c_howyar Posted March 6, 2004 Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 This is my first time here so I apologize if I mess up on something. I have a 96 Concourse Deville. I bought it from a reputable Cadi dealer 2 years ago with 60,000 miles. On a routine oil change it was recommended that I get a transmission flush. So I did, then shortly after that I had to sink $1300 dollars into work on the transmission...of course more labor than parts. Since then I was told by a few people that the way they perform this procedure is not all that good for it and could cause serious problems. A few months later, I had an electronic starter installed by a professional garage...not GMC. It was an aftermarket one. I've had that in for a year with absolutely no trouble. Last week I had to take my car in(to the Cadillac dealer) because the ABS and Traction Control lights were both on..and wouldn't go off. They came up with multiple codes stored. TC0031, 33, and 73. Found failure with electronic brake traction control module. also found failure with right rear wheel speed sensor. Removed and replaced E.B.T.C.M. and right rear wheel speed sensor. They also removed and replaced my blower motor in my heater fan. They also found Code PC0139 stored upon which they removed and replaced my oxygen sensor. $2,000 dollars and two days later, I got my car back. Now my remote starter doesn't work. I called the man that installed it who informed me it was probably due to the battery being disconnected when they did the work on the car. All they had to do was reset the code. Seemed simple enough to me. It was dark when I had it done and it worked like new. Next morning I go to start it..in the daylight, and it did nothing. The remote would work the doors but not the starter. So I call him back and no problem, probably just a minor adjustment. That nite, I came out of a meeting and hit my starter button. She started right up! I had problem with my wiper lever working as well. That didn't work in the daylight but in the night it did. Also, my interior lights don't come on when you pull up on the handle of the car door like they're supposed to. I know this sounds crazy..and maybe I've finally just gone off the deep end, but is it possible that this stuff is tied in to my daylight sensor? How..I don't know...but it's all I can deduct. I called the Cadi dealership that did my work and the mechanic claims he didn't touch the battery. Does this make any sense? My car was all well and good when I took her in except for the reason she was there. Now, something is definitely wrong, and I just don't know if it's their mistake or just a huge coincidence. Can anyone offer me their opinion?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonA Posted March 6, 2004 Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 My first thought is if that mechanic claims he did all that electronic work without disconnecting the battery, he's either crazy or lieing. It does seem that your problems coincide with the ambient light available. I guess it's possible that during all that work at the Cadillac dealership, a wire could have been crossed somewhere into a circuit that is closed or opened by the light sensor. It's really hard to say where that would have occurred though. I'd take the car back to the dealership as quick as you can and explain the new problems that started after they worked on it. The sooner you go back, I think the better your chances are that you'll get it remedied on their coin. You're correct on the transmission flush. Those machines are supposed to be "filtered", but their reputation is extremely poor. The guy before you who had a failing tranny with fluid so contaminated it'd burn paint off asphalt , just flushed his mess through that machine to try to remedy his problem. It of course didn't fix his transmission, but what it did do was introduce all that junk into the machine, which probably put it into YOUR transmission. It's unfortunate, but it happens much more often than you'd like to think. The best service you can give your tranmission is to drain the fluid and refill it. Mechanical flushes are bad news. Good luck with the car. Sorry I couldn't help out more. Sounds like an electrical bug somewhere that'll take some time to find. Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond) "When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c_howyar Posted March 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 Thank you Jason. That was my first thought as well about the battery but I'm only a girl so what do I know? I have been on the phone with the dealership ever since this happened and the man told me he went over it bit by bit with the mechanic and the mechanic claims he didn't touch the battery. I don't believe him but I don't know how to rectify it. I've made a real nusciance of myself there but I'm beginning to think that if my gender was different...I'd have gotten better results to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted March 6, 2004 Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 oh those dealers... did you do any job on rear wheels (say brake pads replacement) before ABS ligths came on? The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted March 6, 2004 Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 I'm beginning to think that if my gender was different...I'd have gotten better results to begin with. There could be some truth to that but if you go in armed with knowledge you gained here they may treat you differently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c_howyar Posted March 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 adallak, I had the front brake pads replaced last August by my local mechanic. I would have had him do all my work, but he couldn't access the codes on the diagnostic machine he used. He said I'd have to take it to the dealership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg P. Posted March 6, 2004 Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 I've heard a number of stories about transmssion flushes that ended up the same. Sorry to hear that. Regarding the remote starter. Something is funny there. Personally I doubt it has anything to do with the daylight sensor, though I suppose anything is possible. I'd guess that something is loose in the wiring, causing an intermittant failure. I'd guess that the day night correlation is just coincidence, but you never know. If it continues this way, you'll have more evidence to go on. Personally, I'd take the car back to the guy who did the remote starter and have him check everything out. Also, are you aware that you can check for codes from the dashboard, without any test equipement required? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c_howyar Posted March 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 Hi Greg, As it turns out, I tested my remote starter this morning before daylight and it didn't work, so you are correct in that! Just coincidence I guess. I didn't know you could check the codes until I started reading about it on here! I guess the dealers don't like to let you know those things. It sounds like an electrical problem to me too...and I'm dreading facing that dilemma.. My radio is real noisy sometimes and when I shut the car off it's clear as a bell. I don't know if that signifies an electrical problem but I was told that it did. . I have called 5 different car dealerships and repair garages around my area and asked the technicians if, when performing the work they did on my car...was it common practice to disconnect the battery. Every one of them said yes. The first one I spoke with said definitely they would want to when they replaced the rear wheel speed sensor. Otherwise , something may spark the electrical system. I guess it's a precautionary measure. Anyways...I'm trying now..to figure out..if this is common practice, why did the mechanic that did the work claim he didn't do it. I am taking my car to the man that installed the starter, just to verify that it isn't the starter itself. I think the Cadi dealership is trying to pull a fast one on me. For some reason...things just aren't adding up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted March 6, 2004 Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 Thank you Jason. That was my first thought as well about the battery but I'm only a girl so what do I know? I have been on the phone with the dealership ever since this happened and the man told me he went over it bit by bit with the mechanic and the mechanic claims he didn't touch the battery. I don't believe him but I don't know how to rectify it. I've made a real nusciance of myself there but I'm beginning to think that if my gender was different...I'd have gotten better results to begin with. Your gender has really nothing to do with what you know. You learn by reading, discussion with others and by doing things and it's always a learning curve when you deal with a car, especially something so heavily computerized like a caddy. If you can find a "big brother", (a man whom you trust) to call the dealership for you and act as your liason, sometimes they are more willing to respond to the voice and comments of a man than a woman. Sad but true, dealerships and mechanics STILL think that women are easy targets for a rip off. If "push comes to shove", I have found that the words "attorney general's office" usually makes the dealership wake up and smell the coffee, so to speak. If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marika Posted March 6, 2004 Report Share Posted March 6, 2004 Radio interferance while the car is running sounds like an ignition system problem. Leaking wires maybe? When were the spark plug wires last changed? If you don't know the past history of the car, then just get the job done. Regarding your remote starter, have you put fresh batteries into the keyfob? Sometimes, when the batteries are starting to go in the keyfob you will get intermittent problems with, "sometimes it works, sometimes it don't". If you really want to make people safe drivers again then simply remove all the safety features from cars. No more seat belts, ABS brakes, traction control, air bags or stability control. No more anything. You'll see how quickly people will slow down and once again learn to drive like "normal" humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c_howyar Posted March 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2004 Thanks for all the great info everyone! This is a wonderful forum! I agree with ya Marika....knowledge is power! That's my approach here. I have to admit, I am learning alot here. I'll check the car's records to see if the spark plug wires have been changed. I'll also try changing the battery in the fobs. Maybe by the time this dilemma is behind me, I'll seek out a new hobby as a mechanic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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