Replaced the battery and serpentine belt on a 92 Park Ave. with 140,000 miles. Engine runs fine, smooth, lots of power. All of a sudden when the car is first started, the instruments bounce around or don't work at all for anywhere from 10 seconds to 15 minutes. Radio works fine but the climate control - heat and air conditioner is dark and none of the buttons work.

Is there some kind of instrument panel controller or does this sound like a bad ground somewhere? If it's a bad ground, where do I start to look, engine compartment or behind the dash?

Just now drove for 5 minutes and shut the car off and went inside for some water. Came out and it wouldn't start, All the dash lights were on jumping around, but the ignition wouldn't turn the engine over. Lights didn't dim at all when the key was turned so I don't think the starter was getting any voltage at all. Let it sit for 5 minutes and tried again and it started right up. Warning lights on dash still intermittent, and the tach was jumping around, and the oil and voltage meters were pegged in the red. Engine still runs fine.

Any ideas? I'd really like to keep this car for my daughter.

 

I would check the battery cables for corrosion. Be sure to be very thorough. Cut the cover back to ensure no corrosion is present at the batter and starter. Bad connection due to corrosion is a common cause for odd electrical problems like you have.

 

Have you checked the fuse panel for some poor connections.
Since you stated the headlights didn't dim when trying to start, I would suspect a questionable connection at the feed into the vehicle,That could mean the wire from the starter hot cable that then goes into the vehicle via the fuse panel.

 

Thanks for the tips. Cleaned the cables going to the battery which were not corroded but got cleaned anyway. Checked the alternator when I was there and it was putting out 14.55 volts so that's one thing eliminated. I'll try to trace down the "hot cable" from the starter. There are two leads from the positive terminal of the battery. One seems to go directly to the starter and one seems to head back to the firewall where there is a "maxi panel" with two fuse blocks and relays below. I'm assuming this is the connection Hanky is referring to. Kind of a bugger to get to. Looks like I'll have to pull the fuse blocks to see where the connection is. Also assuming Hanky is talking about these big fuses on the firewall, not the separate swing down fuses from under the dash.

 

Ok, found the positive lead going straight from the + terminal of the battery straight to the bus bar for the Maxifuse Relay Center attached to the front firewall. Used steel wool on the L shaped connector and the bus bar and re-attached snugly. I'm confident I have a good connection from the positive terminal of the bettery to the fuse bus.

Now, with the ignition switch in on the position, blower fan comes on although no buttons on the climate control unit are operable. Tach is still jumping around and low pressure oil light and alterntor light are mostly on and flickering. I hear relays clicking on the maxifuse center.

What's the next step?

 

If you didn't have these problems before cleaning with the steel wool , make sure there are no metal particles from the steel wool making unwanted connections. Check the ground connections while you are in there.
Also , you can remove and reinstall the fuses in the other fuse panel to make sure they are making good contact.
Don't overlook all the ground connections to the sheet metal.

 

Well thank you Julie Smith for the kind words however the Buick still has the problem and no one seems to have any additional ideas regarding where to look next so I'm basically stuck. Other forums indicate a similar problem with the ignition switch so that may be my next line of investigation. I kinda thought some member here may have heard of this particular problem before and would have been able to zero me in on the cause and a solution. Oh well, ya get what ya pay for huh?

 

Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of activity here anymore, so your problem isn't getting the attention it deserves.