1995 SSEi Electrical Issues

[snritchie]

Last week our Bonneville began having some wierd problems. My husband does most of the work on our car and he hasn't had time to really look into it, and I am more than willing to try with a bit of direction. These issues I am not finding answers to in our Chiltons manual.

Our air conditioner is only blowing in a split defrost and floor mode, regardless of how it is set. My grandparents Buick is doing the same thing. Half of the seat adjustments aren't working (the 4 lumbar adjustments). The interior lights aren't working and when you turn on the headlights the panel lights dim. Thankfully we have a heads up speed that reflects on the window so we know our speed at night. All gages are still functioning properly. Any advice of where to start looking for the electrical problem will be appreciated. I have checked the fuses in the car and the engine and all seem just fine.

[jkinney]

Since no-one has responded yet, I'll chime in. Take the car and get the alternator checked, and the battery checked as well (national parts store chain). Some of the symptoms are saying "underpowered". The alternators are too small for these cars to begin with, they can go out easy, and do some really illogical things.

[snritchie]

I appreciate the suggestion and I followed your advice. By had I wished that was the problem. That one I knew I could fix. I just ran around the corner to the Auto Zone and I have bad news, the battery and alternator are both good. So, from her I know that the fuses in the car and under the hood are good and that the battery and alternator are good. Do I just get a wiring diagram and just go for it? My husband kissed a gardrail during an ice storm this winter. I am wondering if there may be a wire messed up by the front fender that shattered causing the problem. I just don't know if that could be doing all of the damage. I can fix things, but diagnosing is not my specialty.

[jkinney]

Okay, it sounds like you may have more than one thing going on. Does your temperature on the climate control flash on and off (for about 30 seconds) after you start the car? And you say the interior lights do not work, the fuse is okay, and your panel lights dim when turning on the headlights (I assume you mean the digital readouts) can you rotate the headlight switch knob and get any light at all for the dash, or get the interior lights to come on that way? We'll attack the seats after we figure out your light and climate control position problems.

[snritchie]

Before I answer your questions I want to first thank you for responding and trying to help me through this. My husband is very appreciative as well. The climite control doesn't flash when I start the car. It's all digital, would it have a switch that could be messed up, just like a manually adjusted one? The interior/dome lights aren't working and when I turn on the head lights the digital read outs and back lighting of the dash go dim (actually they go out). This also dims the climate control and the radio and clock. When I rotate the switch it does nothing. Could the switch for the lights be bad? If so, how do I test that? If it isn't just some electrical short, I thought those 2 switches might be the issue. I greatly appreciate any suggestions.

[jkinney]

Not a problem, everyone on here likes to help and to share their experiences. I am "kinda" suspecting your headlight switch, more specifically the twilight portion (do you have it on?, if so,....turn it off, and try for lights again-like I mentioned before). I have a GM repair set (manuals) for my 94, and the 95 diagnostics should be the same for checking the headlight switch. I will PM you a photo of that page, and it should help you somewhat, but you or your husband will need a digital volt meter to perform the tests. The reason I asked about your climate control flashing, is when it finds a trouble with one of its components for the heating/cooling, it will flash. That is what signals the driver it has found a problem. Doesnt seem to be your case.

[jkinney]

I wanted to ask you one more thing about your problem. You said you checked your fuses in the car and under the hood, were you aware of the fuse panel under the dash, on the passenger side of the vehicle? That is where your Interior lamps relay (doesnt look like a fuse) is located. If you take off the plastic kick panel under the dash on the passenger side, you'll see it tucked under the dash, right in front of where the door seals to the car itself. The metal relay will be located about half way up, on the right side (??). The plastic kick panel you removed should have a detailed picture (sticker) on the inside that will tell you which one it is. Let me know. Good luck!

[DAVE K]

i was intrigued by snritchie's problem and jkinney's
reply.could a weak alt.or underpowed one cause
the LED on the radio to be half there when at all.
[85 parisienne]the car has lots of electrical goodies.

[jkinney]

I think it would be unlikely that it would only affect your LED display on your radio, a weak alternator would affect a few things, even performance. You can have the alternator checked and determine if it is good or not. A stock alternator should pump out around 13.4 volts or better. A good rule of thumb is also to replace the battery when you replace the alternator. If you can afford to.

[snritchie]

[quote=jkinney]I wanted to ask you one more thing about your problem. You said you checked your fuses in the car and under the hood, were you aware of the fuse panel under the dash, on the passenger side of the vehicle?
[quote]
Okay, I'm sorry it has taken me so long to post back. Life got in the way and I've just been dealing witht the car as is. I just checked the panel on the passenger side and I have fixed the lights, seats, mirrors, etc. Low and behold a fuse was the fix. The A/C is still acting funny, but there has been a new development. The A/C occationally flashes now, just like you asked before, not every time I turn it on, but occationaly. Since my last posting though, I have developed a water leak and have done a quick seal with Bars Leak, and now I have replaced my water pump, that is quite the undertaking on that car you almost have to pull the engine. Once my A/C is happy if the Lord is willing the car should be good.

[snritchie]

Okay, I know I just updated a little while ago, but no I am down to only one problem. The only problem left is the panel dimming out when I turn the head lights on. Everything else works. I found a vacuum line that was seperated near the firewall. That fixed the a/c. Interior lights, lumbar, and side mirrors were fixed with a fuse on the passenger side. I'm learning to deal witht he panel being out at night it's just annoying trying to guess the time and temp at night. The twilight onthe switch still isn't the problem. Do I still need to check the interior lamp relay?

[Schupp]

Hello, I have a 95 Bonneville and have been having the same electrical problem with it for about a year now. There are many times that when I turn on my headlights in the morning and I have no interior (dash) lights and no tail lights........... Usually they will start working by there self. Recently they went out all together and have not cam back on. I replaced the headlight switch (I do not have the twilight switch) and still do not have any interior lights or tail lights. I checked all the fuses and the bulbs and all is fine there.............. Any help on this matter would be greatly appeciated. Thanks

[snritchie]

Well, our issue with the lights fixed itself one day about 2 months ago. We have no idea why. Of course that is now the least of my problems with the car since it was hit in the street at 1 AM and totalled. It was a hit and run, with the run on foot. Sad situation, but a funny ending. Good luck.