no trac control and no warning lights and no abs lights on

[tosun28]

I tried the search function but I couldn’t find anything that’s like mine does, everyone else seems to have there lights on for the ets and mine don’t come on at all.

ok well when I get ready to start my car the low trac and the ets and the low coolant lights never come on all the others do however, my abs light isn’t on and the abs system is working well like a abs system does they wont lock up, I thought that maybe the lights or led's I found out was burnt out, nope its not working, the plus for the button is plugged in already checked that, even tried to short it across to make sure its not the button on the shifter also.

On the parking brake I know there is a switch for it, doesn’t the switch that runs the etc also do the drl as well and the parking brake light?

Where should I look first to see if it’s something simple that I can find? My car has warrantee on it, but if it’s something small I would rather fix or check it out as it always takes so long when they are in the shop for service plus this way I will know if I need to go ahead and start a claim on the ets not working as well.

oh yeah and the automatic headlights, well mine are not very automatic now days, its never worked in the month I have had the car, I found the sensor and looked at it, seems to look ok I would guess not sure what to look at on it, how would I start looking for the issues with it also?

Thanks for the help

Donnie

[rixGAphx]

I don't wan't to seem obnoxious, but I prolly will anyhow :roll:

WHAT'S THE PROBLEM??

Frankly, I can't really determine what you think the problem(s) are.
Originally posted by tosun28
..when I ...start my car the low trac and the ETS and the low coolant lights never come....
Are you asking, "Why don't the dash icons for these three things illuminate when I turn the key to 'run' (prior to start)?"

my ABS light isn’t on and the ABS is working well like a ABS system does they wont lock up,[B][QUOTE]OK.

So? That's pretty much the normal and desired condition.
I mean, your ABS works fine and gives no indications of trouble.
What shall we do with this knowledge?
[B][QUOTE] On the parking brake I know there is a switch for it, doesn’t the switch that runs the ETS also do the DRL as well and the parking brake light? Yes, the microswitch in the handbrake assembly reports to the PCM (Powertrain Control Module, the engine-tranny 'puter).
The PCM uses that data to determine if the car is on the road.
If the brake is 'up', then the PCM thinks the car is parked, and it will not enable ETS, ABS, or DRL; it will illuminate the 'Brake' icon.

Does your 'Brake' icon illuminate:
* When you turn the key to 'run' prior to 'starting'?
* When you lift the handbrake?

Where should I look first to see if it’s something simple that I can find?
What is "it" that you think is wrong???

..the automatic headlights, well mine are not very automatic now days, it has never worked in the month I have had the car.
I found the sensor and looked at it, seems to look ok.
I would guess not sure what to look at on it, how would I start looking for the issues with it also?
What "doesn't work" about the system??
* Do the DLR's always work when you're on the road?
* But when you enter a tunnel, or nightime falls, the system doesn't automatically change to 'normal night lighting'?

That dashboard sensor may be faulty, or may have some debris or such covering the light-sensing part.

BOTTOM LINE:
1. Your ABS works fine (you say).
2. What are the symptoms of your 'Automatic Headlights' not working?
3. Does the ETS not work? Do you want to turn the ETS 'off' but can't?

Standing by,
-Rick

[MantaGreen97]

Originally posted by tosun28
I tried the search function but I couldn’t find anything that’s like mine does, everyone else seems to have there lights on for the ets and mine don’t come on at all.
Hmm I thought you said before that it was the lights in the IPC that were burned out, no? Then again 3 lights burned out doesn't make sense either...

Originally posted by tosun28
On the parking brake I know there is a switch for it, doesn’t the switch that runs the etc also do the drl as well and the parking brake light?
Yeah if you pull the parking brake up, you should get both the "(P)(!)" or "BRAKE" (as it is on the US cluster) to illuminate as well as the "ETS OFF" light to illuminate.

It sounds like something is wrong with your IPC perhaps.

Originally posted by tosun28
oh yeah and the automatic headlights, well mine are not very automatic now days, its never worked in the month I have had the car, I found the sensor and looked at it, seems to look ok I would guess not sure what to look at on it, how would I start looking for the issues with it also?


Yep it's definitely sounding more like the IPC or the wiring harness/wiring to the IPC that's a problem. The daylight sensor goes through the IPC as well and that is how the ALC system works as well. All the problems you describe above are linked to the IPC--all of that stuff points to either a defective IPC or something wrong with the wiring to it.

[tosun28]

Thought the lights was burnt out, but I think its something more now.


The abs is working fine so there is no questions about that part of the car


The Trac ets isnt working at all. and if it is its a very very bad excuss for ets because I havent felkt it cut any power at all to the wheels like I have read of others ets doing.


I unplugged the switch on the parking brake to see if maybe it was the cause of the ets not working and it wasnt it, when the switch is plugged in the parking brake does control the DRL so I know the switch is fine or I would guess it is, yes my parking brake light does work when you set the brake also.


The DRLS run all the time when you drive unless you put the car in park or use the brake then they will shut off, the auto headlamps never come on at alkl own there own free will, I looked at the switch, cleaned the top and looked at the wire, maybe the things dead?

Maybe I should be happy that the ets isnt working as I have read of a lot of peoples lights for there ets being on all the time and issue they have with there system, but I would like to know if its anything major so I can get it fixed before I loose the covrage to get it fixed.

Donnie

[rixGAphx]

Handbrake and its position switch = OK.

ABS = OK; therefore, the wheel speed sensors are OK.
* * *

ETS = No worky.
* The system 'defaults' to ETS-Off when the battery is disconnected or something else disrupts 'normal' vehicle operation; I think this is where your car is at the moment.
* Won't work if car thinks Handbrake is set; your handbrake switch works, therefore this is not the problem.
* Won't work if if 'puter isn't getting dependable wheelspeed data; yours is OK, therefore this isn't the problem.
* Won't work if you turn it 'off' at the shifter button; turning 'off' should illuminate the dash icon "ETS Off".
* * The shifter button isn't an on-off switch as such; rather it's a switch that tells the 'puter to change from the present setting to the other setting. If there's a problem with the button or its wiring, the 'puter will never receive the 'change' signal; I *think* the 'puter will then go to 'default' (ETS-off).
* * Your dash icon is not illuminated, yet ETS is obviously not working (the system might truly be 'off', or it might be 'on' as far as the 'puter is concerned). Obviously there is some problem with this icon-bulb subsystem.
* Finqally, you don't know the history of the car.

1. mebbe the previous owner didn't like the ETS and wanted it 'off' permanently (but didn't want to be annoyed by the icon-bulb); or,
2. the on-off button failed; or,
3. the button's wiring failed; or,
4. the computer is faulty and just isn't turning the ETS 'on'.
Items 2,3, and 4 don't explain the bulb in the icon not working; so, TWO things would be necessary to explain the condition. IMO, this is unlikely (tho certainly possible), since thes components are generally pretty rugged.
Item 1 (the previous owner not wanting ETS and going to the trouble of disconnecting the button AND disconnecting the icon bulb) would explain everything. But, how likely is it that somebody would have gone to this effort??

You can't test this type of button switch by just 'shorting-out'.

* * *
The ALC is a subsystem that coordinates with the DRL system via the lightsensor.
I don't know which is slave or master to the other, or mebbe they're both parallel.

I loved having my ALC for 6 years; it's been 4 months now since I changed cars to a non-GA, and I still haven't fully-adapted from the (bad) habit of not turning on my headlights. Kinda scary :eek:
Frankly, I wish I had never been spoiled by it.

IMO, your lightsensor is prolly faulty; changing it would prolly give you full ALC. I dunno the part cost, prolly dealer-only and $$$.
I suggest forgetting about it.

* * *
Many GA's started life as Fleet Cars for Enterprise, Avis, etc.
They were rental cars, and the rental agencies can't STAND consumer complaints about dash icons and 'systems not working'.
So when they order the cars they opt to NOT get many simple add-ons (alarms, block heaters, remote-starts).
And when they take delivery, their mechanics DISABLE certain 'goofy' features that would confuse the average rental customer.
ETS and Automatic Lighting would be two features I would have disabled if I were chief-of-service at Enterprise, so my agents wouldn't constantly be getting calls like, "Oh no, the ETS-Off icon is illuminated, and I don't know what to do!!".

Hope this helps,
-Rick

[tosun28]

LOL you got it right on man, my car was a rental car from Hayes Rental car in Dallas "now Avis" the car was then bought by a GM dealer in Houston from the auto auction then driven until it was auctioned again maybe in Dallas I got the car after this auction.

from what i got from carfax but we know they can be about as dependable as a Yugo at times, the car was rental and I am the 2nd real oiwner of the car.

I tried the shortin of the switch on the button, but of course my light dont work so it didnt do anything that I could tell.

When I take it to drop it off for service in the eve tomm, I am going to tell them that my ETS light has been flashings on and off and then it sparked inside the cluster and now its not working at all, that way I can get it taken care of and wont cost anything at all.

The basic service contract from the dealership ends on the 5th where everything down to the power windows and Radio is covred at 100% and no out of poicket expense to me, other than I have to find the place to take it to and let them know where the cars going to be at and who to talk to there. I love the dealership I got my car from its the best most awesome used dealership I have ever seen, gives almost a bumper to bumper on the car and you can take it anywhere you want when it needs repairs, if its the radio or such they just offer the money to replace it however as my bonneville had that issue and it was the wheel controled one and they didnt want to mess with it, 265 from them and then 165 on ebay I had a new one, they said thats what it would cost so I took it then found the ebay one.

The Auto headlighst would be nice but i can live without them, I am going to point out that its not working as well also when i drop the car off as well.

Any other typical things I should tell them it might be doing around 72k so they can check thats prone to break around there, They are going to check the water pump out already as I have read about them going bad and how its a pain when they do, any thing else to have them check that could be going bad soon?

Thanks,

Donnie