Electrical/Won't Start...Help Please!!!
 

Ok, this is the second time in 6 months that I've had to take out the dash. The first time was for the blower motor and now for the heater core. I just finished up putting everything back into place and tried to crank it up, but not even a click. The ding / chime just keeps going, no reads on the gauges, no message in the odometer box, but the only dash light that comes on is the "security" light, and it goes off after around 5 seconds. Really, the only thing that works is the radio. I did a search and someone said that a ground was causing the problem, but I've checked, rechecked, and threechecked all the grounds, connections, vacuum lines...just about everything. The only difference between this job and the last job was that I didn't unplug the harness(es) on the ignition. Could that have something to do with it? Do I need to do something to reset it?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.v8performance.com/tipsandtricks.htm#ResetPCM this should help reset the computer :cool:

Just tried it and still only chiming, except the security light doesn't come on now. I'm thinking its a bad connection somewhere, but I'm sure its not the grounds. There were 3 of them that I had to disconnect to take out the dash (2 on each kick panel and 1 near the accelerator). I have disconnected, cleaned, and reconnected all of them 3 times. There just has to be a loose or disconnected harness somewhere. I've been all up under the dash, but can't find one. Can someone give me a direction on where bad connection could cause this? I really don't want to drop the dash again, but I'm thinking its my only option.

As you said it must be a loose connection. My only other thought is to make sure all of your fuses and relays are fine first.

That's exactly what it was. A loose connection on one of the harnesses on the steering column. I pushed it in, heard a click, said a quick prayer, and vvvvrrooooom. I have never heard a better sound. Now, the next problem...a loose vacuum hose because it only blows through the defrost. Again, hopefully I can find it without dropping the dash. But thanks to everyone for the help!

OOOHHHH I know this one. :)

There should be a skinny vacuum line that goes through the firewall from where the heater core lines go through. That needs to be plumbed back in. If you broke it then you can repair it with a slightly larger diameter hose. Just cross your fingers that the line is coming through the firewall or that a good pair of needlenose pliers can get to it. I had the same issue I accidently broke that line.

Again...spot on. Yeah, the Haynes manual really didn't give a good description of this other than, "be sure to disconnect all vacuum lines before removing the HVAC box". A little better description would be helpful. But yeah, I ended up getting a bigger piece of emissions tubing (the hard plastic kind), taping it to a wire hanger, and poking it through the foam in the firewall. Then I just got the two and hooked them together, and sealed it with electrical tape. It seems to work fine. I just hope I didn't mess anything up by doing that...like if the tube went through a filter or something to that effect.

But as for anyone else doing this job, patience, patience, patience, a couple of beers, and more patience.

I counted:
3 harnesses behind the fuse box
3 harnesses behind the emergency brake (one has a bolt in the middle)
4 harnesses in the steering column
2 harnesses on the driver knee bolster support bracket (also, the OBDII outlet needs to be slid out of the bracket)
1 harness for the brake light switch, just above the brake pedal
1 harness for either the ABS or SRS...I can't remember, but its just forward of the 4-wheel shifter.
3 ground wires, 2 behind each kick panel, and one by the accelerator (as mentioned above)

The remaining harnesses are easier to get to once the dash is leaned forward just a little, but are still connected.

1 Blower motor harness (on the brace of the A/C box)
1 Blower motor resistor harness (underneath the passenger side windshield wiper)
1 Vacuum line harness for the acuators, behind the A/C control panel (rubber-like)
1 Temperature control cable on the HVAC box.

See if I missed any...

pass Air bag and glove box light? (cant remember, although all i did was pull one side

I don't recall unplugging those two...I could be wrong though..

I should have done a write-up, but my digital camera is broken. If I have to replace one more component in there (the only one left is the evaporator haha), I will do an easy to follow, step by step write-up being that: a. this is such a widespread problem that the home mechanic COULD do, b. the haynes manual (not too sure about the chilton's) leaves out a lot of detail...for instance, they tell you that you have to discharge the a/c lines and remove the HVAC box to replace the blower motor. I was skeptical of this and sure enough, all you have to do is remove about six screws on the box front and replace the motor. And lastly, c. colored photos instead of low quality black and white sketches would help tremendously with marking fastener locations or anything else that's hard to see if you don't know what you're looking for.

I would have killed for an easy write-up when doing this, and I know a lot of others would too...

Im too lazy to read into my d anymore, from now on i just rip things out and ask questions later haha. I HIGHLY recomend though that you only remove one side. Cuts your time in half.
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