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never ending problems, unfortunately

S

srhill13

New member
Hello, my name is Shelby and I am new to this forum. I can't believe I didn't think of coming here a long time ago!
I own a 2004 grand prix gtp and it is a living hell.
I bought the car in May of 2009 and everything was dandy until about a year later...
So here we go:
It started with the battery. I would go to start it in the morning and it would be dead. (I think this started in the winter) Cool. I went and got a new battery. Next day, same thing! I took it back and they checked the alternator; not the problem.
I've been told that there could be a short somewhere that just sucks my battery life all night leaving it dead in the morning. So I had my fantastic boyfriend install a switch on my battery so I have been hooking/unhooking it every morning/night (and when I forgot, sure as ****, it'd be dead.)
Even worse, sometimes my car will display "Charging System Failure" not too scary when I'm trying to start it, but it has done it while driving (using while idling at a light) but it does that and then my headlights will dim.
---Any idea what could be the cause of this??
Then came the theft system. I think this started in winter as well. I would go to start it and my digital screen would read "starting disabled due to theft system" I have overrode this before I think by letting the car "reset" with the key in the ignition. It could be my imagination but it seems to go hand in hand with the battery issue. The other day however it finally said "Service Theft System"
About 1 1/2 ago my serpentine belt broke/came off while I was driving so I had it towed to a GM dealership and while there I mentioned the Theft system problem and asked if they could reset it or do anything for it. Their response; well we'd have to see what it did when it happened. Awesome.. so why don't I plan a day for it to do it and ill invite you over. I was VERY distraught that GM dealers acted like they had no idea what was happening. I have been told that if I can find a someone with a module to reset they could.
-- Easy way to fix this? who the heck can I go to? Easy do it yourself fix?
Then came the Anti breaking system and traction control issues.. Even when there is no inclement weather, my digital display will randomly read "Traction control active" or "Service traction control system" However, when there is inclement weather, the traction control NEVER works! And with that the "Service ABS system" display will come on. So when the weather is bad my breaks usually end up locking up and I end up freaking out. I have been told to tap the breaks not gradually press, to no avail. Now it has started doing even scarier; when I am driving and slow down to turn or am turning the breaks just go out! It feels like I lost traction and the break pedal loses all resistance. Luckily this so far has only happened when I have been going very slow.. but I don't trust it to stay like that. I took it in and the guys fixed it and said it was just a loose wire. but then the next day it happened again.

I am so fed up and quite frankly feel like a hazard whenever I'm driving!! (If I can get it to drive, ha)
I am in college so would really prefer not to have to go buy a new car! I do this car.. it just doesn't love me.

Okay, Thank you for reading. Any suggestions/comments will be GREATLY appreciated!!!!
Shelby
 


A) your alt is probably bad. they test fine all the time, and are bad. using a volt meter on the bat with the car off, then running will tell the whole story, you may have a parasitic draw as well when the cars off. should be 12 volts off, not less, and no more then 14.2 or 3 running.

B) have your ABS scanned at a auto body shop or good garage. its either bad hubs, bad wires to the hubs, or a bad abs module. only a scan will tell for sure with out throwing cash at it.

you can jack the wheels up, all 4 one at a time, push and pull the tire top feeling for excessive play, if so the hub is bad. also clean the plug to the hub, inspect the wires for damage.

C) the the theft could be related to the charging problem. not sure on that.
 
my brakes used to do that too then i took it to a shop and they said it was a bad abs module so they put a new one in and it snowed here so i tested it and everything works perfectly
 
You want to test the battery when the vehicle is off and the charging system when it is on and running as mentioned but, you should check the voltage at the alternator too while running this way it will eliminate or identify if there's a problem with the wiring between the alt and battery. Check you grounds where they are attached to the vehicle and the cables/posts on the battery, clean them if they look bad and use dialectric grease when putting it all back.

Good Luck!
 
if its the abs module you can have that rebuilt for far less then what new cost. food for thought.

most shops will charge you for this scan if they are not fixing it them selves. its like a $3,000 scanner, if they are not using it for their own work, they will likely charge you for the scan. some are nice and do it for free, not often tho.
 


I would check it for a draw if I have a volt meter roll down a window and unhook the net batery connect the volt meter in between the ground and battery put it on 10 amp and dont open any doors and let it set and watch the numbers it should be like .20 at the highest if it is higher then that start pulling fuses till u find the circuit that has the draw and the battery drain will be fixed once u find the draw and the abs like said above is prob a hub if it goes off when turning and slowing down eBay sells em for like 30 bucks service battery is prob because of the switch installed for the battery cut off and theft is prob do to u always turning off the battery
 
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