Strange problem..

[cavaguy20]

I was sitting in line at Krystal the other night, and all of a sudden my Service Engine light came on, the Chekc guages light came on, the trac off light came on all at once. Then, I cut the air on, wow, the ABS light and air bag light came on, and the raido cut off for about 10 seconds. Then, all of the guages dropped to zero ( gas went to e, temp guage went to 0 ) So I cut the air off, and they all went back up, and the ABS light went off, but the rest stayed on.

So I got home, cut the car off and cut it back on, everything was fine... next day I am driving, and the same lights come back on when I hit the brakes, then cut off when I let off the brake. I turned the air on, the raido went off, and the ABS, AIRBAG, SERVICE ENGINE, TRAC OFF, BRAKE, THEFT SYSTEM lights came on and the headlights get kinda dim...

This is a 2000 cavalier..

What does the problem sound like? The car runs fine itself.. just all of the electrical stuff is all screwed up all of a sudden.. and I can't figure it out. I haven't done anything to the car... it just happened all of a sudden. Earlier tonight when I applied my brakes, they came on, and the spedomoter milage said 'error' but went back to itself when I let off the brake.

Sounds like a electrical problem to me? But I am not sure.. thoughts? comments?

[4dr92cavi4cyl]

Sounds like a weak battery or alternator, but if that WAS the problem, you would likely be stranded somewhere by now, or soon you may be. Take it to AutoZone or Advance Auto, they'll check your battery and alternator for free. Definitly seems like an electrical problem though.

[powell lax 01]

my friend has an s 10 and he had this same problem.....

for him what he did was get a new higher performance per say alternater

i dono but it worked for him but then again it could just be that your electrical wiring is all fucked up

[cavaguy20]

Took it to chevolet.. took them almost two weeks to look at it and fixed it.. they had found burnt wiring and other things, and had to reprogram the CPU in the car. Well, to my surprise, its still not fixed. I was driving it last night, and I had my lights and raido running, and when I applied the brakes, the Service Engine, Theft System, and Check Gaugues lights came on, and the headlights kinda got dim, and the raido cut off. I'm thinking I should of just had the alternator and battery checked, because, I don't think they knew what the hell they were doing at all!

Any ideas? I am thinking its the alternator or battery... surely its nothing electrical after they re-did everything.. Jesus.

[chevyguy93]

Hmm. well, howbout cleaning your battery posts? use baking soda and water. And to check to see if your alternators going, start your car and unhook the battery for a few seconds. If the car still runs, alternators fine.

[mattvs]

I'm having a similar problem, but it only happens to me when I turn the air on. When I turn the air on, my blinkers wont work or will click super slow, radio will cut out, and ABS and the parking break lights will come on and stay on until I shut the car off and start it back up again.

If I leave the air off, I dont have any problems with it. Also I noticed when I turn the air on I cant turn the A/C off. No matter how many times I hit that button the A/C light stays on.

Did you end up resolving your issue?

[chevyguy93]

It sounds more of a wiring problem now. I'd get it checked out cuz it sounds like something majors gone wrong (burnt wiring, etc). And I know the a/c in my car, the light stays on when its on defrost and a couple other settings where i cant turn it off, but it doesnt stay on for all settings.

[mattvs]

ok, so last night after work I go to my car, it starts up no problem and I crank evertything. I put the lights on, the defrost on (it was raining and made my windows fog), I had the radio going, and everything worked fine, signals worked mint. All until about 30 seconds from my house (takes me about 15 minutes to get home). Then all of a sudden radio cuts out, dash lights start to dimm and the ABS and other assorted dash lights come on. so I shut off the air and the stereo and everything goes back to normal.

I guess I should say, mine is a 1993 cavalier.

Anyway, this morning I go to start it up and it doesnt want to turn over. I had to give it a lot of gas before it would start. I think I'm going to get it checked out tomorrow.

[chevyguy93]

just to let you know, stepping on the gas while trying to start it wont do anything because its fuel injected.

[jakegday]

Originally Posted by chevyguy93

just to let you know, stepping on the gas while trying to start it wont do anything because its fuel injected.

thats not entirely true, my 86 plymouth reliant is fuel injected and theres times it will NOT start unless you press the accelerator , it will crank and crank and crank forever then the second you push down on the accelerator, it fires right up

[mattvs]

Originally Posted by jakegday

thats not entirely true, my 86 plymouth reliant is fuel injected and theres times it will NOT start unless you press the accelerator , it will crank and crank and crank forever then when you push down on the accelerator while cranking, it fires right up

yeah, thats what happens to me too. Usually mine will start without hitting the gas, but if I'm having this power problem and then shut it off, I'll have to use the gas to get it started again.

[Thor06]

Originally Posted by jakegday

thats not entirely true, my 86 plymouth reliant is fuel injected and theres times it will NOT start unless you press the accelerator , it will crank and crank and crank forever then the second you push down on the accelerator, it fires right up

Sometimes when I stall my Cavalier it doesnt start unless I feather the gas a little.

Anyway, I had the same problem when my battery went to shit. I'd get it tested.

[mattvs]

Just a question..

Is the block heater power connected to the battery at all? because someone told me if I plug my car in it may help with battery problems. Its not really a permanent real solution, but I plugged my car in last night and everything seemed better this morning. It started up a lot quicker and easier and all the electrical systems seemed ok for my whole trip to work.

[fajr22]

Stepping on the gas pedal to the floor puts it in clear flood mode just like the old carbeurators. This is a designed in feature to the pcm (allow air but shuts off fuel until it sees so many RPM'S. Lightly feathering it shows a tps issue commonly on Fords, it wont turn the injectors on until it sees TPS MOVEMENT(When its bad) . Anyway back to the problem I have a 00 cavilier and it has the same intermittent problem. a/c light on all air positions exc. off, trac light abs and check gauges. i have yet to find a cause or solution, however the lights come on and off nothing known triggers them. I will keep working and post the solution when I find it... Fred ashmore

[z24forlife]

Try cleaning the battery posts... and before re-installing them apply some form of grease around the posts... you can clean them with some sand paper too.... It looks like power is getting cut off somwhere.... but start from there.

Luck