97 Park Ave electrical problems- FRUSTRATED

[caprig]

We purchased a Park Ave 1997 (not ultra) Aug of 2007 with only 62,000 mi on it. The body is in excellent shape and the car has lumbar seats, and not sure what other extras, as I am not sure of the standard fare on Park Ave.

We have had a lot of problems with this car - most of which seem to be related to electrical system.

The dashboard will intermittently go berserk- all dials will flip around and then at that time it is very possible that something will blow- first it was cruise control- they tried fixing it several times and even put in a new unit, but it blew again.

Then it was the CD player and tape player - always when the dash goes berserk- then it was the ABS/traction.

If this is all related and can be fixed, this would be a great car- so far it works pretty well, besides the load of things fixed like exhuast twice, a/c compressor, gas gauge, front seat control, back window defrost which shorted out because of a trunk leak........

Now, you would never guess this car had these problems- it looks brand new. Probably because the other person could never DRIVE IT!

Anyway, we are trying to decide if this is just going to be a huge headache forever and if we should try to get another car like LeSaber instead or what?

Any input from anyone is very welcome.

The car runs fine and we have some excellent snow tires- the car runs fabulously in the snow too.

It is just such a headache.

We bought an extended warranty program for two years so this has all been covered so far, but if it runs out, we can not afford to have it repaired like this.

Does anyone out there have insight on this? We have been told by some mechanics that these cars are like a tank- they never break down and run for years. Did we get a lemon or is this common with this type of car?

[HotZ28]

It sounds like you may have purchased a PA produced on Monday, the day after the Super Bowl of 98! These cars have many high amperage accessories that depend on smooth clean voltage from the battery. The battery positive & negative terminals/post must be absolutely clean and tight to carry the load. You also have a positive feed going to the fuse/relay panel on the firewall that needs to be checked for corrosion and tightness. In addition, you should have the alternator & battery tested off the car, for proper voltage, charging and regulator control. Regular maintenance is required in order to keep the electrical system in like- new condition.. Nice, low mileage cars with over 10+ years on the clock can rack up a lot of sitting time in harsh environments and that can contribute to the problem! You could have other problems too, however, do not overlook the obvious!

I have owned a 97' PA for four years now.Just last year I began having the same problems your describing.Dashlights blinking off and on while driving down the road.I have had several mechanics check this out and to no satisfaction.
I have replaced the fuel pump,knock sensor,alternator,battery and was told that mice had eaten through some wires overnight.While setting the mechanics garage.(uh yeah,okay).None of this fixed the problem.
Thinking it might still be fuel pump related the car did not seem to want to start at times.I opened the fuse box under the hood to try a new fuel pump relay and that did not fix it.
While replacing the relay I noticed that the fuse box was loose.When I moved it the car started.I began to wonder and I decided to look up under the fuse box.I took the screws out and turned it upside down.To my amazement I found a heavy gauged tan wire that looked burned and a copule of smaller wires red and yellow I think that also looked suspect.
The next day my car did not want to start again.(note,it would turn over,just not start) After paying all that money I found that the wire was the problem.My problem is I don't have the money to replace that section of wiring harness,so I will be splicing the wire with a piece I remove from a wrecked car.
I would look under that fuse box just to make sure.Let us know what you find.

[kessary69]

The first guy hit the nail on the head, if your battery cable are tight but don't have a great connection your car will go nuts. I replaced the cable ends from the factory with the type you solder on and have never had another problem. Never, ever use the kind you buy at the parts store that just clamp on the wire with a couple of bolts.

[Greg5150]

I have a 97 Park Ave and I had the same problem. The culprit was a loose negative battery cable bolt that goes into the battery. Clean all the terminals and tighten them snugly.

[Talk2meYou]

I have a 96 Park Ave and used to swear there was a ghost under the hood. It turned out to be the control module that controlled the AC/Heat. I bought some spray contact cleaner and sprayed it real good. I have not had a ghost since.