Ok, here's the deal: I just put a 383 and T56 in the car about two weeks ago, and finally got it running right a few days back. Two days ago I had an alarm installed on it. Yesterday, the problem began. Here's what it's doing. When I start the car, the brake warning light on the dash stays on, and the temp guage is pegged to like 400*. It stays there for a little while, say, 30 seconds to a few minutes, then the light shuts off and the gauge begins reading properly. It hasnt done it every time I start the car, and it has NEVER malfunctioned after the car has been running. Meaning, if the problem occurs, it's there right from startup, once it's gone, it won't malfunction again until I shut the car off and restart. Later last night when I was driving home, it did it again, except this time, I noticed a LOT of other things going wrong. The radio had shut off, yet came back on when I turned it on. It should be on as soon as I start the car. The windshield wipers wouldnt work, along with the blower motor, and the power windows. And worst of all, my amp gauge on my dash was reading extremely low, and the headlights were dimmed to match. Then, as I was frantically rushing to get the car home, suddenly everything went back to normal. All at the same time, amp gauge fixed itself, headlights brightened back up, windows and wipers worked, and the brake warning light shut off and temp gague began working. Now I'm really stumped.

So here's my thoughts. First of all, the temp gauge works like this: wire goes from the gauge, through the ignition switch, to the temp sensor in the motor. The temp sensor has varying resistance, according to the coolant temp. The ONLY way that gauge could be pegged to like 400* is if that wire were grounding somewhere along it's path. Now, the ignition switch GROUNDS that wire when you turn the key to the crank position. That's why when you crank the motor, you see all the gauges fly way up. This, combined with the fact that the problem only occurs right after startup, leads me to suspect the ignition switch is faulty in some way. But I'm really not sure. Heck, it could be anything. Does this sound like it could be the ign switch?

What do you guys think? Am I on the right track? I'm trying to think of how to test the ign switch. Hypothetically if, when the temp gauge is malfunctioning, if I were to probe the temp wires going in and out of the ign switch, if it lighted on the way in, but not on the way out, then the switch is bad, right?

Anyone think it may be pertaining to the alarm in some way? Perhaps they bumped something under there? Any other suggestions? Sorry so long.

Oh, and about the alarm: it came with a remote start, but I didnt have it hooked up, because I have a manual. Could that screw up and cause this?

 

if you never had any of these problems before the alarm install i'd suspect they did something wrong and ask them to take a look at it. if it's not the alarm i'd suspect something failing in the charging system. if i was going to test the ignition switch i'd swap a new one in, but if it's not that you can't return eletrical parts. you work at a dealer right? might be able to swap in the known good part and return it if it doesn't work.

 

I would have to side with ede on this one. If it didn't do that sort of thing before but does it since the company put the alarm in, I would tend to think they are the responsible party. But I also think that the theory on the ignition switch sounds pretty valid. The thing is, they could very easily have been under there wiring the alarm and whatnot up and disturbed the ignition switch alignment or wiring and that the ignition switch really is the culprit. But I dunno about it really being the switch that is bad. I mean it really doesn't do much, which means there isn't much internal to the switch that can fail.... I would start by getting under the dash and doing a good visual of the ignition switch wiring and mounting and make sure it is good to go.

 

I talked to Best Buy who installed the alarm, and they refuse to take any responsibility for it. They say if the temp gauge is messing up, it couldn't be their fault. Yet another reminder of why I should never let someone else touch the car. At least if I'd screwed it up myself I'd know where to look.
I also discovered that the brake warning light grounds through the ignition switch, in the same manner that the temp gauge does. Coincidence? I think not. Of course I went to test it today, and it won't malfunction. I must have started her up a dozen times, and everything seems normal. Intermittent electrical gremlins...
I dont work at a dealer or parts store anymore, so borrowing parts isnt an option. Besides, it seems like a bit of a pain in the **** to pull the airbag and bypass the VATS just to try a different switch. It's supposed to go to the bodyshop first thing tomorrow morning... and then will be immediately driven to cali after it's been painted. I dunno what to do about this, I hate for it to start screwing up on the body shop guys, or while I'm 1000+ miles from home with it.

 

actually I had a problem very close to this and I found that I could adjust my ignition switch a little which took care of it. you may want to check that area because if you watch the gauges when you start the car they do waht your saying during cranking and then go to normal when its running.

 

The brake warning light and the temp gauge make sense to me, if it's the ignition switch. What I don't understand is why, on that one occasion, my accessories were not working, and the alternator appeared to be not charging, or else there was a major power draw coming from somewhere. But whatever it is, it's coming from the same source/same problem, because it all went back to normal at the same time.

 

The World's Premier Automotive Electrical Specialists - Best Buy. (a fifteen year-old kid with a jackknife and roll of vinyl tape. Yeah, I'm going to trust THEIR opinion.)


The TEMP gauge always pegs on cranking, and if it remains that way afterward, there is an ignition switch or switch circuit problem. Since they're so definite that they did not cause a problem, ask them if they'll pay the repair bill after you take your car to a real automotive electrical specialist, and he/she finds just what it is that they screwed up.... Tell them up front, so they aren't blind-sided when you return with the diagnosis.

I've seen more botched wiring from alarm and remote starter installations than I care to remember. I wouldn't even allow most dealer service departments hack into my electrical system, let alone a place that specializes in selling computer games.

 

Best buy and circuit city are sort of a hit or miss thing with the car alarm installs. Sometimes you get a good install, sometimes you don't.

The installs that are almost always interesting to look at are autocommand and bulldog brand systems though. Both brands cater to the backyard diy installer who has never installed a car alarm or remote starter before in their life before.

Also look around for any broken ground terminals.