1998 bonneville se 3.8 "something keeps draining my battery"

[acg_93_ssei]

Hi, OP, I got your PM but am not able to reply to it directly as I apparently don't have enough posts under my belt yet. I can summarize an answer here, though, because I recently solved a power drain on my '93 SSEi.

Long story short (I will tell the long story in a separate thread soon): the Remote Accessory Controller module had gone bonkers. I not only had a massive power drain (killing the battery overnight) but also found that a lot of options had stopped working, including the power locks. The key symptom I discovered was that I could measure 12V+ at not only the center power lead into the lock switch on the driver's door, but also both of the output leads at the switch as well. In other words, pressing the Lock/Unlock made no difference because the entire harness on both sides of the Lock/Unlock switch was already hot.

The original factory manuals and diagrams were a godsend here. I was able to trace back the power lock circuit from the door switch and see two sources controlling it: the Power Lock Relay module (which handles the manual commands from the door switches) and the Remote Accessory Controller module, which handles the keyless entry functions. I bench-tested the PLR module, which was fine, so I plugged that back in, and then realized (from the wiring diagrams) that I should be able to just unplug the RAC without disturbing the rest of the lock circuitry.

As soon as I unplugged the RAC, ta-DAH! Normal lock operation, the output leads at the lock switch were no longer hot, no more power drain, etc. I haggled a replacement RAC module from a seller on eBay (who had it listed as a Powertrain Control Module for a Buick, which it isn't, but the part number was a match to mine because the Park Avenue uses much the same setup), plugged it in, had it learn my key-ring remote, and it's all good.

I'm not going to tempt fate by assuming that you have the same power-drain problem, as there are million ways for that to happen. If the car is dying from lack of voltage while you're driving it, it sounds to me like your alternator is not doing its job, and you're simply driving the car on its battery. The alternator may bench-test good, as you said, but if the connecting cables are corroded then it's not really connected properly to the rest of the car.

[Mitchell77]

Hi, OP, I got your PM but am not able to reply to it directly as I apparently don't have enough posts under my belt yet. I can summarize an answer here, though, because I recently solved a power drain on my '93 SSEi.

Long story short (I will tell the long story in a separate thread soon): the Remote Accessory Controller module had gone bonkers. I not only had a massive power drain (killing the battery overnight) but also found that a lot of options had stopped working, including the power locks. The key symptom I discovered was that I could measure 12V+ at not only the center power lead into the lock switch on the driver's door, but also both of the output leads at the switch as well. In other words, pressing the Lock/Unlock made no difference because the entire harness on both sides of the Lock/Unlock switch was already hot.

The original factory manuals and diagrams were a godsend here. I was able to trace back the power lock circuit from the door switch and see two sources controlling it: the Power Lock Relay module (which handles the manual commands from the door switches) and the Remote Accessory Controller module, which handles the keyless entry functions. I bench-tested the PLR module, which was fine, so I plugged that back in, and then realized (from the wiring diagrams) that I should be able to just unplug the RAC without disturbing the rest of the lock circuitry.

As soon as I unplugged the RAC, ta-DAH! Normal lock operation, the output leads at the lock switch were no longer hot, no more power drain, etc. I haggled a replacement RAC module from a seller on eBay (who had it listed as a Powertrain Control Module for a Buick, which it isn't, but the part number was a match to mine because the Park Avenue uses much the same setup), plugged it in, had it learn my key-ring remote, and it's all good.

I'm not going to tempt fate by assuming that you have the same power-drain problem, as there are million ways for that to happen. If the car is dying from lack of voltage while you're driving it, it sounds to me like your alternator is not doing its job, and you're simply driving the car on its battery. The alternator may bench-test good, as you said, but if the connecting cables are corroded then it's not really connected properly to the rest of the car.

So my lock switches are workin but windows have stopped workin does that sound familiar?

[acg_93_ssei]

So my lock switches are working but windows have stopped working does that sound familiar?

Not really; those are very different circuits. If I remember right, the windows are on a 30-amp circuit breaker, not a fused circuit, so an intermittent short or overload will pop the breaker until it cools and resets (usually in just a couple of minutes).

Given that GM window motors are not the most reliable, I would test all four windows for operation, not just the driver's door. My experience has been that they're more likely to die from lack of use rather than overuse, but start the engine (or at least Ignition On, but you want maximum voltage) and check all four independently just to be sure. You might also pop out the window switch panel from the driver's door and check that it's getting power.

If the switch panel is dead, you will need to trace the power back to its source. I'm winging it here as I don't have the manual in front of me, plus your car is 5 years newer than mine, but unless they changed the wiring layout significantly, you would have a Maxifuse center under the hood on the firewall at top center. I would start by pulling each of the big fuses one at a time to verify that each is good. For the circuit breakers, you'll need a continuity tester to check them since you can't see through them. (I will cheerfully admit that I have never, in my entire life, found a defective circuit breaker, but there's a first time for everything.)

Generally speaking, I would continue that routine for every fuse in every box in the car. I can think of three boxes in mine: the Maxifuse center, a swing-down fusebox under the dash on the left side (you squeeze two tabs together and the whole thing swings down towards you), and a third at the right end, below and to the right of the glove box behind the lower sound deadener panel.

I know it's a pain to do all that, but you will end up with a full accounting of what's blown and what is not. Next step is to focus in on the circuit(s) that should be live.

I just went back and read all the posts up to this point, and I see you've covered at least some of the same ground I did, but I think we could all use a bit more detail on what is not working right now (aside from the power drain): exactly which items are dead. Power windows are dead? Locks are working? How are the wipers? Lights? Power sunroof? Power trunk release? Cigarette lighter? Keyless entry remote control? Interior lights?

[Mitchell77]

So my lock switches are working but windows have stopped working does that sound familiar?

Not really; those are very different circuits. If I remember right, the windows are on a 30-amp circuit breaker, not a fused circuit, so an intermittent short or overload will pop the breaker until it cools and resets (usually in just a couple of minutes).

Given that GM window motors are not the most reliable, I would test all four windows for operation, not just the driver's door. My experience has been that they're more likely to die from lack of use rather than overuse, but start the engine (or at least Ignition On, but you want maximum voltage) and check all four independently just to be sure. You might also pop out the window switch panel from the driver's door and check that it's getting power.

If the switch panel is dead, you will need to trace the power back to its source. I'm winging it here as I don't have the manual in front of me, plus your car is 5 years newer than mine, but unless they changed the wiring layout significantly, you would have a Maxifuse center under the hood on the firewall at top center. I would start by pulling each of the big fuses one at a time to verify that each is good. For the circuit breakers, you'll need a continuity tester to check them since you can't see through them. (I will cheerfully admit that I have never, in my entire life, found a defective circuit breaker, but there's a first time for everything.)

Generally speaking, I would continue that routine for every fuse in every box in the car. I can think of three boxes in mine: the Maxifuse center, a swing-down fusebox under the dash on the left side (you squeeze two tabs together and the whole thing swings down towards you), and a third at the right end, below and to the right of the glove box behind the lower sound deadener panel.

I know it's a pain to do all that, but you will end up with a full accounting of what's blown and what is not. Next step is to focus in on the circuit(s) that should be live.

I just went back and read all the posts up to this point, and I see you've covered at least some of the same ground I did, but I think we could all use a bit more detail on what is not working right now (aside from the power drain): exactly which items are dead. Power windows are dead? Locks are working? How are the wipers? Lights? Power sunroof? Power trunk release? Cigarette lighter? Keyless entry remote control? Interior lights?

Aside for the power drain issue the
Window's have stopped working all of them.
Locks are still functioning
Wipers are very slow but work I guess
Lights are workin
Turning only works when turning right/when turning left the turning signal light just stays on
No power sun roof
Power trunk release has stop working
Keyless entry remote no longer working
Interior lights working

[acg_93_ssei]

Aside for the power drain issue the
Window's have stopped working all of them.
Locks are still functioning
Wipers are very slow but work I guess
Lights are workin
Turning only works when turning right/when turning left the turning signal light just stays on
No power sun roof
Power trunk release has stop working
Keyless entry remote no longer working
Interior lights working

Some of these may take a lot more digging than others. For the windows, I would start by seeing whether you have power reaching the window switches on the driver's door. For the nonfunctional options, locate the relevant fuse for each and see if it's getting power. (i.e. The fuse itself may be good, but the circuit it's protecting may be dead. Test to verify that one of the two clips for each suspect fuse is hot when it's supposed to be. Some options will only be hot when the ignition key is in the Accessory position, and some will only be hot when the ignition is On.)

Turn signals may be the easiest diagnosis. Turn on the four-way flashers and then walk around the car to see which bulb isn't flashing. I would suggest doing this twice: once with the other exterior lights off, and then again with the headlights/parking lights On. If you spot a turn-signal bulb that isn't lighting at all, replace it. If you see one of the front signals lighting only dimly when the headlights/parking lights are Off, or if it's going out when it's supposed to get brighter, you've got a bad ground connection at that socket.

If the bulb is going out when it's supposed to get brighter instead, current through one filament of that bulb is doubling back through the other to seek a ground path because its actual ground is no longer grounded properly to the car for some reason.

Most likely you're just going to find a dead bulb. Look up the correct number; don't trust that the old bulb you took out was actually the correct one for that socket.

[Mitchell77]

Aside for the power drain issue the
Window's have stopped working all of them.
Locks are still functioning
Wipers are very slow but work I guess
Lights are workin
Turning only works when turning right/when turning left the turning signal light just stays on
No power sun roof
Power trunk release has stop working
Keyless entry remote no longer working
Interior lights working

Some of these may take a lot more digging than others. For the windows, I would start by seeing whether you have power reaching the window switches on the driver's door. For the nonfunctional options, locate the relevant fuse for each and see if it's getting power. (i.e. The fuse itself may be good, but the circuit it's protecting may be dead. Test to verify that one of the two clips for each suspect fuse is hot when it's supposed to be. Some options will only be hot when the ignition key is in the Accessory position, and some will only be hot when the ignition is On.)

Turn signals may be the easiest diagnosis. Turn on the four-way flashers and then walk around the car to see which bulb isn't flashing. I would suggest doing this twice: once with the other exterior lights off, and then again with the headlights/parking lights On. If you spot a turn-signal bulb that isn't lighting at all, replace it. If you see one of the front signals lighting only dimly when the headlights/parking lights are Off, or if it's going out when it's supposed to get brighter, you've got a bad ground connection at that socket.

If the bulb is going out when it's supposed to get brighter instead, current through one filament of that bulb is doubling back through the other to seek a ground path because its actual ground is no longer grounded properly to the car for some reason.

Most likely you're just going to find a dead bulb. Look up the correct number; don't trust that the old bulb you took out was actually the correct one for that socket.

Turn signals now fully operational
Windows fully functional "all"
Windshield wipers back up to normal speed
Keyless entry back to operating properly
Trunk release workin as well

I made I change and all I did was put my 10 Amp fuse back in for my radio.. the fuse panel under my driver side dash.
I was checkin my radio wires lol

[acg_93_ssei]

Great! I have no idea how the radio fuse could possibly affect all those other circuits, but if normal operation is now restored, then I would just back away slowly and enjoy things as they are now.

It's definitely possible for circuits sharing a common ground connection to go bonkers if the ground connection is broken, because current in one circuit starts seeking a new ground path through the other circuits tied to its endpoint. However (and I haven't looked at my own wiring diagrams to be sure), I can't picture how the radio circuit could have anything in common with all those others. Still, if everything is working properly now, don't question it! Enjoy the holidays...

[Mitchell77]

I mean i did wiggle some connections but who knows I'm jus happy my bonny will operate lol... I think it's time to restore it all the way thru out..