Garnet44

It's everyone's favorite past time, electrical issues in a 944.
My car was working beautifully before, new clutch, new S&R sensors, new fuel lines, the whole package. One thing wasn't good though, and that was the battery tray. After putting it off for so long, I finally sent it to a welder who made a new one and put it in, but after, an issue reared it's head. The radio wouldn't work! And it wasn't the head unit, just none of the speakers would get any input it seems. The next day, I had someone in the passenger seat and they tried to use the power windows, but that didn't work, what happened was the speakers made a noise, all 4 of them. After that, they pressed it again and then suddenly audio from the radio was playing through the car. I asked them to press it the window button a third time, and it stopped playing audio. That night I experimented and found if I turned the car off, and then back on, I would have to rock the switch twice to get audio. I still could control both windows from my side, so I brushed it off as nothing and just a quirk of the car.

4 days ago however, I had to use the hazard lights (they worked fine) and the button fell into the trim piece. I disconnected the battery and immediately got to work, maybe a bit too fast though, as when remove the piece, a part of the cigar lighter contact made connection with the lower rail of the trim piece, causing a spark and blown fuse on 11. I thought no biggie, and continued my work after making sure I didn't leave a contact on the battery somehow, then reattached everything and tried to start the car. Nothing, no turn over, just a click then dead until I turned the key to off and retried, repeat that for 3 times and I got confused. It was running perfectly before. I get out, and check the fuses and pull the battery to charge it. The battery started charging (it was at around 75-85 charge, forget which one) and I change only fuse 11, since I only know that I shorted the cigar lighter, for now. I let the battery charge for about 30 minutes and then put it back in, and turn the keys. I thought I had the same issue as before, but after 0.5 seconds of holding it in the start position, it starts up fine. I turn it off and do it again, and the click noise went away and it starts fine. I thought I was in the clear and that I fixed that little fiasco. That evening though, I went to the car, and opened the door, and no interior lights turned on, when they did before. I thought that was weird, and clicked the dome on to "on" position, still nothing. I worry the battery was dead, but the car started fine. I put the switch back to "on when door opened", and opened the door and checked the rear cargo space light. It had the same issue as the dome interior light. I plug in my BT to FM thing into the cigar lighter, which, for about 5 months now, has never had an issue with it, started to not get power intermittently until I pulled the accessory out and put it back in. I do the normal window switch rock to get the speakers to get audio, and go on my way. When I reach my destination, I switch the interior light to on out of habit to grab something. Cigar lighter stops getting power. I go through the motions to get audio back, then open the door. Same thing happened, cigar lighter stopped getting power.

I am now thoroughly perplexed by this and need assistance. TIA

Attached are two videos showing the issues

Garnet44

I was taking it to my shop when the car kept draining the battery, and then I eventually didn't have enough to keep the car running. Smoke started appear even though I wasn't over heating, which makes me believe the alternator died on me

Garnet44

So, my car had to be towed. My best guess is the alternator died, so it slowly kept dying on me as I drove. I was trying to get it to my heated garage to do more exploration of the electrical issues and to avoid the snow storm. But alas, it didn't make it, it lost the ability to make power to speed up, and was only limping at 3MPH. I have it going to a shop in 2 weeks because it's probably outside my scope of skills, so I don't want to break anything. The shop will only be looking at the electrical issues and whatever else I ask them to take a look at since I still plan to do most other repairs myself.