Electrical dash problems

Up until yesterday, when I decided to run the car through a touchless carwash, my LS was 1 full week without dash board lights coming on. I was elated thinking possibly that it took a week after replacing tires and having the tire module re-set. I didn't get but maybe 2.5 miles from the car wash when the lights popped on again. Any ideas? There is NO blower at this wash, just the water, soap, treatment jets. Could something be getting wet that shouldn't?
 
Yes..oh my god yes...I went throughout this exact problem..with every step. It first happened when I went to Hoffmans Car Wash..I never replaced the water shield that sits under the front of the car and covers the alternator...I went through the automated wash..(which now I never do..only wash by hand..) the undercarriage sprayer dumped a ton of water into the alternator and electrical area..and from that point..electronics went haywire...the water apparently messed up the diodes in the alternator and it was producing (underproducing and overproducing) voltage...when I drive sometimes all the gauges would jump far right and then back to the left..and not move..even when I was in active driving speed..all of the lights on the dash would come up..all of them..and I would have to stop..turn the LS off and re-turn the key..it is definitely a alternator and battery thing..when the voltage is not right on my LS all other unrelated lights start acting screwy...I don't want to speculate on ur issue...but they both got the same DNA..lol. I replaced alternator and got another battery..and I have not since had that issue..and I never even let the dealership diagnose it..anytime all of my lights flash like that.or my gauges act funny..it is always electrical..and in my case the alternator was the culprit..hope this sheds some light..because when I was having the problem I was getting the same feedback..no one could understand why this was happening.
 
I have a digital readout capacitor in my trunk for my amps..it constantly reads the output from the vehicles voltage...during this time..it would show really low..like 10v instead of the required 12..another day it would show over 12..I knew I had a electrical issue dealing with the charging system...not to mention that the message center kept telling my dumb ass "check charging system"...lmao. I feel real comfortable saying that you have a alternator issue...hard to diagnose because when it's not acting screwy and you check its voltage..it is fine..by the time you have left Advance for that free check...then it acts up again..I'm so glad I got rid of this horrendous problem...its a stresser.
 
Again..I want to be careful because I don't want to give you false hope..I have a 1st Gen..and my actual dash lights never came on or blinked or anything crazy like that..but the sweeping motion of all the gauges combined with all of the lights staying on..not the engine light..makes me think these issues were related. The water hitting my bare open alternator spiked something..gladly the damage was limited to the alternator and didn't do anything further...I have never had a speed sensor replaced..and nothing is screwy behind the dash..the issue simply went away after battery/alternator replacement..and of course brain-deading the system.
 
mcunningham122 said:
Up until yesterday, when I decided to run the car through a touchless carwash, my LS was 1 full week without dash board lights coming on. I was elated thinking possibly that it took a week after replacing tires and having the tire module re-set. I didn't get but maybe 2.5 miles from the car wash when the lights popped on again. Any ideas? There is NO blower at this wash, just the water, soap, treatment jets. Could something be getting wet that shouldn't?
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There is a wiring bundle at the front of the car that may be getting wet and corroding. Some members on here have experienced that. It runs to the ABS module among other things, so it would make sense for your issues. (There's no "tire" module, so I assume you mean the ABS/AdvanceTrac module.)
 
Rojasnyc said:
I have a digital readout capacitor in my trunk for my amps..it constantly reads the output from the vehicles voltage...during this time..it would show really low..like 10v instead of the required 12..another day it would show over 12..I knew I had a electrical issue dealing with the charging system...
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If you're only getting 12V while the car is running, then you do have a problem with your charging system, It should be over 14v.
 
mcunningham122 said:
I didn't get but maybe 2.5 miles from the car wash when the lights popped on again. Any ideas?...
...Could something be getting wet that shouldn't?
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do you have a sunroof? if so, I would loosen up the headliner and make sure that the drain tubes have not came disconnected (extremely common) maybe water is running down and getting into something
 
1LoudLS said:
do you have a sunroof? if so, I would loosen up the headliner and make sure that the drain tubes have not came disconnected (extremely common) maybe water is running down and getting into something
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Went through this just last night with my 04.
 
ive done the repair three times on my 03... both front tubes, the first time I did the drivers side, i just stretched the hose and later it pulled back off so i had to extend the hoses the last two times...
 
1LoudLS said:
ive done the repair three times on my 03... both front tubes, the first time I did the drivers side, i just stretched the hose and later it pulled back off so i had to extend the hoses the last two times...
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Yeah, I just did the driver's side because it was sort of an emergency and I didn't have the most ideal supplies to work with. I think I'll get the right couplers and pieces of hose, redo the 04's driver side, and then preemptively do the passenger side of the 04 and both sides of the 06. I am assuming and hoping that the back tubes will be okay.
 
yeah, if you're gonna take all the stuff in the headliner to do one side, you might as well do the other side while you're up there. most of the time, it seems like its a "when" failure and not an "if" failure (pretty much like every other LS problem)
 
You may just be "spot on". I had the car absolutely die on me last week, in heavy traffic no less, and I turned the key to off then a couple minutes later I cranked it and it turned right over. Thank you...Thank you...Thank you! Battery got replaced last month, so it seems I need to replace the alternator now and she ought to be good to go. This has been a true puzzler. No diagnostics picked up on it, no mechanic that has seen it can even hazard a guess as to why, but it took my neurosis to detail that made this association....and another kindred soul to share. I've already determined that I can't use a car wash and hand washing is my only other option. Thank you!
 
Still looking for an answer. I've replaced the battery, alternator and tires. Lights still coming on. Now, however, when the "check engine" comes on it immediately goes off while the others: abs, brake, etc, continue. Here's something new I've recently learned while testing my alternator, my car does not rev in Park. It certainly kicks in while driving, but when the tech asked me to step on the gas as she was checking the alternator, it was anemic. Flat line sound. Later today I'm going to check all my fuses. Hoping to get in an oil change before week's end and change the oil filter. Had the fuel filter changed last fall. Always use premium...this is so frustrating.

Still losing my power steering when this happens. That's how I know it's about to light up...I feel it in my steering wheel first and then my rpms.
 
mcunningham122 said:
... Here's something new I've recently learned while testing my alternator, my car does not rev in Park. It certainly kicks in while driving, but when the tech asked me to step on the gas as she was checking the alternator, it was anemic. Flat line sound. ...
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Works as designed. There is a neutral limiter (applies to park too). It limits it to 2500 RPM in park or neutral, and also makes the response to the gas pedal very slow.
 
Well, thanks is a relief Joe. Thanks for that piece of info. I wondered why while driving is hustled right along and gave me everything I asked for when I asked, but didn't in park. lol Guess those folks at Advance Auto were in the dark too. Need to still get my fuses checked as I think I also had the sun roof issue and it may have taken out a couple of them or corroded them some. No more car washes for me.
 
Problem persists. Only difference now is the "check engine" really doesn't come on. If it does, it's gone in a blink. Now, however, after a period of time with the dash flashing it goes dead..dead...dead. And here's a twist, once that happens the car acts like it's over-heated. It shuts down and must sit for a while before it will start up. If you try to turn the key prematurely there is NO sound what so ever.
Taking it into the Ford Dealership this morning. I pray it's not going to put me in the poor house. Got an offer to buy it last night..I just might take it.
 
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