even the smallest crack around the main termanal it will fail just like Brian here stated.
 
One other major thing is that the main hot wire from the battery goes directly to the soleniod on the starter on 94+ where earler years it went to the starter relay or primary starter soleniod so you would not loose power under a meltdowwn or corroded soleniod. I have replaced many of these and there only about $35.00 last time I bought one. I found one out in my garage that was fried and it still looks good. The last pic you guys that just broke up with some one can use this.:D
 

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First let me say that I belong to forums for most of my other vehicles, and this one has some of the best and most helpful users. Now that I've buttered you all up, I'll start with the basics:

95 SC 5-Speed. 101K miles, all options except electronic rear view mirror and factory alarm. Car does have factory keyless entry. The original owner (I am the 2nd) installed an aftermarket alarm and stereo back in 1995.

Last night I drove the car for about 5 miles and shut it off. It was running perfectly like it had for the last 20K miles or so. I hopped back in about 10 minutes later to head out to dinner. The car started right up and I drove it about 100 feet when there was a sudden electrical surge that made the engine stumble. All of my warning lights were on and shutting back off in the order they usually do upon startup. (Airbag, ABS, etc.) The stereo was going through it's usual startup screen. It was if I had a problem with the ignition switch and it suddenly opened for a split-second. After 10-15 seconds the ABS light was still lit. I thought maybe shutting off and restarting the engine might reset things. At this point, everything was still working, all lights, etc and the engine was still idling smoothly. When I shut off the motor though, all power was lost. No cranking, no headlights, no dome lights, no power locks, nothing. It's like the battery was disconnected. The alarm started chirping erratically like it was trying to go off. (When the battery is reconnected, the alarm automatically goes off so a thief cannot use this tactic to disable the system.) I pushed the car over to the side of the road and came back this morning.

My battery is one year old and shows 12.75 volts between the posts. There is no indication of a major short to ground anywhere. I used a DVOM to ensure positive and ground are completely open. I disconnected the alarm "brain" which effectively disables it completely and nothing changes. I did however hear some clicking from the trunk area where the keyless entry computer is when I reconnected the battery this morning.

I am hoping someone out there has seen this, because I don't know where to start. Sorry for the long post, I am just really stumped here. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks,

Brian

Sure sounds like a dead short at the power source, maybe the ig switch. I have an old Taurus as well as a SC, in which the dashboard lights pulse to the music like the car rocks out. I haven't been able to track it down yet, but it seems related to a speaker short somehow. Are you at LNAS or San Diego? I only ask because half my family is either actively stationed at LNAS, has been stationed there, or lives there now, including all my kids and sister. I'm only an hour or so away, we could put our heads together. My SC is broken right now too.
 
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