Hello Can Anyone Help??

[RRAMATA5]

Hi, I'm New To The Group And Was Hoping For Some Help! I Have A 99 Montana 135,000, Never Had Any Major Issues Until This Summer. When The Head Gasket Need Replaced. Then It Started To Loose Power, Had The Aldernator And Battery Replaced. Then It Was Loosing Power Again, Sometimes It Would Start Sometimes It Wouldn't? A Wire Was Loose! Now The Abs, Tcs Lights Are Coming On, After A Very Noticible Thud In The Front End. And For No Aparent Reason The Word Low Traction Will Blink? It Doesn't Stay On All The Time? But Will Be Followed By The Abs And Tcs Lights Too, With Out The Thud? Now Last Night The Service Engine Light Came On? Plus Its Shifting Hard, And Then Jumps Some? Also We Have The Normal Montana Electrical Issues, No Stearing Wheel Lights, The Turn Signals Stop Working Then Work Again, The Head Lamps Fill Up With Water And Blow The Head Lights, Some Times The Power Door Doesn't Want To Work, The Rear Stereo Contorls Don't Work, And When You Use The Volume Button On The Radio It Does What It Wants! Either Up Or Down. I've Learned To Deal With The Little Things Its The Major Ones That Scare Me.

I Owe 2500 On This Van And Was Hoping To Pay It Off And Have A Few More Years Out Of It? We Don't Have The Funds To Fix It, Make The Payments, And Heat Our House!!! It's Really Frustrating!

Any Cheap Do It Your Self Help Would Be Great!
Thanks!

[hufhouse]

You can take it to AutoZone and get the code for the Service Engine Soon light. That might give you a clue about what is happening. However, it sounds like there is something more serious going on that is causing other systems to fail or operate incorrectly.

With TCS and low traction coming on for no reason (such as slippery roads), I'm inclined to think it's a transmission problem. Transmission repairs are generally not do-it-yourself items, unless you're a serious backyard mechanic.

However, it could be some kind of sensor or solenoid failing that might be an inexpensive repair. You're going to have to do some diagnostics.

Take it to Autozone and get the code(s) read and come back and post them. That might help someone drill down to a list of potential problems.

['97ventureowner]

Sometimes, the ABS/TCS light coming on can be traced to the rear circuit boards for your rear taillights. This is a common issue with these vans. Water leaks down into the unit and shorts them out causing other electrical issues. Take apart the rear taillights and look where the bulbs sit in the housing. Look for signs of it shorting out such as burnt appearance, black marks, melted appearance, etc. If that's the case you can purchase new "boards" off of eBay, usually under $30. If you need to install new boards, make sure you seal the outside of the unit as it sits in the back of the van with a weatherproof sealant to keep any water from infiltrating the unit and causing more problems.
With the headlamps filling with water, I'd remove the capsules from the van, drain any water that may still be in there, and then drill small holes in the bottom of the capsule to let any water out that may get in. A problem I've had with these vans is the seal where the lens attaches to the housing deteriorates from the UV rays of the sun. This weakens the glue and can open up small areas where water can enter the capsule. Putting a bead of a good quality sealant around where the lens mates with the capsule should correct this problem. You might have to go back and check every year to see if the sealant is holding up as climatic conditions coupled with UV rays continue to deteriorate the sealant. Just reapply a new bead where necessary. I found an excellent quality sealant at my local body shop supply house, others have used Marine quality sealant on theirs as well. You can check in your area for recommendations.

[jaso1108]

On the radio volume issue, mine did that as well- apparently there's some sort of membrane (for lack of a better term) that goes bad behind the knob, causing it to do funky things. It's funny how you think a dial is a dial when it's not a dial at all.

I've heard it's a real PITA to replace, you're best bet is to find a comparable unit and just throw in a new one.


~Jason

[hufhouse]

Originally Posted by jaso1108

I've heard it's a real PITA to replace, you're best bet is to find a comparable unit and just throw in a new one.

~Jason

If you want to do that, and you want to buy aftermarket, I highly recommend going to Crutchfield online and using their system to match a new unit to your vehicle. I've done that on two different cars now, and I was amazed, thrilled and tickled-to-death at the support they give for installation.

Both time, when I finished, the installation looked as good or better than OEM. They send you mounting hardware that is made specifically for your vehicle.

However, you might be able to find an OEM radio on eBay or a junkyard.