General GM Chat When starting new posts, please specify YEAR, MAKE, MODEL, ENGINE type, and whatever modifications you have made. Chat about all things GM (and related cars). Off-topic stuff should be in the Lounge, and all Model specific mechanical problems should be posted in the proper forum.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

problem with girlfriends car

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 11-02-2003, 11:30 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Thread Starter
 
L27Buick's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Grand Rapids, Mi
Posts: 3,244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
L27Buick is on a distinguished road
Default problem with girlfriends car

it isnt a bonneville problem but im sure u guys can still help.
she has a 1999 grand prix 3.8 the problem is that her rear defroster isnt working it wont even light up when i try to trun it on. i have looked at all the fuses and their all fine. any ideas anyone?
Old 11-03-2003, 11:12 AM
  #2  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Thread Starter
 
L27Buick's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Grand Rapids, Mi
Posts: 3,244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
L27Buick is on a distinguished road
Default

anyone?
Old 11-03-2003, 11:26 AM
  #3  
Senior Member
Certified Car Nut
 
MOS95B's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Robbinsdale, MN
Posts: 15,408
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
MOS95B is on a distinguished road
Default

When Fuddy gets here, he may be able to help.

Patience young one...
Old 11-03-2003, 02:29 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
 
fuddyduddy121's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 3,392
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
fuddyduddy121 is on a distinguished road
Default

Uh oh... It'* a Grand Prix. I'm not sure if the lamp is tied to the relay or not, but the Bonneville'* have a relay for that. It'* possible the relay is bad, if there are no bad fuses. On our cars there are fuses in three locations, so don't forget to check them all.
Old 11-03-2003, 02:35 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
 
ssesc93's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 7,262
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
ssesc93 is on a distinguished road
Default

is there anything else on the GP that isn't working either?
Old 11-03-2003, 02:56 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Thread Starter
 
L27Buick's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Grand Rapids, Mi
Posts: 3,244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
L27Buick is on a distinguished road
Default

well her fans only work on the highest setting but i already know it need a new blower motor resistor. and her car likes blow bulbs alot other wise her car is fine. i cheaked all the fuses and relays i can find.
Old 11-03-2003, 03:53 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
 
acg_ssei's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 2,409
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
acg_ssei is on a distinguished road
Default

Originally Posted by L27Buick
well her fans only work on the highest setting but i already know it need a new blower motor resistor. and her car likes blow bulbs alot other wise her car is fine. i cheaked all the fuses and relays i can find.
The rear defogger'* probably got its own internal relay and timer to operate it (i.e. first press gets you 10 minutes of defogging; subsequent presses get you 5 minutes each; something like that). You will need to locate the timer/relay box and determine whether it'* getting power or not. On some cars it'* built into the body of the defogger switch itself; on others (e.g. ones that put the switch in some cramped little space) the controller will be elsewhere in the dash, and you'll have to follow the pigtail of wiring from the dash switch to see where it leads to.

From your description of other things burning out, you might want to bench-test the alternator to see if its voltage regulator has failed. If so, it may well have fried your defogger controller as well.
Old 11-03-2003, 08:55 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Thread Starter
 
L27Buick's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Grand Rapids, Mi
Posts: 3,244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
L27Buick is on a distinguished road
Default

it probly because of her amp. she forgets to go and buy some more wire so i can put it on the battery. cuz when we first got the car i put in the amp and i looked on club gp and they said to run the amp off the main fuse power hook up but a guy at walmart who asked about her motor said it could lead to porblems down the road . well shell have to do it sooner ill tell her get some power wire asap.
Old 11-04-2003, 09:53 AM
  #9  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
 
acg_ssei's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 2,409
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
acg_ssei is on a distinguished road
Default

Originally Posted by L27Buick
it probly because of her amp. she forgets to go and buy some more wire so i can put it on the battery. cuz when we first got the car i put in the amp and i looked on club gp and they said to run the amp off the main fuse power hook up but a guy at walmart who asked about her motor said it could lead to porblems down the road . well shell have to do it sooner ill tell her get some power wire asap.
Yeah, you find your best auto technicians at Wal-Mart...

(PAGING MR. GREEN... WAL-MART ON LINE TWO... )

I would run the amp off the main fuseblock, adding its own fuse of the correct rating (so you're basically adding a whole new independent circuit expressly for the amplifier).

I would not hook it up to the battery since (1) it takes a lot more wire to get there, and (2) you're on the charging side of the circuit; every time the amplifier sucks juice, the alternator takes that as a power drain from the battery. For that matter, when the amplifier is hogging that juice, the battery isn't getting fed.

I would pay more attention to the Club GP folks; they have actual hands-on experience with the exact car you're working on.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
timsbonne
Lounge
4
09-04-2008 10:32 PM
88bonnsse
1992-1999
56
07-11-2007 12:16 AM
black_friday
Lounge
8
02-27-2007 02:28 PM
looong4
Your Ride: GM Pictures & Videos
18
02-08-2005 09:04 PM
RyanSSEi
1992-1999
0
12-14-2002 12:37 AM



Quick Reply: problem with girlfriends car



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:43 AM.