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OK guys, I need some help figuring this out. The brown wire coming from the fuse box has fried, and I need to replace it. It's the one that goes into the 20A FP/FAN fuse. I know it connects to the bulk head connector on the firewall under the dash on the drivers side (I think it is the G8 pin on the C100) as I've done a continuity test. But the thing is, according to the shop manual, the wire separates into two wires somewhere before it goes through the firewall. As you can see in these pictures the wire takes a left turn and continues towards the center console instead of exiting right through the bulk head connector to the right:
Here you see the fried wire
This it where it takes a wrong turn
It was supposed to go this way
I need to know if it actually does splice with another wire somewhere in there or if I can just bypass the whole wire and stretch out a new one. I really can't see where it goes. Please help!
Did that thing have a Viper Alarm in its past? I've seen some baaaaaaddd things done to harnesses all in the name of tricking a would be hot wire artist, and they were required to be done by auth. dealers, so that the theft warranty would be honered.
It did have a DEFA alarm system once upon a time, but that's been all but removed. Thankfully they didn't mess up the wiring to the point of no return. I've been able to repair every wire I've come across that had been tampered with, and with this wire being burnt I think I've uncovered the rest of the old system. If only someone could tell me with certainty that the brown wire does or does not split/splice with another wire somewhere within the harness under the dash then I can take the necessary steps to replace that wire. If it does not split/splice then I can simply cut the wire at both ends and lay a new wire in it's stead, but if it does split/splice then I need to know where so I can run the new wire by that location.
Please you guys, if I can get this mess sorted out then I can connect the battery again and start tackling all the other problems with the car. But I can't until I've fixed the shorted wire.
The brown wire from the fuse box goes into a thick harness that goes towards the center console. The brown wire that comes from the G8-pin in the bulk head connector merges with the thick harness a couple of inches before the brown wire from the fuse box does. I know the two wires are connected somehow as my multi-meter makes a beeping noise when i measure between the fuse and the G8-pin. But according to my shop manual there is supposed to be a split or splice somewhere between the fuse box and the bulk head connector. Now I'm not the best at reading electrical diagrams so I'll post a picture of it in a minute, maybe you guys see something I don't. I'll also take a couple more pictures from underneath the dash.
I've been looking at the wiring dia. and its apparent that vin # or letter is necessary to filter out the right lead. If its vin H with auto then it goes to an empty conn.
That's what I thought you might have. S210 goes one way to connector C100 pin G7 and the other end goes to a terminal not used. It dead ends at connector C207, pin R. I'm not sure which shop manual that is but I think if you look you will find a page that shows where to find the splices. The table will list everything "S***" and then a description of where to look on the car. Or check the location list for connector C207 pin R, and back trace it in the car back towards the fuse block. Sometimes the splice can be easy to miss. They do a good job of blending them in.
Would you look at that Thanks! I see on the component location pic in my last post that the C207 connector is located next to the ECM. I just hope the wire didn't overheat to the point where it fried and/or shorted other adjacent wires.
So easiest point of access to the ECM would be from underneath the dash on the passenger side, right?
Yes the ECM is on the passenger side,the kick panel covers up the bottom where part of the mounting bracket is, but you might find it easier to line up the upper retaining pin with the dashboard cover pulled out.
I hope I'll be able to find it without taking apart the entire dash. Those wire bundles sit pretty tightly packed in there. But seen as how the splice doesn't really go anywhere or do anything functional, would it be ok to just run a new wire directly from the G7 pin to the fuse box?
Also, in which book did you find your wiring diagrams?
Getting the dashpad off isn't to bad just don't drop the screws down in the defrost vent. I would look for heat damage at the splice and the C207, at the very least. If that looks safe then running a seperate wire from the fuse panel to the C100 G7, should be fine, as long as you have an Automatic.
Use the same gauge wire as what's already there, often people say the same or larger, but you've obviously already had an issue. If you put in thicker wire, then the circuit will take on much more heat than it did before, when it failed the first time. That might just be what saved it from burning up the wires around it.
I re-routed the fp-fan fuse directly to the G7 pin on the C100 connector.
Alas, now my turn signals won't work. So far I've found out that the hazards still work. I've also found a loose wire originating from the steering column. When it exits the column it is green with a tan stripe (or visa versa). Then it goes through a connector and from there the wire is tan. It follows a harness to another connector behind the kick panel. From here it is still tan, but has been spliced shortly after and ends in a factory looking pin.
I don't even know if the wire has anything to do with the turn signal lights, but it would be nice to know what it does anyways, so if anyone has any idea then please don't be shy.
Also, so the C207 pin R is not in use on auto tranny cars? What use does it have on manual cars? Just wondering, in case I ever want to put a t-5 or t-56 in it.
Since I never really experienced any problems with the unidentified tan wire, I just insulated it and completely forgot about it. Now that I am installing powerseats I rediscovered this annoying little mystery. But I do believe I've found out what it is! If I am correct, this should be the wire going to the door jamb switch, telling me if I've forgotten to take my key out of the ignition. That function has never worked in my car, but I always figured that I had just put the tiny spring contact plate thingy in the steering column back wrong when I took it apart to tighten the tilt mechanism. That was one of the first things I did. That is ten years ago now. Maybe time to get that whole thing sorted
Maybe I'll get that annoying single tone high pitched buzzer fixed as well this time around I am curious if my buzzer is actually able to produce a more pleasant chime noise, or if I'm stuck with the eardrum-pearcing ultrasound tone that it has now? Meep
You could install a chime box from a Firebird,.......... It's got a "ding-ding-ding" chime rather than the "BUZZZZZZZZ" type chime that was used in the early/mid eighties Camaro. Pretty sure the 90-92 Camaro used the 'ding-ding' chime too.
P.S. Yes; That Tan wire sure looks like the door switch wire ! Driver door switch should have 2 wires ( 1 WHITE and 1 TAN ). Pretty sure the pass side only had a WHITE wire.
If only mine had a buzz-type warning buzzer. It's got more of a "BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" quality to it
But I'll see if I can't get a hold of a Firebird or later model chime box. IIRC there is a thread where several alternative part numbers are listed. I'll see if I cant find a nineties something GM at the scrap yard to scavange.
04-23-2011, 11:46 AM
Thanks! I see on the component location pic in my last post that the C207 connector is located next to the ECM. I just hope the wire didn't overheat to the point where it fried and/or shorted other adjacent wires. 
I am curious if my buzzer is actually able to produce a more pleasant chime noise, or if I'm stuck with the eardrum-pearcing ultrasound tone that it has now?
