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Help! Electric issues

terrific82

Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
5
Location
new jersey
My XLR/V(s)
2005 xlr
Please Help. My 2005 XLR has an issue where all the notification lights for service come on then read in the information panel. This time however the car started to buck after this issue happened again.
Somebody Help me they are telling me to throw the car away...YUK
 
Moving out of the Site Help and Feedback forum and into the XLR Tech Forum....
 
A little more info would make it easier to understand your problem.

1. When do the messages appear? (Under what conditions, normal driving, on start-up, extended driving, after extended parking?)
2. Exactly which messages are displayed?
3. How old is the battery?
4. How long have you owned the car?
5. Is the car regularly driven? (Daily, weekly, monthly?)
6. Is it connected to a Battery Tender when parked for extended periods?
7. How many miles on the car?
8. When you describe the car as bucking, do you mean it's lurching while driving?
9. You said "they" are telling you to throw the car away. Who is "they?"

CC
 
electrical issue

A little more info would make it easier to understand your problem.

1. When do the messages appear? (Under what conditions, normal driving, on start-up, extended driving, after extended parking?)
2. Exactly which messages are displayed?
3. How old is the battery?
4. How long have you owned the car?
5. Is the car regularly driven? (Daily, weekly, monthly?)
6. Is it connected to a Battery Tender when parked for extended periods?
7. How many miles on the car?
8. When you describe the car as bucking, do you mean it's lurching while driving?
9. You said "they" are telling you to throw the car away. Who is "they?"

CC
Randomly when I am driving
service traction soon, service engine, service brakes, service fuel system, service stability, every icon lights then it scrolls in the information panel
battery is 2 yrs old, car starts no problem, all power works seats, door locks, etc
i use the car daily to and from work
100k
it only happened once which caused me to flatbed it to the dealer. After it lit up like a tree, the car didn't shift well. Approaching a light as it would change gears it would buck and hesitate like it was going to stall but it didn't. I was afraid to increase speed for fear of stalling so I maintained 25 for 4 miles til I got home
the Cadillac service because I have brought it in for the same issue for over a year and I don't know if the check it but they tell me it may be a bad module but will not take the car apart to actually check
 
As for frequency, you mentioned it happens randomly, when you're driving, then later stated it happened once. Which is it?

Do you store it in a garage?

As a general rule, dealerships don't randomly remove/replace modules unless they are flagged during diagnostic testing. If they ran a full scan of the car, did any codes appear?

The dealership told you to dump the car? If so, that's pretty bad; I'd be looking for another dealer to work on it.

Does the top operate correctly?

CC
 
As for frequency, you mentioned it happens randomly, when you're driving, then later stated it happened once. Which is it?

Do you store it in a garage?

As a general rule, dealerships don't randomly remove/replace modules unless they are flagged during diagnostic testing. If they ran a full scan of the car, did any codes appear?

The dealership told you to dump the car? If so, that's pretty bad; I'd be looking for another dealer to work on it.

Does the top operate correctly?

CC

No it happens many times. Only once where the car started to buck. I have to ask if the codes appear. HMMMM Top and seats and everything else operate correctly.

Yes I wish I could find an electrical expert to check the car. they know that I leased another car through them. I have been with this dealer over 20 yrs. When they see me they run lol

There was water under the passenger seat. Now they tell me that the module got ruined in the water...again another guess. The windshield was broken and replaced the beginning of last year. Could it be that the car has a leak from that
 
Ahhh. . . Water intrusion is the clue I was looking for. This would explain the intermittent nature of the problem.

Since you had the windshield replaced, I would be highly suspect that water may have run down the passenger side A pillar and affected the BCM beneath. The BCM is the heart of the power and signal distribution system. It's worth a shot to inspect first. Disconnect the battery before removing any BCM connectors though. (Roll a window down first, so you can re-enter the car later.)

If the car sustained enough water build-up to submerge a connector on the floor pan --or anywhere near the Body Control Module under the passenger foot well, you could have corrosion built up (or be suffering from the aftereffects of a previous short, which should have blown a fuse). It would be prudent to pull the carpeting back and remove the BCM cover to inspect it. There's no reason to get rid of the car; you just need a competent tech to troubleshoot the problem. Luckily, the BCM is plentiful and relatively cheap. Labor to re-terminate the connectors (if required) is not. A BCM-related problem would likely cause all kinds of messages to appear.

Oftentimes, an electrical problem caused by water is easy enough to find without any specialized tools other than one's eyes. The problem gets worse over time if corrosion builds up inside any previously-submerged connectors. Connector pins should be clean and free of any corrosion, which is often a greenish color from the copper wire crimped into them.

The seats are easy to remove. I've written up detailed instructions before. You can use the search function on the site to find them. Perform a visual inspection of any connectors that might have been affected. (There are two under each seat.) Many modules are interconnected, so if the buss is affected, other modules might be too.

If you perform the BCM inspection and spot anything suspicious, take a couple of pictures and post them here. Use plenty of light while inspecting too.

CC :wave:
 
You are the Best

Ahhh. . . Water intrusion is the clue I was looking for. This would explain the intermittent nature of the problem.

Since you had the windshield replaced, I would be highly suspect that water may have run down the passenger side A pillar and affected the BCM beneath. The BCM is the heart of the power and signal distribution system. It's worth a shot to inspect first. Disconnect the battery before removing any BCM connectors though. (Roll a window down first, so you can re-enter the car later.)

If the car sustained enough water build-up to submerge a connector on the floor pan --or anywhere near the Body Control Module under the passenger foot well, you could have corrosion built up (or be suffering from the aftereffects of a previous short, which should have blown a fuse). It would be prudent to pull the carpeting back and remove the BCM cover to inspect it. There's no reason to get rid of the car; you just need a competent tech to troubleshoot the problem. Luckily, the BCM is plentiful and relatively cheap. Labor to re-terminate the connectors (if required) is not. A BCM-related problem would likely cause all kinds of messages to appear.

Oftentimes, an electrical problem caused by water is easy enough to find without any specialized tools other than one's eyes. The problem gets worse over time if corrosion builds up inside any previously-submerged connectors. Connector pins should be clean and free of any corrosion, which is often a greenish color from the copper wire crimped into them.

The seats are easy to remove. I've written up detailed instructions before. You can use the search function on the site to find them. Perform a visual inspection of any connectors that might have been affected. (There are two under each seat.) Many modules are interconnected, so if the buss is affected, other modules might be too.

If you perform the BCM inspection and spot anything suspicious, take a couple of pictures and post them here. Use plenty of light while inspecting too.

CC :wave:

I cannot thank you enough. Even if I had to replace the BCM is it worth me keeping the car? I love it and put so much into it already. They tell me even if they find the problem they will not be able to find the part.
 
They tell me even if they find the problem they will not be able to find the part.

No wonder you aren't getting anywhere with them. They've given up before they've started. How can they not find a part that they haven't even identified?

This is an excuse masquerading as an explanation.

I'd look for another dealer.

CC
 
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No wonder you aren't getting anywhere with them. They've given up before they've started. How can they not find a part that they haven't even identified?

I'd look for another dealer.

CC

Can I reinforce what CC is telling you here? The BCM (if required) is easy and low cost. BUT, as CC has pointed out, if the harness ends have a corrosion problem then you need specialist help. I doubt the dealer would try to do it, they would likely either refuse or bring in a specialist. Or, they would charge for fitting a new harness, and the harness probably isn't available (as well as being very expensive to fit). A specialist will cut off the old (damaged) harness ends and fit new ones, a detailed, difficult job (to do well).

However, you need a proper inspection first. Corrosion in the harness ends is easy to see (for a specialist) (and your dealer is well able to do that).
 
I cannot thank you enough. Even if I had to replace the BCM is it worth me keeping the car? I love it and put so much into it already. They tell me even if they find the problem they will not be able to find the part.

OK So I still do not have the car back from when I originally wrote. I took the car to another mechanic who pulled out the passenger seat and found that a gasket on the convertible was where the leak was. BTW I brought in your email. LOL

He told me that there wasnt any corrosion but to be safe replaced the BCM. When they put the seat back he said that the airbag light came on for the passenger side and he wanted to check that. SOOOOO I still am waiting...
 

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