So here's the deal: I have my 89 5.0 LX for sale and let a guy take it out for test drive this afternoon. He had it out for about 15 minutes when for no reason, the car died. The engine stopped and the gauges went dead. Also, the heater blower, radio, 4 way flashers, turn signals, wipers/washer and rear defroster are dead too. The car still has headlights, dash lights, etc but the ignition switch doesn't bring the warning lights on and the starter motor isn't getting juice when you turn the key. If you jump the starter relay, the engine turns over fine but won't light up.

Anyone know what could be the problem? The guy is still interested in the car and I need to get it up and running soon. The irony is that the car has never, ever let me down before and I drive it everyday (including this morning!). Maybe it doesn't want to be sold... :scratch:

 

Sounds like your baby is 'playing dead' to avoid being in the care of another driver!

 

Baby is going to get a spanking if it doesn't smarten up!

 

have you checked all relays & fuses?

 

i morn for your losss i wish u good luck

 

Yep. Fuses, relays, fusable links, wires... I'm stumped! I'm thinking it's the ignition switch that packed it in since much of the dead electrics run through it.

 

:scratch: maybe... how much you want for it?

 

Dave do you mean the 'lock' on the column? Not sure, but the 4 ways should still work since they do not need the key. But everything else sounds like the accessories that need the key to be on to run.

Unfortunately, that's something I've never messed with. I had one instance where I couldn't shut the car off, so I took it to the dealer, and they had to replace the lock switch.

Let us know how you fare with it.

 

I think it's the part of the switch that the connector plugs into. I borrowed one from a friend and am going to swap it out to see if it comes alive. I've been knee-deep in wiring diagrams and am wondering if there's a problem with the power feed from the battery to the igntion switch... we'll see.

 

IT'S ALIVE!!!! Turns out that the wire from the starter relay to the fusable link burnt through... go figure. I though it was the link that was supposed to fry first! What happened was that the P/O had a ton of stereo wires run throughout the car and one was directly plugged into the fuse box without a fuse. The other end of that wire was loose under the console and shorted out while the guy was driving the car. So, I gutted all of the stereo crap, replaced the wire to the fusable link and voila, the car runs. Life is good... the thing's still for sale but I haven't told it yet.

 

how much?

 

For the car? $4500 Canadian.

 

wow, what a deal, thats like 3500 american right?

 

At today's exchange rate, it's $3,620.49. I'd let the .49 go...

 

Kool, that is a good price, good luck

 

Thanks for posting your solution to the problem. It adds to the forum.

Edited by moderator

 

Sounds like what happened to us a few years ago. We had a little french "Le Car" and when my parents went to sell it the rear brakes locked up as the new owner was pulling out of our driveway with it. He had to pull back in and my dad went to see what was wrong, they then unlocked and the car was fine.

 

Sounds like what happened to us a few years ago. We had a little french "Le Car" and when my parents went to sell it the rear brakes locked up as the new owner was pulling out of our driveway with it. He had to pull back in and my dad went to see what was wrong, they then unlocked and the car was fine.
[/quote]
thats kinda funny. hope he signed the title! glad the problem was easy to find. electrial gremlins can be a problem.

 

my bro was gonna sell a buick & the hood got jammed in the half-open position when the guy tried to open it...

my mom had a volvo that suddenly died as the woman was driving away in it... it ended up goin to the junk yard after we couldn't find the problem...

 

exc911ence, thanks for educating me.



Edited by moderator