Electrical problems, Help! I'm about to give up

[nazgul]

Original owner, 1996 lsi. 120,000 miles.

About 8 years ago I had to leave the car outside over the winter. There was a lot of ice, and it developed a weird problem in the spring. In heavy rain/puddles, the alarm system would trigger and the left blinker would flash. Turning the ignition off and on would fix the problem.

Over time, the problem required less and less heavy rain. And eventually it stopped doing the left blinker thing, just the alarm and (only audible if the alarm was disabled) a solenoid clicking in the rear.

I've had 5 garages look for problems. Nobody has been able to find it. Nobody has been able to *duplicate* it. Once someone did discover that the fusebox was partially melted (!). Someone else recently claimed to have found a ground problem (after I asked them to look) and added some wires (which promptly came loose).

A few years ago I made a major investment in it. Transmission cooler installed. All the hoses and gaskets replaced. $12,000 work of repairs. The problem seemed to occur less often--for a while.

This summer it started to happen when the AC was on during very hot days. (dripping somewhere?)

And then the alarm system started disarming itself if it was left for a night or two. The car was still locked, but it wasn't alarmed. I stopped using the alarm. But the solenoid clicking still occurred on a few days when the car was frosty and warming up.

And then a few weeks ago, it hit *really* hard. (Or maybe it's something completely different). The ABS light went on during a very cold day. And when I pressed the brakes, the heat would cut off. Press them again, it would turn on again. Eventually it went off permanently (this over a period of two days). At the same time the horn stopped working, and the brake lights stopped working as well (and with them the ability to take it out of park without manually overriding the interlock).

The latest from my garageman:

> The SVX needs a brake light switch,front pads and rotors (asap) there is an oil filter that was added to this vehicle that is leaking power steering fluid in front of left front tire. There is no power coming out of controller to activate heater fan. abs system has a code 10 which means valve relay problems or ecu problems,

And none of that addresses the problem that there's clearly something wrong electrically. Something that goes away simply by powering off and on.

It's due for a repainting before some surface rust gets worse, but I can't afford to keep pouring money into it if this is going to keep happening.

I'm desperate for solutions here. I love this car. I've had it for 17 years.

[NiftySVX]

EDIT: I would like to see the main harness that runs over the top of the LF and RF wheel behind the fender liner. As a matter of fact, do that first. Pull the front wheels off and get that fender liner off of the car and look at that loom. I mean get that car up, in bright lights, and remove the fender liner completely. Lay eyes on every inch of it CAREFULLY and check for nicks, cuts, crimp points, etc. I don't have my FSMs with me but I believe that the RH one connects to ABS, ABS ECU, and all the way to the rear of the car where the security module is. RH also goes to the hydraulic control unit. Someone chime in and correct me if I did not describe the routing correctly.

I would guess it's been wet inside and or you have a ground problem. Before I tore out the interior I would look at the service manual and check the resistance of every ground not buried in the dash. Every single ground. Every last one. Remove the bolt and inspect the connection. Then, I would remove the console, seats, and carpet and looking for the evidence of water. I would check every inch of the wires under the dash, and I would also have someone spray it with a water hose while I was laying on the floor and looking to see where it leaks. Pay super close attention to the ground wires. Before I tore out the interior I would look at the service manual and check the resistance of every ground under the hood.

Also take it to a different shop. I am not sure why your car has the ATF filter on it if it is a 1996 but that must be what he is thinking that is. It's for the transmission not the power steering.

I am hoping that the 12,000 includes a lot of bodywork. For 12,000 you could have a rebuilt engine and transmission with brand new parts. You also have zero need for that transmission cooler and should trash it.

The ABS control unit is located under the seat. IIRC there is a ground right next to it on the support for the seat mounting bolts. Check that none of the rubber floor grommets are not missing.

A CRUCIAL PIECE OF INFO: Has the car ever been wrecked or had body work? (as in parts got bent, replaced, etc not just painting)

[nazgul]

It was the driver's side harness. Leastwise, it shows signs of burning.

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to give up on the car. It's going to need a new exhaust system before the year is out. And it needs a new coat of paint (it's not bad, but it's spent the last four years on the street instead of in a garage, and it's going to impact it). And it needs new front brakes. I don't have a good place to keep it.

If anyone is interested (the engine is in great shape and all the gaskets and such have all been replaced in the past three years, and it's only got 120,000) please let me know.

[dannmarr]

Personally, I wouldn't spend any more money in it. I love the svx but you can find other nice cars with less problems. Good luck.

[nazgul]

At this point I'd just like to find it a good home. Maybe someone who wants the engine. I'm off looking at Foresters. Not as fun by far, but nice cars.

[nazgul]

Sold the car to my garageman. He's going to rebuild it for his son, so it still lives on!

[Blacky]

Good to hear.