Hey, I've got a problem i *believe* is electrical, but I have no idea how to isolate or reproduce it consistantly enough to take it to a garage.

I don't think my battery is going because my car always starts no problem, and I dont think it is my alt because my battery always has enough juice...

Sometimes (seemingly random, lasting for about 10 minutes) while my car is idle or reving low i'll get poor or intermittant performance from electrical systems.
for example: if i turn the wheels (electrical assisted power steering), then my headlights will flicker and my radio/cd will reset. sometimes it is bad enough to make the car stall and the dashboard flips resets.
sometimes the traction control system will make the lights flicker (if im trying to pull out of an icy parkinglot for example).
sometimes it seems like i'm using an insane amount of fuel (like the alternator is working mad overtime) despite driving concervitivly.

I've got a video that I'll post later today where, while parked in neutral, turning the steering causes my lights to dim, radio to reset and eventually the car stalls.
you can't see in the video, but whenever the lights dim, the steering gets heavy, like the power assist can't keep up.

whenever the car stalls after this happens, my traction control and ABS lights come on. if I turn the car off and back on the ABS light goes away, but i have to drive a few hundred meters and then restart my car before the traction control light will go away.


Other than this my car seems to be working fine. This only happens a few times a week, so I dont want to bring it to a garage.

Anyone have any idea what might be the culprit?

 

Not sure if you posted a video, because I can't see them anyway at work. But first things first is to make sure that your battery terminals are nice and clean, and make sure your ground cable isn't corroded. That has been a typical culprit for most people who have had random electrical gremlins.

 

This is a grounding problem. Either negative battery cable or one of the other major grounds.


Any "weird electrical issues" that affect more than a single system inevitably end up being a grounding problem. Don't just wiggle the battery cables though. Disconnect the battery completely and clean the posts and clamps, reconnect securely. Recommended that you grab some dielectric grease at the same time and coat the terminals with it before clamping.

See if that fixes your issue. If not, then start checking every other grounding point you can.

 

Awesome guys, thanks for your quick feedback.
I haven't posted the video yet, I'll put it up later tonight (don't want to use my office wifi or my cellular data)

I'll clean my battery terminals tonight and check my grounds.
I'll report back later if I encounter the problem again (might take a few days, like i said, it is intermittant).

 

Only worry about the video if we are wrong

We have seen those issues before.

 

I came across this issue and went away after upgrading and adding grounds in my engine bay by copying the grounding kits you can buy online.
Although I experienced my issues after installing my amp and subs. Which required a hell of a hunt for a good ground I might add... Almost like the chassis is glued together.

On the brighter side, we might be safer (less conductive) in a lightning storm...?

 

remember that painted and surfaces that are coated with any type of rust protectant are not good grounds.

 

Hey all. Just wanted to report that the problem seems to have been fixed.

I took out my batt and cleaned it and the terminals, checked my grounds (which seemed to be in good condition) and I've been running smoothly for the last few days.
The problem was always intermittant, so I cant say for sure its fixed, but I'm pretty confidant.

My fuel millage still seems bad despite driving easy, but that must be a different problem.

Thanks everyone for your help!