1991 Buick Skylark gone buzzerk!

PUDDIN

MEMBER
1991 BUICK SKYLARK

I bought a used 1991 Buick Skylark 2.5 ltr 4 cyl 4 door sedan, no warranty, imagine that. Seemed okay. 80,000 miles. 1 wk later it died doing 55 on hwy, pulled over, restarted fine, no prob. 1 wk later, died again, this time chk eng light on and would not start in park, but in neutral, light went out. Did it more and more freq, then started to die alot. One time I turned the key off and took it out, car kept running as if key was still in it. I turned the lights off and it shut the car off as if it was the ignition. I have noticed the cruise control light coming on but it is off. Thought it was relay problem, by the time I found out where the fuel relay was located - WWhhhooo - it started other crazy things. All the accessories work except a nutty window that rolls down quickly and its either all the way up or all the way down. It rained the other day when the cars lights became the ignition switch but hasnt done it again since. It hasnt died but has had to be started in neutral today, chk engine light came on and back off. Went to read the codes but the light went off and nothing registered. Please someone help me. Paid too much cause I fell for "one little ole lady owner" story. Now I am stuck. Please Help. New Problem: turned on radio today and then back off, the speedometer went up and down to zero and all the dash lights flashed off and on back and forth, cruise, temp, check oil, check engine, then speedometer started working and they all disappeared again.

4 Replies

BUICKMAN2

MEMBER
12 POSTS

As a first step, make SURE that your battery/power cable terminals are clean and tight at BOTH the battery and their other ends. --Being careful to NOT overtighten the cables at the battery connections.

However, that may not be the problem as there seem to be several 'separate' circuits involved. Maybe related to a common wiring harness? Check wiring diagrams for the affected items and see if they are in a common area or connect to a common 'unit'/'component'.

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Monday, June 12th, 2006 AT 3:15 PM

SCITZZ

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5 POSTS

I may be crazy, but I would be looking for a short somewhere where water is leaking in, as in the rprevious reply, the wire harness, but other possibilties as well! Anywhere water may have leaked. The one old lady owner is RARELY plausible, but don't give up hope, in my experience, I have found that when you finally DO find the problem, you will be saying"oh my god, was that all!"

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Friday, June 16th, 2006 AT 8:05 PM

PUDDIN

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4 POSTS

[quote="scitzz"]I may be crazy, but I would be looking for a short somewhere where water is leaking in, as in the rprevious reply, the wire harness, but other possibilties as well! Anywhere water may have leaked. The one old lady owner is RARELY plausible, but don't give up hope, in my experience, I have found that when you finally DO find the problem, you will be saying"oh my god, was that all!"

Thanks scitzz, you might be on to something. I hope you are right. Appreciate the input. Maybe soon I can stop :cry:

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Saturday, June 17th, 2006 AT 11:50 PM

PUDDIN

MEMBER
4 POSTS

[quote="buickman2"]As a first step, make SURE that your battery/power cable terminals are clean and tight at BOTH the battery and their other ends. --Being careful to NOT overtighten the cables at the battery connections.

However, that may not be the problem as there seem to be several 'separate' circuits involved. Maybe related to a common wiring harness? Check wiring diagrams for the affected items and see if they are in a common area or connect to a common 'unit'/'component'.[/Quote]

Thanks Buickman, I appreciate your help. I will check that out.

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Sunday, June 18th, 2006 AT 12:26 AM