1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Logo
Bryan R Posted on Dec 27, 2012
Answered by a Fixya Expert

Trustworthy Expert Solutions

At Fixya.com, our trusted experts are meticulously vetted and possess extensive experience in their respective fields. Backed by a community of knowledgeable professionals, our platform ensures that the solutions provided are thoroughly researched and validated.

View Our Top Experts

Relay keeps tripping and causes all lights to blink once every 30 seconds

The relay is located on the passenger side, on the side of the dash under a cover that pops off. Is the relay bad or is something else causing it to trip over and over again? It quickly turns on all of the lights for a split second each time.. interior lights and headlights. It drains the battery if i don't start the car within 3 days or so. Also, i noticed that the headlights don't automatically turn on when this problem started, I have to turn them on manually to keep them on now. Any feedback is helpful, thanks.

1 Answer

David Clark

Level 2:

An expert who has achieved level 2 by getting 100 points

MVP:

An expert that got 5 achievements.

Scholar:

An expert who has written 20 answers of more than 400 characters.

New Friend:

An expert that has 1 follower.

  • Expert 69 Answers
  • Posted on Dec 27, 2012
David Clark
Expert
Level 2:

An expert who has achieved level 2 by getting 100 points

MVP:

An expert that got 5 achievements.

Scholar:

An expert who has written 20 answers of more than 400 characters.

New Friend:

An expert that has 1 follower.

Joined: Sep 28, 2006
Answers
69
Questions
2
Helped
12762
Points
183

While it sounds like a short somewhere in the wiring It would not hurt to switch out the breaker. If that does not help then it's fault isolation. You will need to check each connection. Try grounding the black lead from your meter, then poke around checking if you see a connection.
It's not uncommon for wires to short were they come into friction with some metal part. Then you need to check all the "hot" connections. With everything turned off see if something remains powered up. "Leaks" happen for a hundred different reasons, The part may be bad, or the power connection might have a short.
Remove and check all the relays also. Not uncommon for a relay to short internally. Fault isolation ranks right up there as one of the most frustrating jobs, so good luck!!!

  • Bryan R Dec 27, 2012

    Thanks for your input. I'll put in a new breaker today. I'm afraid that wont fix it, but it's the easiest thing to try i guess.

  • David Clark
    David Clark Dec 27, 2012

    Who knows, you might get lucky!!!

×

5 Related Answers

Anonymous

  • 1 Answer
  • Posted on Dec 19, 2008

SOURCE: headlights flicker all the time

Hi, my name is ricky and im 24 yrs old and from Bronx, N.Y . I bought my 03 impala in 04 and i had the same problem in 2007 in which that clicking noise happens. The headlights flicker, and even the gauges inside the car would flicker at times. It has nothing to do with fuses or a relay, please dont spend money on that b.s. like i did..lol I will try my best to explain what i did so that you can save some money and time. READ EVERYTHING AND USE ADVICE AT YOUR OWN RISK.
1st of all - I went to a junk yard/auto salvage yard to find a USED part that i needed. Often there are good parts from cars that have been totalled.
2nd- What i asked for was a Body Control Module. This controls most of the electric issues you are having and costed me about 50 dollars compared to a new one that was over $200 and reached up to $500.
3rd- I went head first under the steering column and found where the BCM was located. Poke around to find it cause it is def. there, hidden well. It doesnt take special skill to remove it or find it.
4th-Replace the BCM, but be advised that after you do this, your car might not crank over.My car did crank over because i installed a automatic starter previously so i could have started it with the remote start.
5th- you MUST take the car to a chevy shop so they can Program your car to the body control module this costed me about $250.
All together this information has to help you in someway.
If you have further questions or would like to make a comment, then e-mail me at " [email protected] "
I hope this helps...im not saying it is a 100 percent guarantee for you, but i had this same problem recently and this was the answer to my problem. By the way, never buy a american car again or a GM product for that matter...Kudos

Ad

Anonymous

  • 6 Answers
  • Posted on Feb 21, 2009

SOURCE: 1999 GMC Suburban DRL Work - Headlights/Highbeams Do Not

go to autozone the can help you if you have one they do a lot of things fore nothing including clearing codes

Anonymous

  • 137 Answers
  • Posted on May 25, 2009

SOURCE: fuel pump relay & fuze location for 1994 chevy 51500 pick up

if you really have a carburetor as you say, you have a mechanical fuel pump so you will not have a fuel pump relay. if you have fuel injection then you do have a fuel pump relay, need to know which engine it is to help more.

Anonymous

  • 56 Answers
  • Posted on Sep 15, 2009

SOURCE: 2003 Chevy Impala periodically won't start

Try under the dash, attached to colum is a switch that the rod goes into from your ignition key switch, that may need to be adjusted tword your steering wheel just a touch, they go out of alignmnet from time to time

Anonymous

  • 1 Answer
  • Posted on Jun 22, 2010

SOURCE: Corvette Headlight Motor Problem

Corvettes have a gear box on that motor. It has plastic gears in it. You probably have a gear stripped in that gear box, that lets the motor spin free. You can get repair parts to repair it, or replace the whole motor and gear box. Its an easy fix if your handy. Read all the instructions before you start.

Ad

Add Your Answer

×

Uploading: 0%

my-video-file.mp4

Complete. Click "Add" to insert your video. Add

×

Loading...
Loading...

Related Questions:

0helpful
2answers

Fuse_location for left head light toyota corolla t3 vvti

The fuse location is usually under the left knee. on new cars it is under hood near battery a black box. Look for head lights there maybe 2 fuses. 15amps Good luck.
2helpful
1answer

Blower motor works intermitently it comes on when it is hit lightly just below dash on passenger side 2003 caddhs

There is a relay under the dash about where you are hitting the dash. This relay is not closing. When you bump the dash it causes the relay to close. This relay will need replaced.
3helpful
1answer

Car cranks but dose not start, there is no power to distributator or fuel pump

I suspect the at this point, the main relay is defective. This relay controls power to fuel and spark circuits.

The PGM-FI Main Relay is actually comprised of two individual internal relays. When the ignition switch is initially turned ON , the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) supplies ground to the PGM-FI Main Relay. This ground triggers one of the PGM-FI internal relays that sends battery voltage to the fuel pump for two seconds to pressurize the fuel system.
When the engine is running the PCM supplies a continuous ground to the PGM-FI Main Relay. The supplied ground keeps the relay in the "closed" position providing electrical current to the fuel pump, keeping the fuel loop pressurized while the engine runs.
If the engine is not running with the ignition on, the PCM cuts the ground to the PGM-FI Main Relay, causing the relay to "open" and stop the electric current flow to the fuel pump. As mentioned previously, if the engine is not running, the PCM will only supply ground to the PGM-FI Main Relay for two seconds when the ignition switch is initially switched to the ON position.
The PGM-FI Main Relay also supplies electrical power to the Idle Air Control (IAC) Valve and to the fuel injectors.

TESTING


If the engine starts and continues to run, the PGM-FI Main Relay is working and does not need to be replaced.
  1. Locate and remove the relay.

On some models of the Civic and Civic del Sol it is located to the left of the steering column under the dash. Many later models position it either near the passenger right side kick panel under the dash or by the driver left side kick panel up under the dash.
  1. Attach the battery positive terminal to the No. 2 terminal.
  2. And the battery negative terminal to the No. 1 terminal.
  3. Check for continuity between terminal No. 5 and 4.
  4. If there is no continuity, replace the relay and retest
1helpful
3answers

No power to the fuel pump

well actually there are 2 things that can cause this.. I'll list them both and the fix,,

1.) fuse.. There are 1 / 2 fuses that protect the fuel pump.. The first is the in fuse panel under the hood. Under the fuse panel cover is a diagram showing which fuse is which.. Simply replace that fuse..
the second fuse if any (some vehicles have them) is in the kick panel under the dash board. Just like the fuse box under the hood, the cover has a diagram showing which fuse is which .. simply replace it..

2.) the second most common problem is the relay.. There are 2 locations that the relay will be ,, The first is in the fuse panel under the hood. look at the diagram to determine the fuel pump relay and change it.. The second location id under the dashboard.. Locate the cars computer under the dash,, and you will notice 4 - 5 wires connecting to a relay box,, thats the pump relay,, simply open the box and replace the relay..

Now if both thge above isnt your problem the relay is controlled by the ignition switch (tumbler), now what happens is this trips the relay to tun on the pump,, The switch may be shorting or damaged or the wires fallen off,, replace the switch,, (this is a very rare issue)..

good luck..
1helpful
1answer

Blinker do not work it lights up but do not blink

The Flasher Relay is defective. Replace it. Know that your car has 2 Relays. One for the Turn Signals and one for the Hazard Lights. The Turn Signal flasher relay is located on the driver's side, under dash, behind instrument panel, mounted on passenger side of steering column. The Hazard Relay is located on the driver's side, under dash, driver's side of steering column, mounted in lower corner of fuse block. Make sure you replace the correct relay.
2helpful
1answer

Where is the flasher replacement port located

The Flasher Relay for the turn signals is located driver side, under dash, behind instrument panel, mounted on the passenger side of the steering column. There is also another flasher relay for the hazard lights. It is located driver's side, under dash, driver's side of the steering column, mounted in lower corner of fuse block. Curtorsey Auto Zone.
7helpful
3answers

Where is the flasher relay on a 1990 Olds Cutlass Ciera?

the flasher relay is under the dash behind the ashtray
1helpful
2answers

Testing fuel pump relay on a 90 corvette

when you turn the key into the on position not starting it you should hear the pump working
2helpful
2answers

My turn signals will not blink

Look under the dash, in the fuse box. There is a round silver colored relay, it looks like a plug. Pull it out and take it to your parts store. Ask them for a flasher relay. Part number should be 552 or 550. It should be a two prong or 3 prong flasher.
0helpful
2answers

Turn signal

Most common cause is the flasher unit, the other less common cause is the wrong bulbs or incorrectly installed bulbs.
Not finding what you are looking for?

135 views

Ask a Question

Usually answered in minutes!

Top Chevrolet Experts

ZJ Limited
ZJ Limited

Level 3 Expert

17989 Answers

john h

Level 3 Expert

29494 Answers

Thomas Perkins
Thomas Perkins

Level 3 Expert

15088 Answers

Are you a Chevrolet Expert? Answer questions, earn points and help others

Answer questions

Manuals & User Guides

Loading...