Lighting electrical problem

leoalero · 07-12-2011, 12:55 PM

Hi everyone,

I have an 03 ecotec

Heres my problem, the other day,when charging my battery,all the cluster lights,gauges, flashers, headlights and the radio crashed after i heard a weird sound.
So i removed the battery charger and tried to put the lights on but it wouldnt by just removing the hand brake,engine runing.

The radio and cluster lights work in ACC and i have to manualy put the lights on to make it work but radio and cluster shut off immediately when the key is ON!The gauges and flashers never work at any key position and/or engine runing!

I tried to put another cluster from my other alero and does the same thing.Checked the three ground splice connections and ground cable and its all ok!

I checked all the fuses and relay related to it under the hood and everything is fine

leoalero · 07-12-2011, 01:00 PM

Thank you in advance for your help!!!

JLw7123 · 07-12-2011, 01:15 PM

how long did you put the charger on and also did you short anything.

leoalero · 07-12-2011, 01:38 PM

About 15 min and i checked all fuses

I dont think theres any short?!?
Im not really good in electrical!

JLw7123 · 07-12-2011, 01:46 PM

well do you have a digital multimeter.

lonnie · 07-12-2011, 01:55 PM

Sounds like you fried something. If you heard a weird noise I would start looking in that area first...snif around to see if you smell if anything had burnt. Where did the noise sound like it was coming from?

So all the fuses on the Driver side, Passenger side, and under the hood are fine?

Thewolf · 07-12-2011, 06:21 PM

I agree with the fuse box under the hood; I'm not sure about the N-bodies but the W-bodys it gets corroded and starts to screw up.

MMGT1 · 07-12-2011, 06:38 PM

Yup, N body is the same. All looks good up top until you pull it out, turn it over and look at the bottom

leoalero · 07-12-2011, 11:15 PM

I heard the noise when starting the car, a big "TAC TAC"
then everything crashed

Ill check under the fuse box to see if theres any sign of burn.

But like i said, the radio and cluster lights work at ACC key position!
I do have a digital multimeter.What exactly im a supposed to check or see by testing it??Im really not good in it!!

Thanks ill check this out tomorrow!!

JLw7123 · 07-12-2011, 11:24 PM

check all of the connections. to see if you have power. Maybe you fried a connection not a fuse. Just make sure while you are working around the electrical system back sure you do not have any static electricity because that can set off the air bag it is the yellow wire. You will have to check for volts, amps. i hope this is not a series problem. I would check the fuses with the miltimeter because one of the fuse might have a hairline crack that you can not see.

leoalero · 07-13-2011, 04:55 PM

Ok thanks alot imma check this out