94 lumina van electrical problems

I have a 94 chevy lumina van and it does start, but when you drive off it is very slow and dragging, until you reach about 20 mph. The windows will no go down, the ac/heat and fan console will not work, and when driving with the headlights on it makes that annoying dinging sound even with key in ignition. Horn works, radio works. The brakes light stays lit up on the dashboard. I have taken it to 3 mechanics and all they can tell me is that it is an electrical problem....Big help..LOL....Does anyone have any suggestions?

I found this board searching for answers to the EXACT same problem!!!! I turn key, ABS light stays on ac dont work windows dont work..bogged down till 20 MPH fan doesnt seem to work because it overheats if let to idle this way...used to be jiggling the key would correct it then sometimes it just magically corrects itself if turned off and left to sit a while. I have had ignition replaced 3 times and it WILL fix the issue but only for a few weeks then it does it again. Mechanic said it would take a possible long hunting expedition to find the source of the problem and lord knows how much money to find it and fix it. If you have found an answer since your post PLEASE share it and if anyone has any idea what it could be please respond. Maybe not related, mechanic doesnt think so, but twice this happened right after my water pump and ac compressor went out simultaneously which in and of itself is odd since mechanic assures me the two arent connected or related by anything that could kill them both at once.

check your battery cables and all main electrical connections at the underhood relay center. The relay center is located on the passenger side, and if the water pump was throwing coolant, it could have gotten up under the relay center and either shorted it out or corroded it. The relay center can be unbolted so you can flip it over to inspect it for corrosion, that is where I'd start.

For future record if anyone else has this problem...after much searching to no avail I decided to tell the mechanic to put on yet another starter and band aid the problem again...but this was a different garage. So he did and lo and behold what does he find but a wire that plugs in to the switch that was worn coroded and partially melted. Lets HOPE this fixes the big problem and lets just pretend the garage who replaced ignition all those other times just overlooked that some how!

I'd go back to them and demand at least a partial refund. If they overlooked a burnt corroded wire that plugs into the item they are changeing, that must be one bad machanic. Or he must be in one hell of a hurry. Ok, anywayways, have any of you tried Mitchel on Demand? its a website service that you can sign up for, and you can get almost anything for almost any car. wire diagrams would be most usefull in your case. I think you can get a one day subscription for like 8 bux, and then just spend the day prining off every little bit of information about your car. It may be worth looking into. I just fixed the interior lights on a 1995 GMC Jimmy with the help of a mitchell wire diagram. Its only 8 bux, might be worth a shot. Good luck to all.

Update: didnt even make it one whole day, ignitions gone again same old problems. Back to the drawing board and yet another garage tomorrow.

I have a 94 chevy lumina van and it does start, but when you drive off it is very slow and dragging, until you reach about 20 mph. The windows will no go down, the ac/heat and fan console will not work, and when driving with the headlights on it makes that annoying dinging sound even with key in ignition. Horn works, radio works. The brakes light stays lit up on the dashboard. I have taken it to 3 mechanics and all they can tell me is that it is an electrical problem....Big help..LOL....Does anyone have any suggestions?


sound like an electrical problem
sorry just kidding

but it does
sound like a major ground is not grounded
and or relay is bad

or a short
some were
electrical problem are bad
unless u can see the wires shorted or what ever
sometimes they are easy
but not all the time

i would check all grounds may have to get a wiring diagram

it is possible that the alternator is bad but not likly
if it is not producing enough volts to keep every thing workin correctly
that may be your problem

I have a 94 chevy lumina van and it does start, but when you drive off it is very slow and dragging, until you reach about 20 mph. The windows will no go down, the ac/heat and fan console will not work, and when driving with the headlights on it makes that annoying dinging sound even with key in ignition. Horn works, radio works. The brakes light stays lit up on the dashboard. I have taken it to 3 mechanics and all they can tell me is that it is an electrical problem....Big help..LOL....Does anyone have any suggestions?

I also have a 94 Lumina Van and have spent a fortune with many garages trying to solve a similar problem. When I start the van the airbag light, the brake light and the engine light flashes on and off causing the van to buck (trys to stall)... When the engine light does not flash on and stays lit, the van runs like a new car. This week when the lights flash on and off the headlights now flash on and off and a clicking sound comes from the dashboard...

I have a 1994 Lumina Van and have had in in and out of many garages many times for an electrical problem that nobody has solved up to date... When I start the van the engine light comes on and the van runs like a new car,,, Sometmes the ABS light, the brake light, the airbag light comes on with the engine light and they all start flashing dim to bright causing the van to buck and trys to stall... Now this week the headlights start going on and off and makes a clicking sound from the dash board when the Dash lights start flashing on and off ...l. I have spent a small fortune trying to solve this problem.. Everytime someone fixes the preoblem it comes right back a few days later...