Trac-Off, Check Engine, & now Air Bag lights are lit

[Jessicasdd]

I don't know what is going on with this car. Okay, let me start by explaining everything that has happened so far.

I have a remote starter on my car. About 4 to 6 weeks ago I got up in the morning to get ready for work and started my car with my remote, like very morning. I usually let the car run for about 20 minutes while I am getting ready for work. When I went outside to get in the car to go to work there was the smell of fire in the air. Very strong smell. So strong that I walked around my house and checked out the neighbor's house wondering who's house was on fire. It wasn't anyone's house, it was my car. Now I still don't know what burned up in the car, but when I came out there was no fire. I got in the car and backed out of the driveway. As soon as I put the car into Drive, the Trac-Off light came on. I drove it around a block and up the hill for a total of maybe 2 miles and the check engine light came on. I drove it home, had my tenant check it for signs of a fire, and drove it to work.

The next day I took it to my mechanic and he hooked it up to the computer thingy (tech terms - LOL) and said that something was wrong with the cooling fan motor. So we replaced the motor only to find out nothing was wrong with the motor it just isn't getting any power. So my cousin ran a wire to a toggle switch so if the car starts getting warm I can turn the fan on to cool the engine. He said he followed the wire that wasn't showing any volts from the cooling fan motor to the PCM. So we went to a junk yard and got a PCM and installed it. That kicked the anti-theft on and he didn't know how to reset the anti-theft so he took the junk yard PCM out and put the original back in and now I have no ignition. So he has wires ran to a push button switch under the dash so I can start the car. I turn the ignition to the on position and push the button. The car starts right up. I should point out that I have not tried using the remote started since any of this happened.

So that was where we left it and I picked the car up from him almost 2 weeks ago and have been driving it back and forth to work mainly. Trying not to do anything extra that I don't have to. This morning, I started the car up and when all the idiot lights were supposed to go off (except my check engine and trac-off) the Air Bag light stayed on. And it stayed on all the way to work.

I really love my cavalier and can't afford to buy another car right now. Can someone please help? I don't know what to do.

Thanks
Jessica

[suzuki19]

The burning smell might have been the internal components of your alternator which would mean Your battery might be dying. All my lights came on when my battery started dying because my alternator went out. I'd look into getting the altornator checked.

[Jessicasdd]

Ok, so Saturday I decided I was going to take this car apart and determine its issue, seeings it didn't want to cooperate with my mechanic. So I started at the wiring harness that runs across the front and controls the headlights. I read in a post on here to try there. I went to Auto Zone and printed off all the wiring diagrams for my car. I pulled that harness up so it was accessible and opened the sheathing only to not find the wire I was looking for to test. Needless to say the wire I was looking for was running from the PCM to the fuse box and it was not accessible by me. So I tested the contacts in the fuse box and was getting normal readings.

Side note - my mechanic had (in the meantime) rigged my car so that I could turn the cooling fan on when I needed to use it.

So at this point I call my mechanic to ask if he bypassed things or if he tapped into things and he says he tapped into things and that I should be able to put the relay and fuse back in and if it is working properly the fan should run on its own. So I put the fuse and relay in and start the car. The first thing I notice is the Trac Off light is Off. This light has been on continuous for the past 2 months with the check engine light. The check engine light is the only light on.

So I unplug the plug on the temperature sensor, because I know that if you unplug that the fan should turn on, and it does, on its own, turn on. But with the fan turning on so did the Trac Off light, weird. What does the traction control have to do with the cooling fan? So I repeat this a few times all with the same results.

I get in the car and drive it to Auto Zone and have them hook up the computer. The code says "cooling fan circuit." So I explain everything that has happened to the guy at Auto Zone and ask him if he thinks I should change the temperature sensor. It's a $12.00 part and is about 2 inches long by about 1/4 - 1/2 inch diameter. He says it would be a good idea and it's a cheap check. So I buy one.

I get home take the old sensor out and put the new sensor in. I couldn't have counted to 30 and the check engine light went off on its own. I ran the heater, the air conditioner, everything I could have and the fan turned on like it was supposed to every time.

I am so happy to have my car back to running normal. Now to get the ignition fixed. That's another day and I think it just has to be replaced. But I am going to search for the anti-theft reset code just in case.

Jessica

[Jessicasdd]

Oh and the air bag light that came on back on 4/27 went off that evening when I started the car up to drive it home from work. We never determined why it came on.

Jessica