Strange Car Antics

[CaptainTom]

I know this is not a car forum, and I've put my question to them.
But, I also like a good story so here's one that may make you smile.

For a couple of weeks my Outlander has had a whine in the radio when it's on AM band. You know like a turbo is spooling up.
Annoying but not critical so I ignored it or played FM.
Yesterday was warm enough that I decided to use the AC.
When I pushed the AC button, the AC came on. Good.
But, the wipers and squirters also came on continuously.
Turn off the AC and they stop.
It's progressed from that, to now when I turn on the AC, the wipers make one turn and then stop.......for a minute or so, then repeat,,,, every minute or so..
The upside is that as long as I keep the reservoir full I always have a clean windshield...

Yeah, I've tried manipulating all the buttons, etc. to isolate it and it's not completely controlled by the AC button, but that certainly does make it react.

So stop laughing and come and fix it.

[KJ Smith]

How long have you owned this car?


The first thing I would try is disconnect the battery and leave it overnight.

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by KJ Smith

How long have you owned this car?


The first thing I would try is disconnect the battery and leave it overnight.

It has 130K miles.
What is your reasoning to disconnect the battery ? I'm not getting an ERR99

[Rson]

My guess is that you have a ground issue. Radio noise is your altinator coming through the wires. Reach your hand behind the dash and more the plugs around. Also look for a corroded plug. Check the radios ground.

[KJ Smith]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

It has 130K miles.
What is your reasoning to disconnect the battery ? I'm not getting an ERR99

I was wondering how long you have owned it. As in since new, 6 months ect.

I will assume since new.

Why disconnect the battery?

1. It does not cost you anything.

2. It gives you something to try rather than sitting there fretting about it.

3. Some manufactures run all sorts of crap through the ECM, or whatever they call their computer. The a/c is a common one. Dodge runs the charging circuit through theirs. I have no clue what all an Outlander has running through it.

Disconnecting the battery for at least a half hour will sometimes reset things.

Its late, go disconnect it, leave it overnight and think positive....


It sounds like a car that has been flooded. They start doing crazy stuff about 6 months after the flood.

Check on line for an Outlander forum.

[CaptainTom]

Perfectly logical.
Can't disco tonight but tomorrow night I'll give it a try. Couldn't hoit.

[d2creative]

I had a friend who had an old toyota celica that would eject the cassette tape every time he made a hard left turn.

[KJ Smith]

Let me add, low voltage from the battery can play havoc with the computers.

How long has your battery been in there?

[CaptainTom]

Battery. There you go with that battery again.
I don't know... several years or longer.
I'm kind of liking the clean windshield.

[KJ Smith]

I guarantee my advice to be worth every penny you paid for it.

[toverman]

Somebody snuck a custom function in while you weren't looking ... beep the horn and your car will probably autofocus and show you a histogram.

[Rson]

Does your radio display a Err99?

[Hanky]

Christine

[DSL_PWR]

Ground issues, understand that those cars are known for that.

[ggeen]

Didn't I see this car in the CarMax commercial?