My car just tried to kill me

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa) 10/21/2014 at 13:44 • Filed to: None

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Yeah, how poetic: I almost died at the hands of the murdersofa.

Mobile posting is a pain.

there's my dashboard, taken at a red light. So many warnings. The Service Vehicle Soon light, not accompanied by any codes I can read, has been coming on for a few seconds at a time with increasing frequency. Today it came on four times during a 20 minute drive, and the second time it came on was while I was braking and it was accompanied by the steering wheel pulling hard left, then hard right (on flat ground), and the brakes became insanely hard to push. While braking from 60 surrounded by cars. I can't believe I didn't end up in the trunk of the Lincoln in the adjacent lane.

So... Wiring harness shorting out and causing these random-ass failures? I haven't got it to mess up that spectacularly the rest of the drive, so hopefully it wont happen again, but that was super sketchy.

or... Is that even possible for the power steering to yank the wheel? And could electrical problems disable the brake booster? I thought that used a vacuum to operate, not electrics?

Milky > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 13:47

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#Recalled

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 13:47

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I think it's more likely really faulty abs only braking on one side pulled the steering, I don't think hydraulic power steering can pull the wheel like that. Could be wrong though.

Brian Silvestro > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 13:47

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Did the power steering and power brakes both fail or something?!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 13:47

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I would expect a left-right-left-right pull on the wheel to be not your P/S, but to be your ABS system COMPLETELY LOSING ITS SHIT. This could be/probably is the cause of hard pedal/etc.

Unless you have hydraulic brake boosting and something really iffy is going on, in which case it *could* be your steering itself. Hydraulic brake boost is more common on diesels, but maybe?

George McNally > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 13:48

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I'm not a mechanic....I'm a master pastry chef- if it was my car?

I'd probably take it to a mechanic.

I'm handy around cars and have no problem doing regular maintenance....but brake problems?

I'd let a professional handle that, that's beyond my comfort level.

Grindintosecond > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 13:50

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Everything is now electrically controlled, mechanically actuated. think about that one it sucks. Step on the brakes and yes theres a booster and things like that but your signal is interpretated and adusted by the ABS system if there is one and if your brakes are self adjusting (like all discs are now) any weirdness up line can mess them up if the ABS is humping any of the system incorrectly...or if any system is incorrectly humping any other system because what we really have is an electrical club54 in our cars and with enough of a bad influence of, oh, water or moisture or whatever an automotive coccaine is for car electrics club goers, it would literally be an incorrect backroom probathon in your car's ECU.

What the hell did I just explain?

Tohru > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 13:50

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Loss of vacuum would result in a hard pedal, as that had a vacuum booster.

Steering wheel pulling left and right is from uneven braking pressure. Usually that would be a result of badly-adjusted brakes (causing a pull to just one side) or warped front rotors (causing the wheel to shake back and forth).

Taken as a whole, though? Brake system issues. One or more of the following either have failed or are in the process of failing: brake booster, master cylinder, ABS module.

shop-teacher > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 13:51

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Sounds like somethings gone haywire in the ABS system.

Nibbles > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 13:52

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First check your alternator. Then check your alternator with the wheel cocked and the AC on. It's likely the culprit. Low voltage will freak out the finicky little PCM in your car (and every GM product in the late nineties/early aughts) and cause all kinds of dumb maladies until the correct voltage is applied

crowmolly > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 13:53

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CHECK

YO

MUTHAFUCKIN

GROUNDS

SON

Your car is old enough to have developed rust on the frame and points of grounding and it's not unheard of for the straps to break leading to all kings of strange behavior. Been there, done that... a few times.

An overall inspection of all of the underhood wiring is not a bad idea. Also, when I've had an alternator start to go out in a W-body one of the first things that started acting strange was the ABS system. It sounds like you may have an ABS block/module problem.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 13:53

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Electric gremlins can put stains in your seats even.

Basically they can cause all sorts of problems.

crowmolly > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 10/21/2014 at 13:54

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His car will be a typical vacuum booster/master setup.

You've got a great point about the ABS block. If ABS is kicking in intermittently it may act like the car is steering itself, and the pedal may be heavy if he can't push fluid through the block.

Textured Soy Protein > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 14:05

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"Quit drilling random holes in me and shit."

jvirgs drives a Subaru > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 14:06

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Brakes? Eh, fuck 'em

desertdog5051 > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 14:07

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Probably low on blinker fluid.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 10/21/2014 at 14:28

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GM??? It's a GM product, it won't have a hydraulic brake booster.

The ABS module is currently taking a leave of absence here. Better to pull the ABS fuse and have no ABS as opposed to a slightly operational with a mind of it's own ABS pump.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 10/21/2014 at 14:29

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GM trucks: hydraulic brake boosters as often as not. GM other vehicles: another story.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 14:35

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ALERT: I WAS NOT BUILT FOR AUTOX

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 10/21/2014 at 14:36

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GM Medium duty trucks? Yes. GM 1/2 tons? No. They are still vacuum boosters.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > desertdog5051 10/21/2014 at 14:45

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Crap, I think my muffler bearings are getting worn out as well :(

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Textured Soy Protein 10/21/2014 at 14:46

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But SPEED HOLES.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 10/21/2014 at 14:47

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Unless they're voodoo-based GM "heavy half-ton" trucks from the 80s with diesel engines and a lug size and offset combination in common with no other GM trucks, that for some absolutely stupid reason never shipped with over a 15" rim, even on the MFing Suburban, and that the 4wd system option on features captive rotors that commit seppuku and require disassembly of the self-locking hubs to get at. Oh, and a fuel system that seals apparently with all-natural unicorn dung.

Not that I'm bitter or anything.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > crowmolly 10/21/2014 at 14:47

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According to the car's onboard voltage meter the voltage is steady, which should mean the alternator is fine.

Not sure how much I can discern from looking at the wiring, given how much loom and insulation is on it. I suppose I can find rubbed spots.

Where would the ground straps be? I'm not really sure what to look for there.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Nibbles 10/21/2014 at 14:48

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According to the DIC, the voltage is steady no matter what.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > shop-teacher 10/21/2014 at 14:49

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Except I've disabled the ABS system already because I *know* it's broken (pulled its fuse)

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Tohru 10/21/2014 at 14:49

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I've pulled the fuse for the ABS module a couple months ago due to it giving me issues, so there's no way it's still able to cause issues...

...right?

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Grindintosecond 10/21/2014 at 14:51

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Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 10/21/2014 at 14:52

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Already done. Had no ABS fuse for the past ~2 months or so.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 10/21/2014 at 14:52

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No, just a list of why GM was smoking crack in the 80s.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Brian Silvestro 10/21/2014 at 14:53

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LOL I DUNNO

The ABS module is disabled, and there's no vibration to indicate warped discs, and it only happens *occasionally*, so I'm fresh out of ideas. I'm gonna try taking as good of a look as possible to the wiring, but this is a huge puzzler.

Tohru > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 14:53

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Unless you redid all the brake lines, they still go through the module.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/21/2014 at 14:53

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ABS unit is disabled. The fuse for it is in my glovebox (which is why the traction control, abs, and brake lights are on on the dash)

Tohru > Grindintosecond 10/21/2014 at 14:54

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Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Tohru 10/21/2014 at 14:54

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Oh. Then that's probably it.

Brian Silvestro > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 14:57

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FUCK IT YOLO

Tohru > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 15:02

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You could unplug the connectors at the ABS module itself and check it.

Nibbles > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 15:07

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Check it with a meter; DICs are notoriously inaccurate. Make sure you have ~14.1 volts under load.

JGrabowMSt > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 15:07

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I'd check the ABS sensors on each wheel. You might just have a bad sensor. Unplug the battery, sit overnight, check again in the morning.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > JGrabowMSt 10/21/2014 at 15:08

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How does one check the sensors?

crowmolly > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 15:08

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Where is the voltmeter? I don't see one?

Really just go around and check any points that look to be corroded. Check the battery cables, any wiring near the engine and underhood fuse box, etc.

Just saw that the fuse was out, so I am starting to doubt it's electrical.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Tohru 10/21/2014 at 15:09

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Check what? How? Look for specific voltages on specific pins or something?

JGrabowMSt > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 15:09

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Find out if they're still plugged in, check the wiring at the ends, make sure it's not cut or crimped anywhere, try to follow the wiring as far as possible, etc.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 15:11

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Hmm that's especially strange then.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > crowmolly 10/21/2014 at 15:15

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Voltmeter is a part of the multifunction display on the dash. The battery is under the rear seat and it's fine, fuse boxes appear to be secured well enough, and all the relavent sensors are plugged in and the plugs in good condition.

Tohru > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 15:19

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Unplug the module and test-drive the car. If it goes nutty, then it's not the module. If it behaves, it was the module.

If it behaves, drive with module unplugged.

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 15:21

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You got some serious brake booster issues you need to look into. But I would start by disconnecting the batter for 45min or so, that will be long enough for the computers to reset themselves. Funny you are having this problem. I was checking some codes on my MkIV VW and I was just going through the various things that it tracks. One of them is brake booster pressure. In real time.

shop-teacher > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 16:30

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If there's a short between it and something else on another circuit, it might not matter.

uofime > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 16:43

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use an actual voltometer attach it the battery while it is running it should read about 14 volts if the alternator is working

Jay Lauer > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 10/21/2014 at 21:24

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I'd unhook the battery for a while so everything can reset. Other than that, I'm not so much sure.

Have you been scanning it with a proper OBDII scanner?

Or pool your money into a new sofa.

wichita.craigslist.org/cto/4685736617.html

Because it's always the answer- wichita.craigslist.org/cto/4673197628.html

If you're really ambitious- wichita.craigslist.org/cto/4712746174.html

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Jay Lauer 10/21/2014 at 23:29

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I wish my dad would let me have a small car :(

Also I know the owner of that 944. HELL NO. Not buying a car previously owned by a high schooler.

I re-seated the cable going to the ABS unit, unhooked the battery for an hour or so, and put the ABS fuse back in place. It still seems iffy, and the "Service Vehicle Soon" light still comes on, but it hasn't tried to kill me again.

Yet.