Electrical problem??

[paul21e39]

gremlins??

The battery terminals are clean, connections tight. INPA was reading over 13V at idle.

8:30am	stopped at red light with turn signal on after driving for 5 minutes	transmission light on dash came on
8:36am	parked the car, still running	check with ODB scanner but did not clear it	P0721
8:37am	turned key to off (not sure if I removed the key)
8:38am	tried to start car	nothing happens. no power, no crank, no dash lights
8:39am	opened trunk with key, wiggle battery terminals	contacts looked good and clean
8:40am	try to start car	starts fine, trans light is off.	WTF?
8:50am	drove back home, no problem	checked inpa for errors (see below)
9-11am	drove back and forth a few places turning car on/off	no problem
11:30am	try to start car	nothing happens, no power, no crank, no dash lights
11:31am	open trunk with key, wiggle battery terminals
11:32am	try to start car	starts fine
11:40am	drive for 10 mins (all good)	took more INPA logs (see below)

8:50am INPA (from trans module)

E R R O R M E M O R Y R E P O R T
------------------------------------- 
Date: 09/19/19 08:54:15
ECU: GS8604
JobStatus: OKAY
Variant: GS8604
-------------------------------------------------------------
 RESULT: 1 errors in error memory !
 -------------------------------------------------------------

 48 Wandlerkupplung zu hoher Schlupf
Error frequency : 6
Logistic counter: 0


Error occured 1. times at:


km-Stand 308500.00 km
Gang: unplausibel 0.00 0-n
Getriebeoeltemperatur 79.00 Grad C
WK geregelt 1.00 0-n


Error occured 2. times at:


km-Stand 308580.00 km
Gang: unplausibel 0.00 0-n
Getriebeoeltemperatur 74.00 Grad C
WK geregelt 1.00 0-n


Error occured 3. times at:


km-Stand 309150.00 km
Gang: unplausibel 0.00 0-n
Getriebeoeltemperatur 66.00 Grad C
WK geregelt 1.00 0-n
Plausibilitaet
sporadischer Fehler
 =============================================================

11:40 INPA (from trans module)

E R R O R M E M O R Y R E P O R T
------------------------------------- 
Date: 09/19/19 11:42:47
ECU: GS8604
JobStatus: OKAY
Variant: GS8604
-------------------------------------------------------------
 RESULT: 1 errors in error memory !
 ------------------------------------------------------------- 
97 U-Batt. Versorgung Kl. 30


Error frequency : 1
Logistic counter: 63


km-Stand 309250.00 km
Batteriespannung 12.28 Volt


Plausibilitaet
Ersatzfunktion aktiv
Fehler momentan vorhanden 

=============================================================

11:40 INPA (forgot the module name in INPA)

E R R O R M E M O R Y R E P O R T
------------------------------------- 
Date: 09/19/19 11:44:59


ECU: ZKE3_GM5
JobStatus: OKAY
Variant: ZKE3_GM5

-------------------------------------------------------------
 RESULT: 7 errors in error memory !
 ------------------------------------------------------------- 

73 Leitung WI1 Unterbrechung oder Wischerrelais 1
Error frequency : 6
sporadischer Fehler

------------------------------------------------------------- 

86 Relaiskleber Signal MERHK nach U-Batt im GM III
Error frequency : 31
statischer Fehler

------------------------------------------------------------- 

1 Sicherung Fensterheber hinten
Error frequency : 1
sporadischer Fehler

-------------------------------------------------------------

 75 Leitung WI2 Unterbrechung oder Wischerrelais 2
Error frequency : 3
sporadischer Fehler

------------------------------------------------------------- 

194 FS Laengsverstellung: Blockierung vorne
Error frequency : 1
sporadischer Fehler

------------------------------------------------------------- 

166 Spiegel BT, Potentiometer Vertikal oder Leitungen
Error frequency : 4
sporadischer Fehler

------------------------------------------------------------- 

94 ZV-Antrieb BT oder Leitung STZVBT defekt
Error frequency : 1
sporadischer Fehler

 =============================================================

[DennisG01]

The first thing is to figure out what's going on with your cables. Either they're not as clean and tight as you thought (did you remove, clean, retighten?), or there is an issue with the cable... frayed/broken wires, corrosion seeping up under sheath... maybe the ground is not connected to ground well.

[paul21e39]

The first thing is to figure out what's going on with your cables. Either they're not as clean and tight as you thought (did you remove, clean, retighten?), or there is an issue with the cable... frayed/broken wires, corrosion seeping up under sheath... maybe the ground is not connected to ground well.

There was next to zero play with the cables. I'll check them out again, but I figured I'd have bigger problems if the cable was that bad.

I thought maybe I was just getting lucky

[Chedley]

Loose cable connections, ground in particular. Did you recharge or replace the battery recently ??

The ZKE-GM is the central electronics module. It controls the electronic functions of the car. Those error codes indicate (sporadic) problems with the electric connections to the central electronics module.

Check and recheck all your electric connectins, connectors, fuses, relays, battery posts,..etc.. Clean and tighten any loose connections. Has the car been under heavy rain or water ? Wet or water corroded connectors often cause these gremlins...

[paul21e39]

Loose cable connections, ground in particular. Did you recharge or replace the battery recently ??

The ZKE-GM is the central electronics module. It controls the electronic functions of the car. Those error codes indicate (sporadic) problems with the electric connections to the central electronics module.

Check and recheck all your electric connectins, connectors, fuses, relays, battery posts,..etc.. Clean and tighten any loose connections. Has the car been under heavy rain or water ? Wet or water corroded connectors often cause these gremlins...

I just got the car from a family member a few weeks ago.

Tonight i cleaned and tightened the battery terminals and connections, I will investigate more this weekend.

No heavy rain recently, i washed it last weekend (regular hose, not power wash). Battery was recharged about a month ago. It had a no start condition that I resolved.

Are there any common places i should look for corrosion? I know the wiring is spread throughout the car, it would be good to start with the known trouble spots.

[mattmar1]

has the carpet on the LR side gotten wet to your knowledge? there is a terminal/fuse block in front of the passenger seat, under the carpet. if there was any amount of water incursion in this area at any time in the past, this my be corroded up. its the cause of many an electrical gremlin in these cars.