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Electrical Problem - HELP! Starts then Dies - 90 series

Beau

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Jan 28, 2011
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guyana
Ok guys, really need your help here!

About 2/3 month ago whilst driving my cruiser (Colorado) just cut off on me and a bit of smoke came through into the cabin from behind the head unit area and drivers side foot well. I pulled over and checked everything, no broken or burnt wires, everything fine in the engine bay - Puzzled! The car didn't stutter, it just shut off. Anyway, after removing the headunit and trims ect and finding no blown wires, fuses ect I started her back up which happened instantly and drove home fine.... Not a problem...

Couple days later I could smell the smoke come back (Smelt like burnt wires) but thought it could just be a residual smell. So anyway for a good couple months now the trucks been fine, not a problem until now.:cry:

Driving home and the engine limp mode light comes on, but no lack off power so thought it was a electrical problem. So when I got home popped the bonnet and checked all wires! BINGO! Found a broken wire for one of the plugs going into the fuel pump, disconnected the batteries, soldered the wires back together, checked everything else, plugged it back in and turned the Key.

Started for about 3 seconds and then dies, no judder, it just shuts down like the immobiliser kicked in. Now this is where things take a turn for the worse. Tried starting again and again, same thing happens. Now all various lights flashing on Dash, Alarm light is flashing and making a really loud clicking noise. No electronics work in the car. Can't use the windows, switches, radio, nothing! Only thing that lights up is the dash and most of the warning signs are illuminated. Checked back all wires, nothing wrong. Unplugged the brown connector which had the broken wire and same thing, starts but shuts down - Reckon the broken wire is unrelated...

Whilst messing about trying to figure out I can now small that burning wire smell coming from somewhere behind the dash. Messing around with all the switches I find if I put my headlights on the starter motor doesn't engage and the alarm clicking sound stops. Have disconnected batteries for 10 minutes in hope for it to reset something but nothing. I have removed the head unit and surrounding pannels but no wires are visibly burnt or broken, will have to go deeper in I guess :icon-eek:

My thoughts were initially the immobiliser but after smelling that wire burning smell I have second thoughts. I reckon a wires fused/burnt/bridged ect and has caused the trucks electrical system to go mental! Getting Dark and staring to rain so have called it a day outside. My plans are to remove most of the fuses which aren't needed to start the car and see if it starts and runs, if it does then I'll slowly plug back in fuses one by one until I isolate the problem. If this fails I'll have to remove the entire dash which is a nightmare if anyone has done so before. Everything needs to come out! I've done so one before when replacing the Heater Matrix but it was a Pig of a Job! :angry-screaming:

Anyway if anyone can shed some light on what else could possibly be the problem or help, that'll be great! :icon-biggrin:
 
Sounds like a nightmare Beau would it be worth having someone hook up a diagnostic machine before you start tearing it apart , i hope not for your sake but it could be the ECU itself that's failed ?
 
Can't help with a diagnosis I'm afraid, but you can get a prety good look at all of the wiring behind the dash in about 30min. Remove the glove box and the liner behind it in about 2min, this affords a really good view into the dash. The center console cover and radio come out real easy also. Kick panel below steering just four screws then undo the fuse box, just two screws and unplug everything from behind. Again the instrument cluster pod come off real easy in about 5/10 min and affords a pretty descent look behind the dash at all of the wiring. There's also a kick panel cover in each foot-well with a pile of wiring and connections behind each and easy to get off. Once in get a torch and start to prob and pull get your nose in there and have a good sniff you'll know when your close. Have a go at extending your nostril with a short length of pipe to get into tight spots. Good Luck :pray:
 
Can't help with a diagnosis I'm afraid, but you can get a prety good look at all of the wiring behind the dash in about 30min. Remove the glove box and the liner behind it in about 2min, this affords a really good view into the dash. The center console cover and radio come out real easy also. Kick panel below steering just four screws then undo the fuse box, just two screws and unplug everything from behind. Again the instrument cluster pod come off real easy in about 5/10 min and affords a pretty descent look behind the dash at all of the wiring. There's also a kick panel cover in each foot-well with a pile of wiring and connections behind each and easy to get off. Once in get a torch and start to prob and pull get your nose in there and have a good sniff you'll know when your close. Have a go at extending your nostril with a short length of pipe to get into tight spots. Good Luck :pray:

That's exactly what I've done so far mate, but haven't spotted anything, but I know thats where the smell is coming from and I've gotta get it sorted as soon as possible! So if my fuse Isolation plan doesn't work then I have no choice than to reluctantly strip the entire dash out to get a good look at the wiring, it's the only real way of doing it 100%.

And shayne, I have thought about the ECU itself, but they're not known to just fail like that and the car still starts. I reckon something fused something or a wire's burnt tripping the alarm/ immobiliser which is shutting the engine down. I doubt running a diagnostics will help (All the lights on the dash are on). The quicker I find that burnt wire, the quicker I can resolve this! On the plus side, I'm glad it didn't happen on a long trip somewhere, would have been stuck!
 
Beau Have you checked all the earths are tight and not corroded at all? Seem to remember something similar in the 80 forum with same symptoms. Worth trying simple thing first before ripping dash out
 
Hi Steve, Good call, I'll double check the earth wires tomorrow and make sure they'll all ok. Cheers!
 
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And the winner is Steve!

Dodgy earth wire in the engine bay, problem solved!
 
:clap: you could have posted a pic so we know where to look first if it happens to us though .
 
Was it one of the main earths to the engine? Glad to hear it was a simple fix. :dance::clap:
 
My son was actually the one to find it whilst I was at work, so I'm not too sure, but from what he described it must have been one of the main earths. I will get a pic if/when I have some time... The Big move to the US is coming up!
 
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