Electrical Trouble ( LSS )
 

Hi

I have a 1997 Olds LSS that is having iisues with the courtesy lights.

The problem is simple...they wont shut themselves off.

The interior lights are able to be controlled by either their individual switches, or as part of the illuminated entry system.

I replaced the the BCM yesterday, as a diagnostic tree from a GM tech manual seemed to indicate that it was the problem. However, it has seemed to make no difference.

The lights worked just fine for a trip that took several hours. Once I arrived at the destination, the car sat idle for several hours. When I restarted the car, the lights came on..and would not shut back off...even if i tried to turn them out by their own respective switches.

The only way to kill the lights was either by disconnecting the battery, removing their individual bulbs, or by disconnecting the BCM. I did the latter, and the lights soon went out. While the BCM is unplugged, the lights will not function , save for their own switches.

However, I did notice that if I disconnect the neg cable from the battery, and then using a test light, connect the clip to the cable and touch the neg terminal of the battery I get a dim pulsating light in test light.

ANy ideas ?

Strange, a friend's Grand Prix did this until he replaced the alternator, then all was fine. I can't explain that one.

Anyway, you might try the BCM diagnostic test in the service manual. There is a signal (it may be a ground) that tells the lights when to turn on. If the signal is always there, then your lights may not want to shut off.

Hi

I have been thinking bad ground. HOw would you fix such a problem ?

You have to start at the BCM and work your way back to the short-to-ground with a test light.

Hi

OMG, that harness gets quickly buried in the dash. :shock:

First you want to see if it is coming from the "Door open" circuit, or the "Door handle lifted" circuit, or the rotating knob on the dashboard.

You don' t need to follow the wire! You need a good electrical diagram, and then you test the wires in locations where there are harnesses that are accessible. If you can find the junction point where all of the wires from all of the doors come together, then you could test each wire for a short-to-ground. Or you could test each of the door switches.

To do both you need the service manual, though.

Does the LSS use a relay to turn the lights on and off? Another possibility is that it could be stuck in the "on" position.