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slow electric shutdown


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gmjehn
New User

Oct 6, 2008, 6:31 PM

Post #1 of 2 (1475 views)
slow electric shutdown Sign In

I have a 98 Mercury Sable 3.0L with about 100,000 miles. I was going down the free way and my ABS light came on a few minutes later the tach stopped working. After a few more minutes the radio died and the headlights dimmed. Then a few more lights light up including the Airbag light, but the battery light did not go on at any time. I slowly lost power and started to pull over to the side of the road and once I got below about 30 mph everything came back on. After driving for a little bit longer trying to get to where I was visiting the power steering went out after that series of lights and instruments stopped working. I got the alternator and battery checked twice and neither were bad they said that they both were putting out at good, normal rates. This happened again while it was raining and the same series of things happened the tach went out, the radio died, the speedometer died the lights went on on the dash, but the battery light didnt go on and since it was raining the wipers died. I pulled over and shut off the car once I started it back up everything was working fine. The only two times this has happened is when I've been driving down the freeway at about 70 otherwise it hasn't happened. I really have no idea what the problem might be besides a loose ground, but I'm guessing whatever it is must be at a major point to be able to control most all of the electronics. Any help you could give me I would appreciate! Thank you.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Oct 6, 2008, 7:37 PM

Post #2 of 2 (1472 views)
Re: slow electric shutdown Sign In

With the power steering being effected I'd suspect the belt isn't staying tight enough and you also noticed wet weather aggrevated this also so I think belt tension is an issue if not THE issue.

Could be tensioner isn't floating to self adjust or perhaps belt is stretched to the end extreme of self adjustment. I'm thinking just the belt first as the alternator is on that too and battery power would be effected also causing the other issues noted but surprised it started up that time you mentioned,

T



(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on Oct 6, 2008, 7:38 PM)






 
 
 






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