QuestionI just bought a '92 LeBaron convertible (with the 3.0L 6cyl engine). The top doesn't work at all and the hideaway lights don't work. I haven't troubleshooted these things yet because I just pulled the engine to rebuild it, but I noticed that none of my books address the electrical system for the top or the lights.
Do you know where I can get a wiring diagram and/or a book which addresses these issues?
Thank you!
AnswerHi Jennifer,
Thanks for the kind remarks.
On the head lamp door situation. First listen for whether the door motor sounds when you turn the head lamps on and off. If you hear it and nothing moves, then the gear train between the motor and the rod that moves the doors is probably shot. If the motor doesn't make a sound, I would be inclined to begin with fuse # 57 in the power distribution center, under the hood, just in case, though it powers lots of other things like our old friend of yesterday circuit breaker #3 so if it was blown you might have noticed many more things don't work.
That fuse though is the only fuse that directly powers the motor for the doors. So I next go to the door motor connector behind the grill, best accessed from under the car. If you disconnect it and test for voltage when you turn the headlamps on and off the 2-wire connector should have 12v applied across it, in opposite polarities. If so, then the circuit is o.k. and so the motor itself would be suspect. You could verify that by jumping 12V to the connector on the motor side, reversing polarity to check the motor and the drive gears are either o.k. or not.
If the circuit is not putting 12V on the motor connector, then it is either a problem with the body computer, located on the passenger side kick panel in the cabin (that is the location on the cowl just to the right of the passenger's shin) or it is a problem with a motor relay (there are 3) located on the drivers side kick panel (mirror image of the body computer) in the relay block. There is one relay that drives the other two relays (one for open, one for close) that provide the proper polarity of 12V at the motor connector. Those three are the front three (of four total) in the second row of relays in the relay block. I believe those are interchangeable so you could try swapping them around to see if one is bad.
The test of the body computer which actuates those relays involves measuring voltages at the wires of the white color 25-pin plug on the top of the computer. But they have to be measured with the plug inserted in its socket so you will probably have to insert a pin through the insulation to get the readings on each wire:
With the headlamps off the voltage at pin 17 and pin 18 should be 12V compared to ground
If you turn on the headlamps the voltage at pin 17 should be 0 with low beam activated, and should be 0 at pin 18 with the high beam activated.
Turn off the headlamps, then test at pin 24, again still plugged in, by turning on the headlamps and see whether there is 12v at pin 24 that lasts for only 2 seconds. If all that works then the body computer is o.k., if not then we have to either check the wiring or replace the computer depending upon whether the test at pin 17 and 18 failed or the test at pin 24 failed, respectively.
All this info comes from the '92 Chrysler front wheel drive shop manual set (3 volumes) which you will see coming up for sale on eBay, from time to time. They may still be available from Dyment distributors (1-800-890-4038) at a cost of about $70 (pub no. 81-270-2103) They will be much less on eBay, but you will have to watch and wait for them to be offered.
Write back if you have any questions. And good luck. Also join the yahoo autos group called The Chrysler LeBaron Club to get in contact with 1500 other LeB owners like us.
Roland
Hi Jennifer,
Lets deal with the power for the top first as I already have a stock answer for that:
If fuse #5 is o.k., and the relay in the trunk doesn't click when you try the
power top switch, then either the relay is bad or the switch is bad
or 12V is not getting to the switch from the fuse. You could verify the
switch function by seeing whether you get 12V on the red/white wire
when you move it to "raise" and 12V on the yellow black wire on "lower"
where either measurement is compared to a good ground point on the
body; and also verify that 12V is getting to the switch from the fuse
via the white wire (all measurements to be made with the ignition
switch "on").
If the relay is clicking, then you want to verify that there is power
to the relay to operate the motor coming from the circuit breaker in
fuse cavity #3 by verifying that the power windows are working
(verifies the circuit breaker) and then check at the relay on the
black wire to verify the circuit is patent. If there is clicking and
motor power at the relay, then the power top motor isn't responding
properly to the voltage applied to it, or the contacts in the relay
are burned, so you should verify at the motor that 12V is actually
being forwarded from the relay to one or the other of the motor
disconnect pins when the relay is clicked to go in both directions.
If all that works, then brushes are probably worn down in the motor
(or the armature could be bad, but this is less likely).
I'll tell you about the headlamp doors tomorrow. I assume that the headlamps work, just that doors aren't moving. So let me know if that is not the case.
Goodnight!
Roland
P.S. Change that wire color at the relay that is bringing the power from circuit breaker #3 to the relay to power the motor to being RED in color rather than black.
