My Oldsmobile LSS, 1998 has a problem. When I touch the gas pedal on
some trips (problem is intermittent...but once it happens on one trip,
it always happens for the remainder of the trip), especially in wet
weather, and especially after a trip of more than 15 minutes, several
dashboard lights come on at the same time. These lights are: Low
Fuel, Low Washer Fluid, Traction On, Traction Off, and less commonly
Battery Indicator. As soon as I release the accelerator pedal, the
lights go away. There is noticeable weakness, and stumbling through
the acceleration range when the dash lights come on.
Recent work (within last year) I have done on the car includes:
Replace: power steering pump, fuel pump, fuel filter, injector flush,
alternator, battery, both intake gaskets (manifold and full intake),
plugs and wires.
The car has 190K Km on it and the problem has been going on for about
20K km. The car has full set of power options. I have tried to remove
the ABS fuse which does not help. |
Request for Question Clarification by
keystroke-ga
on
17 Oct 2006 21:31 PDT
Hello johnnygambler,
The problem can be something as simple as a
short somewhere in the electrical, or something more serious like the
computer of the car etc. It really can be so many things and impossible to
diagnose over the computer. I can take an educated guess i.e. whenever you
apply the gas, the engine shifts due to the torque, and it may be possible
that with your mileage, the engine mounts may be bad. So if that condition
with the engine mount is present, depending on how bad it is, maybe
some electrical wiring of the engine is getting kinked/yanked
somewhere (causing a short). I mention this first since if it were
other issues like bad computer control module, the condition of the
lights would be on ALL the time. So the main variable here is 'Engine
load=issue/problem'.
To check the engine mount, the easiest way is as follows but needs two
people. Open the engine bay. With the emergency brake on and with your foot
on the brake put the car in reverse and with the other person watching see
if the engine shifts a considerable amount, also applying a little gas to
torque the engine is not a problem. If everything seems fine, then put the
car in Drive and repeat the above steps, ALL WHILE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS ON
AND FOOT ON THE BRAKE! Watch to see how much the engine shifts, if the
engine mounts are very bad usually you hear a clunk or metal on metal
banging.
Also while the above is being done make sure the person in the car takes
notice to see if the problem (lights on the dash) can be duplicated. If so
that would be a good sign in this case of trying to diagnose the problem.
Now while they have the car on and hood open, with the car in park, have one
person go throughout the engine shaking/yanking (not too hard to break
anything) any visible wiring or harness. This is done to try to narrow down
the problem to any bad connections in the engine wiring harness.
Hope all this information helps!
Let me know what happens.
--keystroke-ga
|
Clarification of Question by
johnnygambler-ga
on
19 Oct 2006 20:07 PDT
Firstly, thank you all for your posts...I am a first time user, and I
was expecting an email if anyone posted a comment.
My reply here is to post some clarifications, that may eliminate the
motor mount theory; A couple times, if the problem happened numerous
times during a long trip (and especially if it is raining), the
'Traction Off' light that comes on with the cluster stays on...and
will stay on for the rest of the trip. Remove the key for even a
moment, and the when you start the car again, all lights are off.
I did have someone help me inspect the mounts, but not as
sophisticated as the brake and accelerate idea, but mounts seem fine.
If the transmission is in neutral btw, the dash light problem cannot
be replicated.
I have deep suspicions about the transmission (is it possible to have
a short in the transmission?), but of course, it doesn't have anything
to do wish washer fluid level.
I am going to read veconofix's website now.
I will check through Google regularly now!
Anyother ideas please let me know. I found one loose wire...but
totally loose. Some feedback I got from other car buffs was that if
it was a short, the lights should sometimes come on by going over a
bump as well....which it never has.
Still bewildered...appreciate any continued help!
JohnnyGambler
|
