[Car] Bizzare Electrical issues

H

hardluck

Veteran X
95 buick park ave:

Intermittent Electrical Issues. Car decelerates from 2-3 RPM to 1 RPM when rolling down power window and sometimes when turning on rear defrost.

In general electrical problems are progressing, autolocking and unlucking mechanisms sometimes work fine, other times there is definately not enough power getting to mechanism and you can hear the mechanism go off but not enough juice to actually unlock all the doors or lock them.

Had battery and alternator checked out a couple times and everyone says its ok. I had a more heavy duty connection placed onto my battery and that improved some aspects temporarily.

I've had the car in a two separate shops, mostly to address the electrical issue. Even the Window RPM deceleration problem is intermittent.

When it was really cold the issues were much more pronounced, but when things warm up everything works better.

They were able to experience the RPM change with the window but basically didn't find anything further after scoping out the battery and alternator. I'm also having problems finding a mechanic i trust also. Alot of them want quite a large sum of money to dive further into the electrical issue which I have been resisting, since I'd like to gather as much info first as possible.

Occasionally car refuses to accelerate even when RPM and Engine revs up to 4-5rpm. Still intermitent though. After a minute car will accelerate normally in regard to RPM reading.
The RPM problem on the highway just started last week. Which is making me really worried that its the tramission. Yikes. But it was definately not a transmission problem up untill a week ago ... grrr
Sometimes the car stumbles heavily and shakes pretty well on startup, reving the gas doesn't help, but after 5 seconds things stabalize and everything is ok.

But the RPM change with power windows and power anything has been going on some time.

Anyway I'm worried about the transmission now, but any ideas on the other problems?
 
sounds like a battery. mine barely does anything once it hits -10F, and it's brand new.
you might need a big ass battery in a tank like that.

if it were your tranny, i think you'd be shifting hard or dropping gears. hesitation and shitty performance sounds like a fuel problem- maybe dirty injectors or a pump thats about to go.
i am not a mechanic, but i have had tons of shitty cars.
electrical work is a ton of fucking work, which is why mechanics want so much. it's the only aspect of repairs that is actual WORK
 
btw, i had a 97 honda accord with 120k miles that ran like fucking garbage. within a week, i had to replace master and slave cylinder, and a caliper on one side. it's not just american cars, it's old cars that havent been well taken care of
 
Has anyone suggested you sandpaper the cigarette lighter?

I'll bet your problem happens more when it's rainy, am I right?
 
well i'm a little worried about the new development of the car getting up to 50mph or so, and then stepping on the gas, RPM going up to 3-4 and not accellerating. This is the new development... sigh.
 
what, rust or corrosion in the cig lighter? i've never heard of that causing problems

does it pull more juice when it's rusted, or just short out?
 
well there actually is rust in my cigarette lighters, from leaving the windows open a afew times... And yea it could be humid rainy days possibly. Today is certainly one.

I thought that was a joke..sandpaper you know...
 
its a gm buick with 140k miles on it... which unfortunately seems to be when all gm cars decide to go.... I always figured i kept up on my maintence... I dunno
 
i've never had to replace a torque converter, ever. is it usually sold in a tranny kit or something else, or on its' own?

between my sister and myself, ive half-ass fixed about 25 cars over 10 years, and never had it come up :shrug:
 
even the transmission problem sounds electrically related. but this problem is pretty damn hard to diagnose considering you've had the battery and alternator checked out. does it happen when you turn on the headlights too? make sure these shops really cleaned the ground wires tips from the battery to the chassis.
 
Pretty sure you can buy a torque converter by itself.

Is the OP's car grounded correctly or is there something inline to prevent that from happening?
 
have you ever had to pull an engine or transmission? then no you wouldn't have touched a torque converter before. it's effectively a liquid clutch inbetween the transmission and engine, scrap the car before you bother replacing that.
 
I'll get it checked out a couple places and get estimates... I can't really afford any kind of car right now
 
Blastek said:
have you ever had to pull an engine or transmission? then no you wouldn't have touched a torque converter before. it's effectively a liquid clutch inbetween the transmission and engine, scrap the car before you bother replacing that.
Click to expand...

no i have not, once an engine or tranny went, i scapped the car. i learned something new today, thanks man

hardluck, where are you? if you're around me i might be able to help you find something cheap
 
The headlights seem to work fine, as does the heating / ac.. doesn't really drain the power.

Right now I've only been able to drain the RPM with windows, rear defroster, and sometimes the electrical seat shifters..
 
definitely seems like a wiring issue. perhaps the fuse box/control unit under the dash has a corroded ground.
 
i was thinking similar...I'm just reluctant to spend 200-300 bucks for them to even just try and find the problem alone which is basically what i have been told..

But i'm a little worried about the new acceleartion problems despite the current electrical issues. That sounds like classic transmission failure i thought.
 
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