QuestionMr. Finston, your advice to isolate the wiring or the ignition switch was clear and simple (and the '90 wires matched your '91 diagram). When I next had access to the vehicle (it's a friend's an hour away), the window and heater circuits were working, so I couldn't easily eliminate any of the wires or switch. I replaced the ignition switch and lock cylinder (it had a broken ear) and it's been working fine for a week now. thanks!
However, the dash lights and trunk release had meanwhile quit working and did not work after the ignition switch repair. The elec door locks don't work, either (but I don't know if that happened at the same time as the lights). The glovebox fuses seemed ok. Are there other fuses or systems to check? thanks, Wyatt
-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
Mr. Finston, we're having electrical trouble with a '90 New Yorker, 3.3 liter engine. The symptoms have varied over the past 6 months and may not be related. Here is the list.
The car has the electronic temp control/display. Currently the heater/air display is blank and the blower won't turn on. Also, the power windows don't work at all. These conditions seem to have occurred when the 'air bag' dash light began staying lit 3 weeks ago.
For testing, I replaced a blown 50-amp blower fuse: no change. I disconnected the main air bag controller, but no change in the windows or blower (air bag light did go out). I did get a momentary heater display while I was connecting/disconnecting the elec connectors to the ignition and air bag under the steering wheel trim panels (with the key in 'run', the display came on & the blower started, but quit when I started the engine...then would not repeat the effects. I didn't check the windows at that time).
There was earlier difficulty with a no-start condition (no elec responsse at all) until the steering wheel tilt was adjusted up and down. No recurrence of that condition in 6 weeks.
And there was an even earlier condition of no A/C or blower last summer except at a narrow, high RPM range (62-65 mph only). That condition disappeared after a while.
This car had earlier front-end damage (prior to our purchase) but we don't know if the air bag deployed.
Two mechanics have peeked: one traced blower wiring and found no problem; another suspects a wire short in the steering column/ignition bundle.
thanks for any help!
Answer -
Hi Wyatt,
I'm working with the '91 wiring diagrams, but chances are good it will be the same in your '90. That 50 amp fuse in the power distribution center is (if it is labelled "blower motor" or similar wording) the one that is needed for all the systems you are having trouble with. The 12V is "on" to that fuse all the time and it has a 10 ga. pink trace wire that carries the current thru the firewall bulkhead disconnect (pin 50 of the 50-way disconnect, which is one of the corner pins of that connector) and from there to pin B3 of the ignition switch on the same color pink trace wire. So you could check at the ignition switch (usually you need to remove the upper and/or lower covers on the steering column (4 or so screws on the underside) to get access to the ignition switch (which is mounted near the key lock but is actually a spearate unit attached to that by a rod). If the switch is getting the 12V on that wire, then turn the switch to "run" and see if you get the 12V on A2 of the switch which carries the current on a black/orange wire to many smaller fuses/circuit breakers that power the systems that are giving you trouble. If not, then the switch is bad. I suspect it is the contacts inside the ignition switch that have failed, but just is case check the wires (pink trace and black/orange)
along this path for a "short" to ground or an "open".
Let me know what you find of interest.
Roland
AnswerHi Wyatt,
Let me suggest that you look closely at fuses 5, 13 and 14 in the cabin fuse box, and also fuse F ('park lamps') in the power distribution center. Then after you do that, see if anything has improved and get back to me with a status report. The fuses can sometimes be open even though they look good so observe them closely or meaures them with an ohmmeter.
Roland
