Intermittent Lights Calais-VT

[bahfenf]

Hi Everybody;

Recently I have this problem on my Calais-VT 1998. Some lights on the dashboard will go on/off at their own will. Sometimes just when I switched on the engine, sometimes during the drive. And sometimes they just go off again in a matter of seconds or sometimes minutes. At one time until I arrived at home and they're still on, so I simply switched off the engine. A few minutes later when I switched the engine back on they're all off. I have tried switching it off/on when it happened first time but the lights remained on. Another thing I notice is when all those lights were on all other functions work well except the cruise control and the climate control, only warm air comes out. I've driven in that condition for about 20 minutes and had no problem at all. I brought it in to a service and had the code read. it shows no error, the moment the plug was re-connected to the module all the lights were off.

I attached 2 images here that shows the sequence of the lights. Image-2 shows when it first had a problem either just after switching on or during the drive, and it could last seconds or minutes in that condition. Image-3 is showing the condition just before all goes back to normal, it lasts only a second or 2.

Also some "tunes" were heard when this problem happened at starting up (not during drive), 2 or maybe 3 different tunes were heard, one after another. One of them I recognized as the hand-brake warning tune when we start driving while the hand-brake switch is still engaged.

The "Oil pressure" light is not all the time on when the above lights are on. And it's always off in normal condition.

The service station where I checked the code suggested me to replace the ABS module !? Which will set me back 2 grand or at least 700 for second-hand, they said.

Please help, any suggestions will be highly appreciated, of which I sincerely thank you in advance.

BahfenF

[Misaprop]

ABS Module. I had the same lights come up in my previous car.

People here said they have gotten them as cheap as $650. I got mine done at a Holden Dealer (replaced with a new one) for the same model car as yours for $900

[WAGON MAN]

Its definately your ABS Module...

the easiest way to find out if it has a faulty ABS module is
start the car & when the lights come on, is the oil light on?
if so unplug the big connector on the ABS & see if the oil light goes off.
if it does it will need a new ABS module, now there have been a few people say to remove the connector & clean it will fix it, i have never seen this as a long term repair, the fault is a known electronic issue in the module & no amount of cleaning the connector will fix it permanently.....

[bahfenf]

Hi,
Thank you very much for your reply and information. As for the oil light it sometimes on with the other 4 lights (Power Train, ABS, Airbag and TracOff/LowTrac) and sometimes off. When those 4 lights were on AND the oil light was also ON, I tried to disconnect the ABS plug and nothing changed, the 5 lights remained ON. When I re-connected the plug all lights went OFF immediately. It also made me think of the possibility of bad contact in the plug. I would try spraying it with electronic-contact cleaner later this evening (Any suggestion what type of cleaner to be used? the quick or slow dry?). Will update the result tomorrow. Today I have no problem since I left home.

Thanks again

Bahfenf