1995 Electrical Problem!

Long story, big problem. I got my 1995 SC out today for the first time in about two weeks. It's a pretty cold morning (15f). Car starts like a dream, and I pull out of the driveway. I hit the road and the car bucks and wheezes and snorts. Kind of like an old carburated engine. I pull over, let it warm up and it smooths out.

I get to town (4 mile away) and I notice the signals don't work, Either direcftion. There is no "click-click" found it odd that both sides don't work.

I go to the grocery store and buy my stuff.

I get back in the car, and it fires right up. But a minute later the battery light comes on.

I figure, "I'm only 3 miles from home, I'll worry about it then,"

Then the traction control light comes on, then the ABS 30 seconds later, then the servive engine light.

Then I lose the lights in Dash.

Then the fuel and temp gauges go crazy, bouncing around like mad

Then the radio goes out.

Then I lose everything else in the dash, the tach and the speedometer, and the fuel and temp gauges go dead.

Then the radio kicks back on, and the car dies.

I coast to a stop. Sit for a moment and flick the car back on. The radio, locks and heater works. The interior lights work. The car does not turn over, It's dead on the side of the road.

Any Ideas? The first guess is battery, but it checks out. Ground? Alt? PCM? Act of God?

I'd put a large sum of money on it being the alternator. Measure the system voltage at the positive wire - I'm betting it's above 16 volts. This is probably what the SES light is trying to tell you (read the DTC codes) The internal voltage regular is probably shot. Check voltage first before you buy a new one, but that's my guess. $220 is a good price for a decent quality replacement.

That would cause it to not even turn over now? There were no warning signs or anything. In the matter of 8 miles the car went from running like a dream to crapping out entirely.

crazyjackcsa wrote:

That would cause it to not even turn over now? There were no warning signs or anything. In the matter of 8 miles the car went from running like a dream to crapping out entirely.

OK, then check the + terminal & ground under the hood, and see if you can turn either battery terminal with gentle pressure. Then jump it and check to see if your voltage has gone south...

On a long highway trip, I had a loose alternator belt on a Ford E350 take out the cruise control, then the fuel gauge, then the oil pressure gauge - and that beast wasn't computerized. If you used the last power in the battery to start the car, then I could see your getting the pinball-machine effect on the dashboard.

Read this thread. Started out a lot like your situation. I did not have the no start problem, though.

https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t7112-alternator-failure-voltage-spike

Turns out it was the alt, burnt out the rectifier, probably because of the old battery. Replaced the batt, had the alt rebuilt, all set to go.

Even found 52 cents in the back seat!