cars a 98. at points the radio, clock, wipers, fogs, cig lighter and power mirrors all go out. when it turns back on the clock and radio presets still remain. the cig lighter is spliced with a radar detector and sat radio. this is the third time its happened and havent had the chance to remove anything. i look at the haynes wiring schematic, but wasnt sure what i was looking at. i was wondering if anyone knows the relays. besides removing those things and checking the radio wiring, im thinking it may be a bad relay. thanks for the help.

 

Relays are easy to replace. Check to see if there is an appropriate one that may be bad, as I dont know what the relays do.

Also, thought about too much on that cig lighter circuit?

 

the radar has been on there for over 5 years. i got to rip stuff out..

 

As long as the cig lighter circuit fuse dont blow, the current draw is fine for that circuit. I dont think a radar detector and sat radio will blow a 15 amp fuse.

 

yeah that much i agree with. im just baffled as to why so many things go out and just cut out. no fuse blows, none are bad i checked them all. this maybe the final battle. shame to just hit 150k.
does anyone know how to test a relay?

 

You can test a relay if you understand how it works .... check this out.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/relay.htm

Have you had the car for a while? Ever been in a flood? It sounds like it could be just a loose grond maybe, but it's hard to tell.

 

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It's hard to say that a relay has anything to do with your problem. I doubt it, but you can swap relays. There are two relay boxes under the hood they each contain 6 to 8 relays and the relays are colored brown, black and grey. You should be able to swap the same color relays from one location to another that uses the same color relay. If your problem was one of the relays you moved it will go away. Of course you may develop a similar problem in another circuit. I doubt it's a relay anyway. I have the factory manual with electrical diagrams, I know how to read them. I'll take a look and see if I can point you in the right direction. I have tried to help others this way and had limited success. It's difficult to troubleshoot electrical circuits if you are not actually there and be able to take voltage measurements and such.

 

I should have looked at the diagrams first. There is an accessory relay that supplies power ony to the circuits you mentioned. Makes sense the ignition as to be in at least the accessory position before these items will get power. Find the accessory relay and swap it out with another one of the same color. Check the relay socket make sure it's not corroded or anything. If that is not the cause the next possible cause is the ignition switch. The ignitions switch provides power to the acc. relay when you turn the switch. I am almost certain it is one of these items. Both are cheap and easy to replace. No need to dump the car. The only other possible cause (and now I see it) is your wiring at the cigar lighter a bad connection there would cut power to all these circuits. If you remove your detector and or sat radio that is wire at the cig lighter and return to original it will probably fix your problem. 99% it's your wiring connections caused this problem. Sorry to say but most of the electrical problems are cause by people who are unsure about waht they are doing. IT IS YOUR WIRING TO FROM CIG LIGHTER TO RADAR DETECTOR/ SAT RADIO CAUSING THE PROBLEM! GOOD LUCK WITH THE FIX!

 

I'm surprised pmohr did not beat me to this one. He's slowing down. Just kidding, he gives lots of great advise. Maybe he does not do wiring?

 

hey thanks for the help.. when it warms up, ill take a look at what you were talking about..