1995 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, No Brake Lights

This 1995 Chevrolet Monte Carlo came in with the complain that the brake / stop lights do not work. As long as all of the bulbs are working this is easy to test. First confirm that the stop lights in fact do not work. Then check the turn signals and hazard lights. If they work the bulbs and wiring from the turn signal switch are okay. Have some one depress the brake pedal and check to see if the third or CHMSL is working. If it is and the lower ones are not the turn signal switch is faulty. If it is not either check the bulbs for that light (accessed through the trunk) or drop the lower dash cover and test the wiring. I checked and changed the CHMSL bulbs and that light started working so diagnosis of faulty turn signal switch.

I removed the screws from the lower dash cover and removed the cover.

I also removed the steel cover that is under the plastic panel.

I checked for power on the light blue wire (input from stoplight switch) with the brake pedal depressed. Power, this again confirms that the fuse and the stoplight switch are both good.

I checked the green and yellow wires (turn signal and brake light signal to the rear of the car) with the brake pedal depressed and the turn signal switch in the neutral position. No power and again I have diagnosed a faulty turn signal switch. By the way on many vehicle the turn signal switch is referred to as a multifunction switch.

To see how to replace the switch please click here.

2000 GMC Jimmy, No Dash lights

This 2000 GMC Jimmy came in with the complaint of no dash lights at night. This is actually pretty easy to test and repair. First turn the park lights on and check to make sure the exterior park/tail lights are working. These were on this vehicle.

Next check for power on the ILLUM fuse in the driver’s side interior fuse box. The panel dimming switch needs to be at full brightness during testing. If it is turned all of the way down the fuse will appear to have no power. Before actually replacing the switch you should check to see if the park lights are working. If they are also not working check the 20 amp PARK LP fuse in the underhood fuse box. If there is power on the ILLUM fuse place the truck in a dark location or use a blanket to cover the dash. Then check all of the bulbs for operation. If there are any illumination bulbs on the problem is not the switch the problem is blown bulbs.

The list of illuminated devices include the instrument cluster, radio, a/c controls, steering wheel controls and  dash mounted switches.

I had to remove one 7 mm headed screw from the trim panel above the instrument cluster. I also had to drop the lower dash trim panel to access two more 7 mm headed screws ath the bottom edges of the main dash panel. I tilted the column all the way down and placed the shifter handle down to D1.

With all of those steps completed  the dash trim panel can now be pulled or unsnapped from the dash. The switches can be unplugged and the panel removed to access the interior screws for the headlight switch assembly.

Sorry, no pictures of actually removing the screws and installing the new switch but,  I did get some pictures of the switch to let you have an idea of how it is mounted.

Further testing of the wiring to the switch should be done before replacing the switch.

Terminal “B”, orange wire should have power at all times. Power is supplied via the PARK LP fuse in the underhood fuse box.

Terminal “K”, dark green wire should have power with the park and/or headlights switched on. The panel dimming switch also needs to be rotated to the full bright position. This wire supplies power to the ILLUM fuse in the driver’s interior fuse box. If power is present when the above conditions are met, the switch is not the problem. If power is not present on the green wire after the above conditions are met, disconnect the harness from the headlight switch. Using a fused jumper wire with a 10 amp fuse , connect the orange wire at terminal “B” to the dark green wire at terminal “K”. The dash lights should now be on at full brightness.

The back side of the switch showing the electrical connection.

Now we have power to the ILLUM fuse in the interior fuse box.

1997 Ford Explorer, Low Oil Pressure On Gauge

This 1997 Ford Explorer came in with a complaint of low oil pressure reading on the gauge and sometimes the engine would rattle. Well this one is not an electrical problem but I thought I would share it with you anyways. The first thing I did was to check the oil to make sure there was enough in it. There was but the oil was filthy. Time to drain the oil and see what comes out.

The oil that came out was dirty and thick and it got thicker and grittier as the pan emptied. Time to remove the pan and see what is going on. Thankfully there is a lower drain pan on this vehicle that makes inspection very easy.

Wow, what a mess. The oil really was not that light brown in color. Just a lighting effect from the flash on the camera.

This is closer to the real color. Can you see the hump at the closest edge of the pan. That is actually sludge build up.

It is not good to find loose pieces in an oil pan. This piece is actually part of the timing chain guide assembly.

That looks really bad.

Now just what happened other than general engine neglect? There are a few clues in the pictures.

1 The sludge that was in the bottom of the pan was not chunky. Rather well mixed.
2 Broken timing chain guide in pan.
3 Some very clean parts in a very dirty engine. Notice two thirds of the oil pump pick up screen is very clean. Also the main oil return paths are clean where large amounts of oil flow over the metal.

And the answer is the timing chain guide had already broken and the engine rattles a lot at start up. To “help” this condition some one put an oil treatment or synthetic oil in a high mileage poorly maintained engine. The “treated oil” started cleaning the sludge build up and washed and mixed the sludge with the engine oil. This washing also brought the broken piece of the timing chain guide down into the pan, where it was sucked up against the oil pump pickup screen, thus blocking oil flow.
The two lessons of this story are number one change your oil and filter on a regular basis and number two never put synthetic oil or a high detergent oil treatment in a high mileage engine unless you have already done a major sludge clean up and gasket change.

1997 F150, Changing The GEM Module, Window & Wipers Inop

This 1997 Ford F150 needs the GEM module changed due to multiple conditions. To see testing that lead to this repair please click here. The GEM module is located at the rear of the interior fuse box.

The first step is to remove the trim panel that covers the gap between the upper side of the steering column and the dash. It just unsnaps from the dash. It makes it a little easier to remove if you move the shifter all the way down to drive 1.

With that out of the way the lower dash cover can now be removed. Most of the screws have 7 mm heads but there are two that have 8 mm heads.

Those two are at the lower edge of the fuse box.

One wiring harness needs to be disconnected from the panel.

Now the screws for the fuse box can be removed.

The wiring harnesses can be removed from the back of the fuse box. Two 10 mm headed bolts at the center of each connector.

Next remove the tube brace from around the bottom of the steering column. Four fasteners with 13 mm heads.

Now wiggle, pry and twist the fuse box and GEM module assembly down.

After the assembly is down far enough unplug the remaining harness connectors from the GEM module.

Almost there.

The assembly is now free of the vehicle.

The GEM module is held to the back of the fuse box by three phillips headed screws.

Easy to remove Now.

With the three screws removed the GEM unplugs from the back of the fuse box.

I put it all back together and checked my repair for power to the driver’s power window switch.

 

1997 Ford F150, Power Windows Inop

This 1997 Ford F150 came in with three complaints. The power windows do not work. The wipers do not work and the interior lights do not work. Figuring that they were all related I decided to test the easiest system to access, the power windows. I pulled the driver’s side power window switch assembly up and checked for power at the light blue/black wire with the key on. No power.

I then went to the interior fuse box and removed the battery saver relay. It is the small relay second from the top left corner.

I checked for ignition power on the lower right terminal, 12 volts, good.

I checked for ground at the upper right hand terminal by first placing one lead of my voltmeter to a positive battery source, 0 volts, bad. That in itself is enough to show that the GEM module is faulty but I also looked at GEM data with a scan tool and saw that internal system voltage was 22 volts. Hard to do with a 12 volt battery. Diagnosis of a faulty GEM module. To see how to replace the module please click here.

This is the reading with a new GEM module across terminals 85 and 86. Just like it should be 12 volts. Another important note is that I asked the customer about water leaks on this side of the truck and also closely inspected everything as I disassembled looking for signs of water intrusion. Water leaks are a big problem with these modules.

Again with the new GEM installed there is now power on the light blue/black wire.

In case you have not already figured it out if the windows had to be operated to raise a downed window you could do one of two things if there is no power at the light blue/black wire. One, you could apply 12 volts to this wire with a jumper wire. Two, you could jumper terminals 87 and 30 together at the battery saver relay. The second will also test the wiring in the door jamb as well.

1994 Ford Ranger, No Low Beam Headlights

This 1994 Ford ranger came in with no low beam headlights and an owner with no money needing at least low beam headlight operating. He stated that he he could deal with no high beams. The first thing that I did was to confirm that there was no power on the red/black wire at the headlights. With that information along with the fact that the high beams were working properly I knew the problem was in the dimmer switch. Sorry for the blurry pictures. I guess I was in a hurry as time is money and this customer did not have much money. At this point I had already removed the the steering column covers by removing the phillips headed screws from the underside and separating the two halves. Then a couple of torx head screws and the switch was out. I could see some heat damage from the back side of the harness connector.

From the side you can see more heat damage.

Finally a clear picture of the heat damage.

If you click on the switch you will be able to se the burnt mark in the center of the recessed curve area. To give the customer low beams only and to save him money I cut and spliced both the red/yellow and red/black wires together. Not the kind of work I like to do but as long as it is safe and reliable I will generally do what the customer wants. I can also see the customers point on this one the switch from the dealer is about 300 dollars. Yikes!!!!

2004 Chevrolet Impala, No Heat Driver’s Side, Code B0408

This 2004 Chevrolet Impala came in with the complaint that there was no heat on the driver’s side of the car. It could very well have been the reverse, no a/c on the driver side as the problem turned out to be a faulty driver’s side blend air door actuator assembly. There was a code B0408 stored for the that actuator. If you do not have a way of checking for codes, the actuator should be watched to see if it responds to command inputs. When there is a no or poor heat condition the coolant level should always be checked first.

To access the actuator the lower dash cover has to be removed but first the cover on the left end of the dash has to come off.

Then the driver’s side hush panel.

There may be a couple of screws along the lower edge of the panel. After they are removed the cover will pull off the dash and the trunk release switch can be disconnected if present.

Four 10 mm headed screws are recessed behind the metal knee bolster and there are several 7 mm headed screws around the exterior of the panel.

You can now see the actuator in the center of the following picture. The white label is easily visible. Testing is difficult at best but here is what needs to be done if you do not have a scan tool that will interface with the system. Back probe the yellow wire and the dark blue/white wires with a voltmeter. There should be 0 volts for a stationary command. There should be a 12 volt positive for a commanded movement and a negative 12 volt reading in the opposite direction. Note that the code may have to be cleared before the control head will make the commands. Use a scan tool, disconnect the battery or remove the DIC/RKE fuse for at least 60 seconds.

This is what the actuator looks like out of the vehicle. The screws holding the actuator to the case should have 5.5 mm heads. To order this actuator please click here.

After replacement of any of the actuators a recalibration procedure needs to be performed. It is very simple though. Turn the ignition off, remove the DIC/RKE fuse from the right / passenger side, interior fuse box. It is a 10 amp fuse. Leave the fuse out for at least 60 second. Install the fuse and turn on the ignition. Do not touch the a/c controls for at least 60 seconds. switch the key off for at least 10 seconds and the recalibration will be complete when you restart the engine.

Toyota Recalls Vehicles, Gas Pedals Stick On Floor Mats

Being in the automotive business I generally keep up with with headlines in the automotive field. I was recently watching the news one morning, and there was a piece on a recall by Toyota on several of it’s late model vehicles for problems related to the accelerator pedals getting stuck on the floor mats. Seems like a pretty simple fix for a fairly serious problem. Remove the floor mat until a proper part can be designed and installed in all of the recalled vehicles.

I did not think too much about this problem until, on an updated report I saw where fatalities were involved. I figured the gas pedal stuck on one of these vehicles and a pedestrian was hit and killed. To my surprise I read that a family of four had died when their 2009 Lexus ES350 accelerated to more than 120 mph when the driver lost control of the vehicle, hit a SUV, bounced off an embankment, flipped over several times, caught on fire and killed everyone in the vehicle. Absolutely terrible!!!!

Other than the obvious tragedy of the loss of life. There are several things that really bother me about such a needless accident.

Number one is that there was enough time for some one in the car to have called 911 for help in the matter, and apparently no help was received in time. I do not know the exact timelines, but I think it would take at least 30-60 seconds from the time the decision to call was made until the accident happened. It would have probably taken another 30 seconds or possibly much longer to actually decide to call 911.

Number two is that the driver was a California Highway Patrol Officer. A position that one would think has required training in automotive safety as that is part of the job description.

Number three the driver nor anyone in the car thought to turn the ignition off, or shift the transmission into neutral. Either one of which would have prevented either the scale of the accident or the fact that there was even an accident at all!!!!!!

If the vehicle had a keyless ignition, the ignition button would have had to be pushed and held in for three seconds before the engine would die (a fail safe to prevent accidental turn off of the engine while the vehicle is moving).

The shifter does require two movements to change from drive to neutral. Over and up.

An interesting point released by the NHTSA is that 150 pounds of pedal force is needed to stop one of these runaway vehicles as opposed to the normal 30 pounds of pedal force. Can you apply 150 pound of force to the brake pedal? Better have a plan “B”.

This information makes reading your owners manual and being familiar with your vehicle seem kind of important doesn’t it?

I know that I may take information like this for granted, because I grew up hearing stories from my father who was a mechanic at a GM dealership in the early to mid sixties when the “new cruise control system” was causing similar problems. It would sometimes engage and floorboard the accelerator pedal. I remember him saying that he was test driving one of these cars and it floor boarded on him “I tried to turn the cruise off but it would not disengage so I reached over and turned the ignition off”. Being a mechanic myself I have had similar problems over the years. Two cruise control systems floor boarded, and one accelerator return spring broke after a hard acceleration. Turning the key off worked every time.

The thing that is even more shocking to me, is that I have heard no one in the media talking about the lack of what should be common sense on the part of vehicle operators.

ANY VEHICLE is capable of a floor boarding situation. Whether it is a mechanical issue as simple as a floor mat keeping the gas pedal pushed down or an electronic problem, the situation can be overcome by turning the ignition off or putting the transmission in neutral.

Two simple little acts that would have saved the lives of at least four people and probably more. Everyone should know how to efficiently do both in any vehicle that they get into.

Maybe something else people should realize is that a vehicle is no different than a gun, in that if not handled properly it will kill you!!!!

Yes, Toyota is responsible for creating a dangerous situation to start with, but do we as a people have to slip into such a state of ignorance that we cannot THINK enough to save our own lives.

I know that I am not the norm, but I do not get behind the wheel of anything without having an exit strategy and constantly updating my plan as I drive. I was taught this as a child, and it is just second nature now.

1999 Plymouth Voyager, Cooling Fans Inop

This 1999 Plymouth Voyager came in with the complaint that the cooling fans do not operate. It is a very common problem on Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth minivans. The surprising thing to me on this one was the location of the cooling fan relay or module. The relay is located below the driver’s side headlight assembly. Most are located under the vehicle on the subframe near the driver’s side of the radiator. The last picture in this post shows the normal location.

Knowing that i had to get to the relay to test I removed the headlight assembly by removing the three 10 mm nuts on the back side of the headlight. I also had to remove a single 10 mm headed bolt at the top of the header panel.

With all of the attaching hardware removed I pulled the light assemble out and disconnected the wiring.

Next I had to remove a phillips head screw from the outer edge of the plastic cover.

With the screw removed I could lift the outer edge up and release the hook on the inner edge.

Now I can get to the relay for testing.

I released the lever at the left edge of the red locking bar. Then I pushed the bar to the right.

Then I started testing. I use a very sharp pick attached to my voltmeter lead and gently push into the wire to look for voltage. I have found that in doing this the wound is self healing. If for some reason I feel that I may have damaged the insulation, I wipe some silicone sealer sealer across the wound.

I use a scan tool in conjunction with this procedure to command the fans on and look for a change in voltage on the green command wire from the engine control computer. If I see the needed signal and the fans do not operate, I then check for power on the gray wire and ground on the black wire.

If everything has checked good so far I finish disconnecting the harness from the relay and jumper the gray and dark green wires together.

I will also do an amperage test with a clip on amp probe around my fused jumper wire.

Diagnosis of a faulty cooling fan relay or module. This is the first one I can remember seeing that is riveted on most have two 8 mm headed screws holding them on. I used a cut off wheel grinder to remove the rivet heads. Then a hammer and punch to drive the remaining rivet through the hole. I did have to twist the rivets with a pair of pliers first to loosen them up.

I used screws and lock nuts to hold the new relay in place.

Plugged the wiring back up and pushed the red locking bar back into place. I tested the fans and this one is fixed. Now I just have to put it back together.

Notice the three holes in the metal in the center of the picture. This is where the relays are normally found. The two outer holes are for the mounting screws and the center one is an alignment hole. There is a matching tab on the back of the relay.

1991 Honda Accord, Cranks and Shuts Off

This 1991 Honda accord came in with the complaint that the engine would crank and run but as soon as you would release the key the engine would stop. This is or was a common problem on these cars. I was a little surprised the customer had figured out that if she held the key over it would keep running. I guess she was holding the key in the full crank position through because she stated that the starter would make a noise every time she pushed the clutch in. Good thing she did not damage the starter or flywheel. Anyway the diagnosis was a faulty ignition switch, electrical portion. You do not have to buy the complete assembly just the electrical part.

To remove the switch the lower dash cover and the steering column covers have to be removed. A single phillips headed screw holds the lower plastic trim panel in place along with some spring clips on the upper portion.

There are quite a few phillips headed screws that hold the two halves of the steering column covers together. There are also two different types of thread types so keep them separated as you take them out.

With those pieces out of the way the four 10 mm headed bolts can be removed.

Now there are three screws that hold the switch in place. One for the cover plate and two for the actual switch. the screws have both a phillips head and a hex head design.

The first screw removes the cover plate along with a latch that has to be released.

Now the electrical portion of the ignition switch can be removed and pulled out of the car.

The switch terminates at the interior fuse /junction block in the driver’s side kick panel. I strongly recommend removing this connector first to avoid sparking at the the exposed ignition switch wiring in the steering column. Of course you could take the battery loose as well.