Anybody good with cars?

[kodykills]

Hey guys, ive lost all hope... I have a 2000 cavalier thats had an electrical problem for about a year (off and on) but now its getting worse! The deal is when i start er up and shift into R, the shifter button is rock hard sometimes, so i have to slam it down. Then soon as i put it in drive almost all my warning lights come on. When i either let off the gas or hit the brake my radio dies. Ive put a new battery and battery cables on it, but autozone and advanced auto parts full system checks come back fine. IVe also heard a very high pitched whine coming from my alternator. Sort of like when a hearing aid goes off... Heres a little video, its very strange

 

[Safira]

Alternator or the serpentien (sp?) Belt. The belt is probably slipping and causing the noise.

Weird stuff starts happening when something is wrong in that area. (alternator or belt) if nether has been replaced out may need it.

Does it have a seperate voltage regulator? It may be that too.

Hth

 

[JohnKing]

I noticed the gas gauge running below E, is that normal practice? I would rule that out (fill up the tank) before going any further.

 

[kodykills]

lol i had a half tank john. it dies and is the slowest to recover when the "...." happens. Im also not sure about the voltage regulator. i was thinking maybe a problem in the relay? im clueless

 

[mortios]

Have you taken it to autozone or advance and had them check what trouble codes its throwing yet? That would be my first step in starting to trouble shoot it.

 

[JohnKing]

lol i had a half tank john. it dies and is the slowest to recover when the "...." happens. Im also not sure about the voltage regulator. i was thinking maybe a problem in the relay? im clueless

dug this up..

This, and the other lights and radio problem, lead me to beleive that this is possibly a Body Control Module (BCM) problem. The BCM controls some dash indicators as well as the radio theft. That may be why the radio syas ERROR.
But, could also be an ignition switch problem. The ignition switch supplies power to many of the cars systems. If it had a problem and was not supplying the BCM with the proper voltage, this would cause the BCM to not funtion properly.

Multiple Warning Lights and Radio Problems

maybe you can replicate the issue by sitting in idle and jiggling the ignition a bit, if so, I'd go there. If you have a lot of stuff hanging off your keychain that might explain why it happens when the car lurches.

When i either let off the gas or hit the brake my radio dies

 

[kodykills]

mortios - the funny thing is even with all those lights on, the full system checks show no codes, like everythings fine.
johnKing - thanks ill check that article out.. I was thinking it had somthing to do with the theft system seeing its the first warning to pop on.

 

[mortios]

o0o...gremlins huh? All I can really say then is good luck. Check your grounds and look for any frayed or loose wires.

 

[Safira]

Back in the day, when BonJovi had long hair, the voltage regulator was a seperate part from the alternator. I have a feeling it's in the alternator now. Look at your belt and just make sure it's still good and no oil dripped on it causing it to slip a little. The charging system can cause your car to really act possessed when it's not working right.

Mortios, is right check that your grounded since you just replaced the battery.

But now I'm wondering if john isn't on to something. I keep forgetting all the crap they put in cars now. It may be the theft system, was this happening before the battery and cables were changed?

 

[jj2]

Hubby was a mechanic---but years ago.
He says: Sounds like you got a short (probably under the dash) like a mouse has gotten into it.

 

[kodykills]

haha more like a RAT. A while after i got the car is when all this started happening, and the theft light has always came on.. Im going to check all the grounds i can find this weekend. Its weird because the turn signal indicators are always lit (but dim) and they seem to flicker with the hum of the engine. Also if i turn my heater up and down they get brighter as i turn it up. Really weird stuff..........

 

[puppythor]

had a similar problem with a firebird, wound up that the engine to body ground was bad and the system was using the shifter cable as the ground

 

[AlmightyGod]

You either have a ground issue or a charging issue with the alternator being the prime suspect. If the belt hasn't been replaced in the last few years, start there. The idler pulley could also be part of it. There are so many systems run off of the belt that when one part goes bad, it all runs funny.

 

[Safira]

You either have a ground issue or a charging issue with the alternator being the prime suspect. If the belt hasn't been replaced in the last few years, start there. The idler pulley could also be part of it. There are so many systems run off of the belt that when one part goes bad, it all runs funny.

Sometimes I miss the days when you had one belt for the alternator, and a seperate one for the fan. That one big belt is pain to replace.

 

[kodykills]

well one day i did hear somthing strange, like a dragging chain kind of? a friend said it was a pulley, but it went away. And when i bought the car the serpentine belt was kinda squeeky, it faded away. It might be a shifter thing too though. if i start it up and rock the car back and forth my turn signals (on the dash only) flicker.. which grounds should i check? I checked the batteries ground and its nice and tight, no frays.. i havent looked any further. BTW, thanks guys, youve been a lot more helpful than chevyforums.com or even my local mechanics.

 

[AlmightyGod]

I would replace the belt & the tensioner first. If it persists, the alternator.

Make sure your alternator connections are tight.

 

[kodykills]

i looked at my engine ground today. Its grounded to the same place my battery is, the metal plate that the battery is sitting on... and i can see about 1/4 inch of bare wire that is no longer copper, its corroded and green.. Shouldent the engine be grounded to the firewall or something more stable? ALSO, turning on the AM radio band, i can hear my "key" alarm through the speakers. I heard this is a sign of a bad engine ground.

 

[Gotcoffee]

Pour some baking soda on it then water. That will take care of the corroded green stuff.

i looked at my engine ground today. Its grounded to the same place my battery is, the metal plate that the battery is sitting on... and i can see about 1/4 inch of bare wire that is no longer copper, its corroded and green.. Shouldent the engine be grounded to the firewall or something more stable? ALSO, turning on the AM radio band, i can hear my "key" alarm through the speakers. I heard this is a sign of a bad engine ground.

 

[kodykills]

Thanks guys! problem was a bad ground.

 

[Safira]

Yey, so your car is no longer possessed by demons.