My main line of business is dealing in LS-1 cars. I've had probably 200 of them. Funny thing, the last 2 cars in a row I just got in, a 1999 Z-28 and a 1999 Trans Am both have the same weird problem. I've never seen this problem before.

Both cars have the power windows and radio intermitantly shorting out. When they short out, they both go out at the same time. It's never one going out without the other going out. You can sometimes short both out by hitting a power windown button. Sometimes they will both come back on by hitting a bump.

Now, I kind of figured it had something to do with the fusebox since both the radio fuse and the power widow fuse are right next to each other in the bottom right hand corner of the fusebox on the drivers end of the dash. On the Trans Am, if I screw around with the fuses a bit, I can usually get things to work. On the Z-28, it's driving me crazy as I can't seem to affect the problem no matter what I do, it has a mind of it's own.

Anyone hear of this problem? 2 cars in a row doing it to me so it must be somewhat common or a problem somebody has dealt with. Any ideas?

 

No, and it's not other ignition-on accessories either as I've been messing with it tonight. When it did it to a little while ago I tried the windshield wipers and they worked. One thing I am noticing is that when the car is cold, they always work. As the car gets up to operating temp, they tend to go out.

I tried messing with turning the steering wheel and tilt adjustment but that didn't affect the problem either.

 

i have the window problem in my 99, but it doesnt effect the radio. Ocasionally It will stop rolling up, and if i press hard and constantly press for about 10 sec or so it will continue to roll up.

 

That's your power window motor going out. I've replaced about 100 of those motors over the past 4 years. They are notorious on F-bodies. Funny thing is, it's not the motor that's going out. It's the safety switch on the end of the motor thinking the motor is burning up that slows it down and shuts it off. About 75% of the time you can bypass that safety switch and the motor will work perfectly.

 

ya i was going to say, i know its not the motor. The best way i know of to relieve my window problem is to run a seperate relay to the motors for extra power.

 

Sounds like a possible loose power/ground connection - check all the connections to/from your BCM.

 

Is it possible that you are driving it and it has time to move things around and that's why it stops working? Maybe it just settles back into place (whatever it is exactly) then works again??

I don't know - but I'm pretty confident its a power/ground connection from the BCM - if not, the BCM itself. This is one of the more common problems I am aware of that connects those two components specifically.