I can see that variations of this topic have been discussed already, but I'm left a little confused. I have a 97 SSE. I have never had the keyfob(remote) that I assume came with the car. Brief description of the problem: for over a year(since I got the car), the power locks or interior lights have never worked. Within the past month, at no precise time or event, all the interior lights will go on, the doors will lock, and the info centre will begin the dinging showing the current status of everything. This is the only times I have ever heard any dings. I have tried to recreate what ever is happening to turn all this on, but so far no luck. I have checked the grounds, fuses, connections and all seem seem fine. If I am driving when everything starts working, it will stay working (with all interior lights blazing) until I park, and shut off the car, then on restart, nothing. It doesn't happen everytime I drive the car, sometimes once a week, sometimes twice a day. When it does happen, it'* nice to have power locks that work, but having all the lights on full time is a pain. If I park it when all is on, the interior lights will turn themselves off after about 10 minutes. There seems to be no rhyme or reason, no particular thing that makes it work, or stops it from working. :?:

I would start by checking the ground busses for corrosion?

See Tech Info article here:
http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...=article&k=102

Did the ground bus check & clean just prior to posting as I knew it was a possibilty from reading existing posts. Am I correct in saying that my '97 has a RAC module, rather than a MALL? Could this be an area of concern? Is there a similar diagnostics procedure to what was listed for the MALL?

You DO have a MALL.....Here is the diagnositc procedure to test it along with some other fuses checks you can do if you haven't already.

http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...highlight=mall

Now, for the RAC, you may also have one of those, I think.....It'* beben awhile since I thought about both mudules, so I am not sure but I am going to check the FSM when I get home to see if there is a RAC, also.

Sorry, my knowledge about these cars is minimal at best, I was going by the last post I read on here about the Mall module being discontinued in 96, and that the following years would have have the other.... This is all a learning curve for me, as it took me the past 5 years to get up to speed on each forum I joined to match the recent cars that I owned(dodgeforum.com for the Ram, chargerforum.com for the charger, naisso for the impala and so on. I bought this car a year ago for the wife as a winter beater, and I figured it was time to spend a little time learning about it, as it runs (mechanically) perfect (just not electrically). I'm sure like most problems, it'* a fixable issue, and it just takes time, and I'm also sure like most people, I was hoping it was going to be a rather simple, straight forward fix. From what I have seen so far, compared to my last 10+ cars, this car seems to have the most complicated, and tempermental electrical system around.... No offence intended.

Nothing for you to be sorry about. We are here because we like to help and share our knowledge.

Electrical in these cars complicated? Yes. Tempermental? Bingo. I feel the same way....there is a LOT of electrical module components that control and are connected to other electrical modules to work properly. I guess it is all part of a car that has a lot of electrical conveniences.

Anyways, you technically do not have a RAC. If you have keyless remote, then you instead have a Remote Function Actuator (RFA) module which probably serves a similar function as the RAC, but the at the least the name has changed for 1996-1999. You also have a MALL. Models w/o keyless do not have a RAC, but still will have a MALL.

After looking at the diagnostics, I am convinced that your symptoms are related to the MALL as the RFA does not control all the problems you are experiencing, rather the RFA sends signals to the MALL for only remote locking and lighting actions and the MALL takes over the commands. Since you have chimes going off and are inoperative along with mysterious locking and lighting functions, that occur using the interior switches, this is MALL related.

So, either the MALL is bad or there is a fuse blown (not likely since there is operation sometiems of these fundctions), or a short in the wiring or a bad terminal conector or contact between the termial and wiring. If you want me to walk you through this step-by-step, I can. Basic stuff to check out was posted in the other link above. For electircal circuit or component trouble shooting, you will need a digital multi-meter, a test lamp, and a fused link. But, reality is....if you visually check/clean the electircal connections at/to the MALL, make sure no fuses are blown, and don't see any obvious wires pinched or broken, then most likely the MALL is bad and will need to be replaced.

Let me know how I can help and if you want to do the more advanced diagnostic steps, I will do my best to walk you through each step to check and test components/circuits.

Being that when I bought the car, I was never given the keyfob(remote), do I assume that this model of car always had remote keyless entry? There are power locks of course, but would that automatically mean keyless enty as well? The reason I ask is that there seems to different modules used if remote entry was an option...... I will definately take you up on your ofer of walking me through the repair, but being that it is only -9 celcius outside today, it'll have to wait a bit.

I wouldn't assume that all models have keyless entry. I would expect an SSE to have it, but to make sure, look at your RPO sticker on the top of your plastic spare tire cover. Look for "AU0" among all the codes listed. AU0 is the RPO code for keyless entry. If you do have AU0, the good news is that you can get a keyless fob from e-bay, program it, and have a working keyless system (assuming the RFA is not bad )

As strange as it seems to me, there is no AUO code listed, so therfore no remote keyless entry. Who would go to the trouble & expense of ordering a Bonneville, upgrading from stock, past the SE model to the SSE, and not get keyless entry?????? That being said, I still have the MALL module, but what does it change not having keyless entry? :(

Let'* take a step back to the grounds. I took a quick look at wiring diagrams for the locks & interior light. PM me with an email address if you want them. There are 2 different grounds shown that affect these circuits. G200 which should be the driver'* side ground bus & G203 which I can look up in the 99 FSM. When you cleaned the driver'* ground bus did you remove the metal bar & clean both the male & female terminals?