Automatic Headlights/Doorlock

I've had my 99 Grand AM GT for about 6-7 months now. I'ce had a few small problems with it and now I have another. One night when I was driving my doors locked when I put it in gear and the headlights came on like normal, all of a sudden the doors unlocked. I thought my girlfriend hit the button instead of the window control but she didn't. I then turned off the car to go into a store and when I started the car, the lights didn't go on and the doors stopped locking automatically. They still work with the controls though. If the parking brake is up when the car is started it thinks the brake is still on after it is put down and it turns the traction control off. I brought it to a garage and then replaced the computer for $400 because I had to bring it to a Pontiac dealer to reset the computer. It then did it again less then a week later. I brought it back and they told me there is a short somewhere in the car, but they were not sure where. The repair cost was too much to pay, so I just decided to deal with it. Last night though the car started to act very strangly. The security light came on, doors ajar light, coolent light, and some more. I know the car is mechanically fine, but this is becoming a little too much. I know very little about electrical work, other then solidering and what cause shorts. Any ideas where to go to look for this short? Thanks in advance.

Unfortunetly electrical problems can be nightmares and a pain to find. The best way to find a short is start from where the problem is coming from and work you way through. I don't think you have a short though, from waht you are describing, it sounds like one of a couple things, either you BCM ( body control module) is going out this will cause strange electrical problems and random dash lights to come on. Another possibility is teh battery or the ground. If the battery is going bad or the ground is bad, it can mess up your computer and cause a very similiar electrical problems. These are main causes. There could be something else a little deeper such as a worn wire... but i would try these first. Good luck.

I had the BCM replaced for the $400, so I doubt that that is the problem. I guess as far as the battery goes I don't know much about checking it rather then connecting the two cables. I know when I got the BCM replaced a fuse was replaced as well. The fuse blew, but before it did it everything worked again. When it blew the same thing happened. The doors locked and while I was driving the unlocked, which is when I am guessing the fuse blew. So this is why I think it is a short.

Is it raining like hell where you live?

Do you have a sunroof?

Have you noticed any wet spots on the floor,
or on the sides of the dash or a wet headliner??

Sorry for all the questions but My GT had done some funky things like you discribed and it was the BCM.
It was getting the short from water leaking from the sunroof drians. Which the water ran down inside the pillars by the front window and ran right on to the fuse boxs.

I have also replaced a few fuse boxes from these leaks causing damage to them. And if will leave a white residue on the fuses when you check them ;)

I actually replaced my BCM twice and it leaked again causing this one to fail :rolleyes: I have another one I'm just amking sure my leaks fixed before I waste another BCM.

Good Luck!

I do have a moonroof, but I never have any problems with it leaking as far as I can tell. Everything inside is dry. I opened my fuse box once to check the fuse for the hvac, but didn't pay any attention to the other fuses. I got the car back in June/July and it ran fine until November when this happened. Now that I think of it, I just had to reglue some plastic trim on the windshield on the passanger side because it came up. This has been up for about 2 months now, but not where I thought much of it. Is this fuse on the passanger side and could this plastic trim have let water down into the fuse box?

The point isn't which fuse is where, it is if it's getting wet or not.
If you pull the lid off the pass side fuse box the lid has the fuse diagram but yes the interior lights, hvac blower etc etc.

I trick I did to find out if it was leaking was to put a paper towel, kinda rolled up, in the corner of the dash so if water runs down it would get wet and keep some of the water from getting on the fuse box.

Here are a couple pics of two areas that leaked on my GT.

Yello Arrow ( http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/11X17RW24/leaker1.jpg)is the path the water took down the pillar trim piece.

The Yello Circle (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/11X17RW24/leaker2.jpg )is anther spot that had a gap in the gasket for the windshield.

Also, your BCM is under the glove box.
Which can get wet too.

Hopefully you dont have a leak and its just a fuse or two.

BTW- leak free for a week of rain :thumbsup:

That is exactly where I just reapplied the trim part to today. So maybe I am getting some water or something like that in there. Although I haven't had any wet spots around that area. I'll have to check the fuse box and see if it is getting wet. Hopefully that is the problem and I can just buy the fuse after I stop the leak. Thanks again

With the towel in there if it leaks it would get wet,
a cheap way to see if it does get wet on that area.

Hope it gets yours fixed too!