DXDoug

v6 3.1L. (replaced steering column last year) haven't drove too much.
Ok i have been having this issue since December. My battery is from 01/11. fluids in it are good.

Basically what happens is while the car is running my battery power will drop to half or less power and i wont be able use my windows, or the windshield wipers operate at half speed. and my lights will dim enough to where people are flashing me cause they are not bright enough

Ive noticed this can happen from just driving down the road and hitting a bump it will knock it down to half power... then maybe hit another bump and it will kick it back up to full power.

If you play with the key while its running a little i can get it to do this as well it will drop battery down like im about to kill the car or something.. For some reason i feel when i bang on the top of the steering column it will kick it back on sometimes.

Im really right now.. because i can leave it running all day it wont die. it may sound like it is about too cause not getting enough power but it wont die.

Last year i had my steering column replaced..

I seem to think could be ignition switch / module thing.
but also im no expert.
what ive heard is, maybe a bad ground cable or wiring..

Though i suppose it could be alternator or something else but before i take that out and all that figure i might ask here first before i try messing with it.

DXDoug

Another thing i noticed is when you push the shift button to change gears it will cause this too happen. Also i can hear a click in the steering column after i hear the click from the shifter button and it goes into the low power mode and i have to play around with it till i can get it to get back on..
But ya windows wont work after tripping this. and yeah power is little below the half way mark.


i tightened the negative cable on battery as it was a little loose and tried cleaning the ground where it connects to. and the other ground that the alternator connects to. seems to be a little better where it aint constantly switching from low power to normal power when driving down a dirt road, but still has the problem

DXDoug

welp it isnt the alternator or battery . definitely to me has some thing to do with the ignition lock cylinder or ignition cylinder whatever its called.. that or ignition switch but my bigger bet is the ignition cylinder, as when you play with the key i can get it to cause the problem instantly.

I donnu... any thoughts??

DXDoug

ya guy at shop said probably the ignition switch.. but he also wouldnt work on my car for some reason.. said something about a bad computer that needed replaced supposebly.. blahh just wish had lil help. gettin manuals lol