Electrical Problems

[ryanlion]

I have recently purchased a r32 skyline gts. i had been driving it around perfectly fine for a couple of days then out of no where, the power windows and all the gages and warning lights except for the speedo stopped working. the engine still runs fine and the car drives without problems. anyone know what may have cause this?

thanks for the help

[blind_elk]

What have you checked? Or did you simply fire off a question?

With things electrical failing, the very first place to look is the fuses, so go and have a look.

[ryanlion]

sorry. yep, have all ready checked all the fuses they didnt smell burnt and looked completely fine. am unsure on wat else to check

[blind_elk]

The speedo will work because it's mechanical.

Do the warning lights come on when you put the key to "ON", ie just before you start the engine? Any other symptoms you can tell us about?

Maybe check the fuses with a multimeter - often the fuse can look perfectly ok but have the smallest of breaks in the fuse material.

[SargeRX8]

The fuses have two metal points on each end. Earth a test light and test both points of the fuse make sure all the dash/accessories/power window fuses work.

If you've got an aftermarket stereo, there is a slim chance the wires could be melted or somethings gone wrong. Ive seen a ford laser have its wires melted together because the draw of the headunit was too much for the wiring in the car. Caused alot of electrical issues..

[jazmin]

Car batteries are much better today than they were even a few years ago. I've had batteries last as long as 9 years in a car, which is amazing. Only a few years back, the "60 month" DieHard car battery from Sears was considered the top of the line. Technology has improved over time.But car batteries can fail at any time, even when brand new. And although they can last as long as 9 years, typically most fail in the 5-7 year range, if not before. And cheaper batteries might not last even that long.The failure mode of car batteries appears sudden, which is something that confuses people. Most folks' experience with batteries is based on flashlight or other consumer product batteries. A flashlight battery fails slowly over time, getting dimmer and dimmer, until one day, it is a mere flicker and then goes out. Consumers think that this gradual failure mode applies to car batteries as well, which is why they dismiss the battery as the problem when the car "suddenly" fails to start. bmw tail lights

Edited April 19, 2011 by jazmin

[DVS JEZ]

hmmmm, nice post about torch batteries,

any one wanna buy some bmw tail lights?^^^

[timmiiee]

anyone have any ideas?

my car has just randomly done the same thing except in a 32 gtr.

no dash warning lights when you turn the key to on, the front torque gauge goes all the way up to max, no power windows etc and there is a relay in the boot that keeps ticking every 30 seconds?

[timmiiee]

checked the power windows fuse in the engine bay and it has not blown.

car still starts and runs, but i think it might only be in 2wd at the moment.

[ZacZerbst]

start the car and using a multimeter check if the alternator is charging. i have come across a number of cars that cause failure to dash and power windows etc. when there is a fault with the alternator. it could be the alternator itself or even a broken wire going to the alternator.