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Odd electrical problem

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Old 10-21-2011 | 08:10 PM
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Default Odd electrical problem

Today, after the car sat in the Parkin lot for a few hours, the power windows and the fresh air blower did not work. After a short drive, they worked, but then stopped working again. All other electrics work: lights, radio etc, just not windows and fresh air blower.
Fuses are good.
Old 10-21-2011 | 08:14 PM
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Wiggle the key and see if that makes a difference. On my 968 I had the same symptoms. It turns out the the spring inside the ignition did not pop the key back far enough after I started the car, and kept the blower and windows and headlights off until I manually moved the key back just a hair. (When you start the car, the ignition interrupts the windows, blower, and headlights, because they are the greatest draw on the battery, which needs 100% of it's power to crank the starter.)
Old 10-21-2011 | 08:19 PM
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That makes sense. But just tried, and nothing changed. But ignition switch is original.
Is there a relay or something that i can check?
Old 10-21-2011 | 08:37 PM
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What other testing can I do?
Old 10-21-2011 | 08:49 PM
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The only things I can think of, if it's not the ignition switch, is the ignition relay (which I don't know how to test other than borrowing another one) or there may be a loose or inadequate ground. There is a small possibility you may have a short that hasn't blown a fuse yet. You'd really have to stick your head under there and look at the harness and check the ground points near the fusebox, check all the relevant relays and connectors for the relevant wiring.
Old 10-21-2011 | 09:28 PM
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My first guess is ignition switch as well. If your car is early, it's an easy and cheap replace.
Old 10-22-2011 | 12:25 AM
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The ignition relay is the same as the sunroof relay. I swapped them, no change. So there is something telling the windows and the blower not to work.
Old 10-22-2011 | 02:53 PM
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My headlights work, but not Windows and blower. Could it still be the ignition switch?
Old 10-22-2011 | 03:38 PM
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Ignition switches can do plenty of strang things- when mine was bad, the windshields wipers randomly went on, and the radio would turn on and off- if you find that the things stop working when making a turn or going over a bump, and randomly do and do not work, it's probably ignition switch. Easiest thing you can do is take the ig. switch out and look at it, it takes 5 minutes to get it out and when you do it would obviously have cracks in the plastic. (I'm talking about an early car, somebody correct me if there is difference between generations)
Old 10-22-2011 | 07:57 PM
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Yeah. I am fairly certain it's the switch.
Old 10-22-2011 | 08:41 PM
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If you take it out and it has the same message as the oil pan, then you know for sure...
Old 10-22-2011 | 08:41 PM
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You have copies of the shop manuals to trace the schematic out?
Old 10-22-2011 | 10:15 PM
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Originally Posted by 75ohm
You have copies of the shop manuals to trace the schematic out?
If not let me know, I have the full set if/when you need 'em.
Old 10-22-2011 | 10:30 PM
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My plan is to pull the ignition switch, and see if it is bad. Sure sounds like it is.
Old 10-22-2011 | 10:31 PM
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Agreed man



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