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1997 Buick Lesabre randomly Dies (Electric)


MikeTwoJay
03-10-2009, 10:42 PM
In the last few months the following problem occurs. I am driving and then all electrical instruments, radio, interior lights, etc. go dead completely. It usually lasts a few minutes and then the car starts and all is good. When it is shut down there is no power to the dash. The radio clock resets.

It has happened when the car is driving and cold, driving and warm, and when parked. What triggers the shutdown or the restart is unknown.

A few other facts.

1. When it first began the Security light on the dashboard came on and stays on at all times.
2. The frequency of failures is increasing from once a month to once a day.
3. After the most recent failure, the air bag light will not go out, and the tachometer guage is pegged off scale.
4 Just before the behavior started the heat lever does not change the heat level which is now stuck at high.

Smith1000
03-12-2009, 08:33 PM
You might check the battery connections. Clean them real good and ensure they are good and tight. Sounds like a complete loss of power. Do the headlights work when it goes off? I have 2 '97 Lesabres and have experienced a dying issue with one of them, but I do not entirely loose the electrical, the radio does not reset. My problem turned out to be the MAF sensor. Sounds like you have a different issue though if you are completely loosing power. I would check all of the ground wires to ensure they are good and clean plus making good contact. Right after it happens, will the starter even turn over, or is it completely dead?

davdogg42
04-16-2009, 08:37 AM
my 1997 cut off on me all the damn time when i first got it back in 06
first they said it was the fuel pump got it replaced still cut off

secondly i replaced the engine computer, this was maybe the problem , I think i got one of those flooded out cars from down south

third... one of my connections to the computer was shorted out finally success, has not cut of on me in 1 year but To fix this I had to take it to the GM dealer ship , you know i didnt want to do that but I was tired of the car cutting off on me.

only cut off in warm weather, lucky for me because I live in a snowy town
I was wondering if you experiened the cut offs in warm weather because when it was cold it ran fine until I got it fixed

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