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94 Dodge Shadow. No radio or dome light...

9K views 11 replies 3 participants last post by  Jmw132001 
#1 · (Edited)
Well, I have more then just 2 problems... 4 I can think of now, at 3am.

Problem one is that I have no Dome Light. It doesnt come on. No light around the ignition either. I checked the fuse, it was blown, so I replaced it and to no avail.
Second problem is theres no Stereo. The previous owner told me all the speakers are dead and that the head unit died so he yanked the head unit but left me the speakers. Fine and dandy, or so I thought. Bought a stereo from Wal Mart (Closest place open at the time), an Ilo. It didnt work. So I brought it back to tell them there was no power (because the number 3/20 was already written as sold, but I was buying it). I got a sony for the extra $2 and found out about 6 hours ago there was no power to it. Checked all the wires and it's all right. Checked the fuse, it looked ok but very old, so I replaced it. Same result.

Third problem is that while I idle somewhere, any stop light or someplace where I'm at for more then 10 seconds, the temp. rises very very quickly. I mean from C to just above the 2/3rds mark. It cools as soon as I move 50ft from the point I was at. And when it does, it cools to below the 1/3rd marker. I find it a tad odd because in 30 seconds I can go from cold to hot and back to fairly cool.

4th problem is that I have no tachometer. Im not sure if its mechanical or what (I havent torn apart the dash lately, I just got finished tearing apart the dash of a 92 Jimmy so I dont feel like doing that to this car tonight).

As of this second, I have the car sitting in the garage, mostly at least, with the battery disconnected and searching for the problem with the stereo. My guess is that the dome light and stereo issues are related though Im not positive. (Im a computer tech, not a mechanic. I only like tearing apart cars because my father was a mechanic, so this is my way away from computers on down time.) I'm pretty sure others have had this problem, hopefully some of you are around here because I'm losing hope in this car. I cant stand not having music. I love the purr of a 3.0L V6 when I get up and go, but I cant stand not having a stereo to annoy a few neighbors once in a while.

Any help would be much appreciated. Until then, I'll go continue searching for the problem myself in hopes I'll get lucky. Ill check back before bed (but since I'm used to sleeping at 10 until 6, 3 is hitting me hard since I havent done it in a month or 2 now)

Thanks,
John

Edit: Oddly enough, I was looking behind where I put the stereo in to find a wire that was Black and Green (I think, may have been Gray and green). It isnt connected into the harness, its just sitting there. But also, on the adapter I bought, the black and yellow portion of the card connected doesnt have a wire running out of it. am I right to belive this is the ground wire and they just screwed me or something? I'm looking for a wiring diagram now but none tell me the oddball wire and what its function is (or which I should connect it to, if any). But also, and I think I might want to mention this now that it comes to mind, the cigarette lighter works and the glove box light doesnt. the light in the ashtray works as well. not sure how they all match up but i figured its better to mention it before I forget. I'm about ready to pull the car out and go to bed. not worth fighting until i know whats what....

Edit 2: I found something related to the Gray and Green/Gray and Black wire. Its a 3rd connector of sorts. But someone cut the connector off and stripped the wire. on the connector it says AMP at the top, a 2 in a circle right below it and 4450520 in the following row. I still cant tell if its gray or black as the main color, it looks gray in one light, black in another. (right now, on the connector the little remaining wire to it, it looks blackish. in the car the wire looks more grayish...)
 
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#2 ·
ok on the fuses, i know that the fuse that goes to the radio has some affect on the dome light, i do know that. now it sounds like to me with the problems of the temp gauge and all of that, is that you have a short somewhere in the car. i know on my car the dome light had quit working so i had to run a new wire to it to get it to work. also i would make sure that all the wire look good under the dash. you should first take the panel off under the steering column,so that way you can get a better look at the wires. also i do know that there is a wiring harnes that goes right under where the ashtray is back behind their. i do not know exactly what all it goes to but i do know one is their. also check and make sure that the fuse for the come light and the fuse for the radio is good. for some reason i have found that them two fuses control each other. i have no clue why. that would be the first thing i would do. i hope this helps you. good luck
 
#3 ·
ok i have looked through the haynes manual and the glove box lamp,overhead console,radio, time delay relay, right printed circuit board connector, and left instrument panel are all run off of the #13 fuse which is (10amp). then from that fuse it is suppose to go to the charging system.what i would do is make sure you are getting power at that fuse on both terminals.let me know
 
#4 ·
In addition to those ideas, I'd check the ground connections in the dash... Not sure of exact locations, but in my Daytona there's one inside the kickpanels on each side, and one in the center console... If one of them is loose, it can cause all sorts of goofy problems...

On the other hand, you could have the same problem my Daytona does, as you're having a LOT of the same problems.... For mine, my BCM (Body Computer, basically) is fried and needs to be replaced...

Info for you on the heating issue: The 2.5 engine tends to get hotter if you're sitting still, just the nature of the beast... but if it's jumping as much as you're saying it is, you may want to get the cooling system checked/flushed, and possibly put in a new thermostat...
 
#5 ·
appreciate the responses... i checked all of the fuses, none are blown. i was looking around and i do believe one of the grounds is off in the center. but the gray/black and green wire is confusing me since ive foundnothing on it anywhere. i guess it was for the stock stereo only? all the same.

ill make sure on the ground tomorrow. as for the wires, i know that the wires under the hood and under the column look good, i was bored enough to check every wire i possibly could. im hoping i dont need to run new wires or get a new wiring harness. but if it comes down to it, i can always replace the wiring harness over the weekend i redo the clutch and transmission (rear main seal and im trying to find some new gears)

ill respond in the morning as to if the ground is or isnt connected and if it isnt, if grounding it fixes the issues...

off to bed for me, hopefully ill fall asleep this time...
-pyr0
 
#6 ·
chikan has a good point about the ground. i was having trouble with my car quiting and the fuel pump would not work. it was just a ground wire that got a little rusted. on your car the ground wire for the dash and the fuel pump is located on the drivers side toward the outside of the car under the carpet. don't ask why they put it there but they did. you may want to make sure that the ground is on good and there should be two wires going to it. good luck
 
#7 ·
bad luck is, i never found the solution for any of those problems... oh well. worse news is that i was driving on I-75 and doing about 80 or 85mph, the car was shaking, not so violent that i couldnt control it, but my rear hurts from the vibrations and my left arm hurts from holding the steering wheel... any idea what that could be? it was fine doing 80 a few days ago, but im almost positive the problem was caused by my escapade yesterday onto 75 to see what i could do, speed wise, and i reached about 140 without a hitch, slowed it down, pulled off the next exit and took 41 home... any clue what makes the car shake like it wants to explode?

i also have one more question, how much would a better clutch cost me, the whole shebang, not just a pressure plate, but the whole clutch assembly... i want to get a better clutch in when i replace the rear main seal... also, any chance (i have no knowledge here, tis why im asking) i can replace the gears with some better gears? faster through the gears without feeling like the car will explode when i hit 40 in second (which i shouldnt do, but sometimes i just have to :) )

any helps appreciated,
pyr0
 
#8 ·
ok about the car shaking. i would make sure that the tires have not gone out of balance, since it just happened. if the tires are all good then i would check the cv joints and make sure they are good. my shadow does a little vibration and the steering wheel will vibrate too. my cv joints i think are worn a little and causing that.....right now i do not know what your other problem is off hand. if i think of anything i will let you know. good luck
 
#9 ·
thanks, maybe you can answer another question for me since your another shadow owner... does your car shake a little when sitting idle? the steering wheel vibrates a tad, nothing major or annoying (to me, other say its annoying at first), but im just curious... could it be the way i drive it (hard and high shifting when i get bored, so once or twice a day, several on weekends when i go to the track)? i normally shift fairly easy but sometimes i go for high shifts if i want to get up and go for some reason or another...

if you dont know, still appreciate the other answer and ill get it looked at, thanks,
pyr0
 
#10 ·
ok, well i know mine is an automatic but when it idles it acts like it idles just a tad low so i kinda get a little wheel vibration. it is nothing major but it does vibrate. mine has always done that so i guess that is just the way they are. good luck and if you have more questions just ask.
 
#11 ·
If the vibration is noticable at idle, there may be an idling issue somewhere, either in the throttle body, or in your exhaust system... Have you checked computer codes yet? I'd see if maybe your EGR valve or something is stuck... The EGR in my daytona is stuck right now, and even though it still runs fine, it vibrates more than usual at idle...

Check these sites out if you haven't already pulled codes:
http://www.allpar.com/fix/80s-codes.html
http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/fault/index.html

Let us know what you find... Heck, you might even discover what's causing the electrical problem! ;)
 
#12 ·
yeah you never know what you will find when you get to looking around. good luck with it and let me and chikan know what you come up with.
 
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