on-air

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Hi all

I've got an '81 928 with 35k original miles.

When I turn the key in the ignition, all the warning light systems light up in the cluster as normal, And in the middle of the console the ! light/button is lit as usual. When the car starts, the parking and stop lamps indicator is still lit (as normal) I take off the parking brake - its light clears, depress the brake pedal to clear the stop lamp and it clears ... all normal.... but today I noticed the ! in the center console is still lit solid -with no indication of why it is lit (none of the corresponding info lights in the cluster pod light up that would normally tell you what the issue is)-- when I press the ! light/button it, it goes out and doesn't come on again until I start the car up the next time.

any ideas what could cause this?

Kerry

Mrmerlin

check the fluids, washer tank, coolant bottle, and oil level.
Its quite possible that the coolant bottle sensor has failed or its connection at the top of the tank is corroded

on-air

Thanks --

I finally got some more time this weekend to start looking at this a bit more. Here's something though I noticed

I started the car again this morning. As I expected the ! light stayed as it has been doing for the past few days until I cleared it. Then it went out.

While it idled in the driveway, I had the radio on. I turned on the headlights, then turned on the brights, then I pulled onthe headlight/bright stalk again to flash the lights, the ! light came on again. I did notice that the volt meter was about only 11 or a slight bit less, but the volt light didn't come on when the ! came on.

Does this give me any more clues?...perhaps signs an alternator starting to go?

GlenL

Ignore the voltmeter as an absolute reading unless you confirm the reading with a voltmeter. It's prone to reading low in these old cars.

My guess it that you've got a bulb out and something is wrong (or "wrong") and that's why the ! is lit. Compare the dash to a pic from the owners manual to be sure they're all lit before starting the car.

The whole warning system is a crappy idea in a 30yo car. So many false alarms. But it was supposed to be a rich guy's GT so they made it check everything they could think of.

on-air

thanks.

I just checked all the pod warning lights against owners manual - the all appear to be there, none seem to be burned out. while car was running I turned on all the lights, walked all around the car every bulb (brake lights, side markers etc) I couldn't find any that were out.

Mrmerlin

What was the last thing you fixed???


After you check that answer, then see the sensors that were suggested in post 2

GlenL

What happens if you release the parking brake and then hold the brakes down when you start the car?

on-air

thanks, I just went out to the garage and I tried that suggestion.

Before I put the key in the ignition, I released the parking brake. THen put the key in, depressed the brake pedal, it fired up and no ! light.

...hmmm, so what does that lead me to conclude though?

on-air

other than replacing the tires over the summer, and an oil change about 6 months ago, I've not done much to the car but wash/wax, drive and enjoy... so I don't know of a recent fix that would have then caused something to start acting up ...

on-air

and. while I was just testing it again after being able to start it up by having the parking brake off and depressing the brake pedel and not have the ! light on ... while it was idleing I could turn on the headlights, then put them on high, then flash them back to low and the ! came on again.

...confused...

Mrmerlin

it sounds like you have a either a bad bulb connection , ground connection there is a ground connection in the rear hatch area under the right quarter cover , if you can remove the rear screw and the cargo hold down bracket then gently prise the cover out so you can see the ground connection on the floor

GlenL

At this point you need to decide if it's worth your time to pursue. The warning brain is notoriously fickle. It'll flag problems that aren't real because of minor voltage fluctuations and weak grounds.

You can clean all the grounds and every connector, fuse and relay in the car trying to slove these. And don't forget the connections at the brain itself. It's under the dead pedal.

Personally, I try to clean up the "errors" occasionally but am resigned to pressing the reset switch after every start and turning on the headlights. I've got hours into trying to solve them all. I'm happy that everything works, whether or not the warning brain thinks so.

on-air

thanks for all the suggestions on this issue. One more piece of info I just found that may be useful in diagonsing the problem.... the blinkers seem to go twice as fast as if a bulb is burned out ...yet if I turn them on, left and then right, and each time walking around the car -- both the ones the front and on the rear seem to work, but just flash twice as fast...

Mrmerlin

check the bulbs, and also you might pull the blinker relay and open it. First go back and check the turn signal switch you may have a pinched wire and the switch might not be correctly adjusted for height

on-air

thanks everyone..after trying all the suggestions and finding no luck still .. and then the "!" light began staying on steady--- I finally broke down and bought a new (used) central warning brain and replaced the existing one -- 'Voila' -- seems to have cured it (so far).