I need some advice all! Please help me if you can. I'm having an issue with something in my dash. I'm not even sure where to start. All the buttons have recently stopped working. The ones that control trip, options, reset, etc. Anyone know where to start on this?

Next my fuel gage works about 50% of the time. It can have a half a tank of gas and all the sudden say "Low Fuel" and the needle on the gage drops to "E". :confused:

I have replaced all the tire monitor sensors and I can't get one of them to register with the car....so therefore the readout constantly says " service tire monit.system " I can't get it off the readout screen unless I unhook the battery cables for a couple of seconds. But eventually it comes back within a few minutes. The buttons on the dash won't clear it off so most of the time I don't even know how many miles the dang car has on it!:wtf:

Do I have an electrical mess going on? HELP!!!

Amy
Hutchinson, Ks
Owner of one bad '97 c5 black corvette
(Not bad in a good way either!!...lol)

I need some advice all! Please help me if you can. I'm having an issue with something in my dash. I'm not even sure where to start. All the buttons have recently stopped working. The ones that control trip, options, reset, etc. Anyone know where to start on this?

Next my fuel gage works about 50% of the time. It can have a half a tank of gas and all the sudden say "Low Fuel" and the needle on the gage drops to "E". :confused:

I have replaced all the tire monitor sensors and I can't get one of them to register with the car....so therefore the readout constantly says " service tire monit.system " I can't get it off the readout screen unless I unhook the battery cables for a couple of seconds. But eventually it comes back within a few minutes. The buttons on the dash won't clear it off so most of the time I don't even know how many miles the dang car has on it!:wtf:

Do I have an electrical mess going on? HELP!!!

Amy
Hutchinson, Ks
Owner of one bad '97 c5 black corvette
(Not bad in a good way either!!...lol)

Amy, you might want to check for a loose ground somewhere on the car. That is really the only thing that I can think of that would cause all of that electrical mess. Good luck!

What brand and octane gas are you using? Also check your battery for leakage.The cars main computer is located under the battery. If any leakage is ocurring ,it can mess with cars electrical system.

Amy , this may solve your problem...


Many of you have asked me for help on solving electrical problems and I thought this would be VERY interesting!

My 98 coupe would get the infamous "REDUCED ENGINE POWER", "TRACTION CONTROL FAILURE" and a host of random failure codes. After many, many hours of troubleshooting, replacing the BCM and TAC module, I solved most of the driveability issues. Still getting the random DTC failure codes, I thought that I may be having ground issues. Back in June I cleaned ALL of the chassis grounds and the car virtually stopped throwing the "RANDOM" DTC failure codes. Just moving the wires in the chassis ground connector was enough to change the indications and make the issues stop happening.

I had a chance to speak with some GM C5 Trouble Desk Engineers when I went to Bowling Green KY in April and they pointed out that MANY of the C5 electrical issues can be directly linked to chassis ground problems. The engineer even went as far as to recommending that I chop off the factory under hood chassis ground connectors and combine all of the wires into a single ground lug. Not wanting to just LOP off the factory connector, I took a chance and disassembled one of the ground plug connectors and to my surprise it was indeed full of corroded connections.
I strongly recommend that any C5 owner that has had or who are having electrical issues, examine and clean the chassis ground connectors. This may save you from needlessly replacing expensive electronics modules. Each ground connector can be disassembled and cleaned in about 20 min.

Just cleaning the metal ground connection between the chassis and the plug is only a band aid solution. Now that I look back, when I cleaned my chassis grounds and initially solved my issues, I believe that when the connector is being removed to clean the connection between chassis and the connector, just the wires being moved inside the plug is what changed the indications and made everything work better.
Disassembly of the chassis ground plug and cleaning the contacts inside the connector is the correct method of solving the issue!

I took some pictures of the under hood chassis ground connector and the corrosion that was in it. I cleaned the two connections on the frame rails and the left one was significantly corroded! Taking it apart and cleaning it is a very straight forward procedure and I believe that if you follow this recommendation, you will be on the way to solving the many of the electrical issues.

Here are some detailed pictures of the ground connector and the corrosion that was found inside it!

Picture of under hood Chassis Ground connector G-101



Corrosion inside connector! (You ain't seen nothing yet!)


Next three photos are of the corrosion found on the connector terminals!



Self tapping ground screw and star washer. This is what you will need if the ground stud breaks off during removal!
[IMG][IMG]





Cesarjames

Your DIC switch pack may have become disconnected somehow or fried, also without it you can't reset your TPMS...

Throw some Techron or Sea Foam in your tank on the next couple of fill ups too...

Thanks everone! I'm gonna give these ideas a try. I'm going to take it apart on Thursday(my day off) and mess with some of the ground wiring and see if that doesn't help. I'm definately going to get some fuel cleaner and try that too! I'll let you know!

Thanks again!
Amy

It's for sale if anyone would love the challenge!
"97 black
94,000 miles
New wheels and tires
New BCM
New tires sensors
& Still in box new: car cover and Bra
$14,000

e-mail me for pics
mborecky24@***.net
(Kansas)

Amy , this may solve your problem...


Many of you have asked me for help on solving electrical problems and I thought this would be VERY interesting!

My 98 coupe would get the infamous "REDUCED ENGINE POWER", "TRACTION CONTROL FAILURE" and a host of random failure codes. After many, many hours of troubleshooting, replacing the BCM and TAC module, I solved most of the driveability issues. Still getting the random DTC failure codes, I thought that I may be having ground issues. Back in June I cleaned ALL of the chassis grounds and the car virtually stopped throwing the "RANDOM" DTC failure codes. Just moving the wires in the chassis ground connector was enough to change the indications and make the issues stop happening.

I had a chance to speak with some GM C5 Trouble Desk Engineers when I went to Bowling Green KY in April and they pointed out that MANY of the C5 electrical issues can be directly linked to chassis ground problems. The engineer even went as far as to recommending that I chop off the factory under hood chassis ground connectors and combine all of the wires into a single ground lug. Not wanting to just LOP off the factory connector, I took a chance and disassembled one of the ground plug connectors and to my surprise it was indeed full of corroded connections.
I strongly recommend that any C5 owner that has had or who are having electrical issues, examine and clean the chassis ground connectors. This may save you from needlessly replacing expensive electronics modules. Each ground connector can be disassembled and cleaned in about 20 min.

Just cleaning the metal ground connection between the chassis and the plug is only a band aid solution. Now that I look back, when I cleaned my chassis grounds and initially solved my issues, I believe that when the connector is being removed to clean the connection between chassis and the connector, just the wires being moved inside the plug is what changed the indications and made everything work better.
Disassembly of the chassis ground plug and cleaning the contacts inside the connector is the correct method of solving the issue!

I took some pictures of the under hood chassis ground connector and the corrosion that was in it. I cleaned the two connections on the frame rails and the left one was significantly corroded! Taking it apart and cleaning it is a very straight forward procedure and I believe that if you follow this recommendation, you will be on the way to solving the many of the electrical issues.

Here are some detailed pictures of the ground connector and the corrosion that was found inside it!

Picture of under hood Chassis Ground connector G-101



Corrosion inside connector! (You ain't seen nothing yet!)


Next three photos are of the corrosion found on the connector terminals!



Self tapping ground screw and star washer. This is what you will need if the ground stud breaks off during removal!
[IMG][IMG]





Cesarjames


:iagree:

I had similar problems with both of my F-bodies. I cleaned & used new connectors for my grounds and that is what fixed them both.

How do I find out if the switch pack came unplugged? How do you get it apart?

I would recommend you do the easy stuff like the excellent advice cesarjames gave you. Our cars are KNOWN to be plaqued by grouhd gremlins, I bet if you check your codes you'll have alot of no communication codes, typically a "U" code...

My advice was in addition to his if you still have problems after cleaning your grounds... But here's a good resource if you need it;

http://www.spdkilz.com/techtip.html#DIC

I've had mine out a few times, once you get it out make sure the rainbow colored wire harness shown below (on the left) is plugged in to the DIC switch pack;

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r117/tstar99/IPC/IPCInverterInputWiring.jpg

In case you're wondering, I like Red lights! What can I say?

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r117/tstar99/DIC.jpg

I checked the front two grounds last night and they were fine. I'll have to research a little to find all the others. I cant check the codes until I get the buttons to work, I think I'm going to take the dash off and make sure they are pluged in. That didn't seem like to hard of a task.

I'm out of things to try. I'm taking it to the stealership tomorrow. I have done everything that you all have recommended. Nothing has worked. So....I'm throwing in the towel and find a bank to rob to pay my bill after they get done with me!!...lol

Amy