Mawnee

Yesterday I relocated my battery to the trunk in preperation for my turbo install. Everything went fine until I get in my car today and notice a bunch of lights on. The ABS light and the skid control (car with little squigglies under it) are on after starting the car. I cannot turn traction control on or off. After about 30 seconds of driving my power steering goes out and the light for that comes on.

So far I have tried the left/right steering wheel thing. The brake pedal 20 times reset. Checked all the fuses. I have moved the battery back to its original location to rule out my wiring. Put the battery on a charger to ensure its fully charged. Even tried reflashing my ECU with my AccessPort. It shows no codes on my AP btw.

I'm stumped. Any suggestions ?

Edit - Stole the battery from my wifes mustang, same result. So its not the battery.... =/

rx8cited

I know you said you did it ....... double check again:

"If the battery is disconnected, the DSC
will be inoperable. In this case, the DSC
OFF indicator light flashes and the
TCS/DSC indicator light illuminates.
To make the DSC operable, do the
following procedure.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON
position.
2. Turn the steering clockwise fully,
then turn it counterclockwise fully.
3. Make sure the DSC OFF indicator
goes off.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF
position, then turn it to the ON
position again.
5. Make sure the TCS/DSC indicator
light goes off."

Mawnee

I just tried it again to be thurough. I did it with just the key on(engine still off). And then tried again with the engine on. Then I tried it again both ways but this time going back and forth to each side twice. Still no luck.

rx8cited

You turned the steering all the way to extreme ends? Did you mess with any wiring besides the battery cables in the process of relocating your battery? Tires and tire pressures all good? Check your STOP fuse and maybe check the others too - I seem to recall reading about a blown STOP fuse causing this problem.

Mawnee

Yep all the way to the stops. Also checked ALL the fuses. Actually been chasing this bug for over a day now. Its possible I may have stretched or broken a wire getting my wire through the firewall grommet, but all my feeling around on it hasnt given me any clues. Its too bad I can find a complete wiring diagram for the car or I'd start bypassing wires to see if there is a short.

ASH8

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-trouble-shooting-95/real-way-clear-memory-169443/

Mawnee

Already tried all of that, it seems I have a physical wiring problem somewhere.

Mawnee

Well with the key turned on I get 12v at the 30a fuse under the hood. But at the 7.5a fuse in the footwell I get almost nothing(01mv). Anyone with a voltmeter willing to take a minute and test this for me so I can compare ?

Wish I could find more detailed wiring diagrams =/

Mawnee

Now I've noticed my speedometer isnt working.... Starting to think my ECU is flaking out. Maybe I shorted the battery with the ratchet when I was taking it out or something.

Mawnee

Speedo ont he dash doesnt work, and when I hook my AccessPort it gets no speed reading either. Anyone know if those two circuits are connected or seperate lines from the ecu?

Have a feeling I'm gonn ahave to pick up an ECU, worst case if it isnt the problem I can resell it

Mawnee

Update- I got out my mechanics mirror and started inspecting the wires going through the grommit on the firewall. Sure enough I must have cut a couple when I was drilling the bottom of the grommit so my 2ga wire would go through.

One is Blue with white stripe, other is Brown with white stripe. Unfortunetly its not as simple as pulling the loose wires out on both sides and patching them. They melted some kind of rubber or wax inside the grommit at the factory so no matter how much I tug on all the blue/white and brown/white wires on the other side they dont come loose, so I have no way of finding the matching wire.

Its now almsot 6am so I'm going to take a nap and have a go at it again when I'm rested

Mawnee

Now I have found 3 wires cut. Still no luck finding their mates. For all I know there may be more broken in it. Looks like I'll have to unhook the entire harness under my dash so I can pull it out enough to work on it.