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How are wipers, cig lighter, and radio related?

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When it is VERY cold in the morning, sometimes the radio will not power up. Sometimes if I hit the wipers it will turn on. Sometimes I have to unplug my phone charger from the cig lighter outlet and it will turn on. Sometimes the wipers will not turn on when this is occuring.

 

This only happens when it is below about 20 F, Why would cold weather affect the electrical system like this, and how are these items connected together?

 

I probably dont care about fixing it, but it doesn't make sense to me.

How are wipers, cig lighter, and radio related?

 

well, when it's raining so hard the wipers don't clear enough water to see, you pull over, listen to the radio, and light a cig to wait for the storm to ease up.

 

 

what do i win?

you might check the battery voltage but, it seems more like there's a common ground somewhere. If you wiggle some cables, will the radio come on?

 

maybe someone will have a schematic and respond with that info.

  • Author

lol ok maybe they are related in that way, but I dont smoke :Flame:

 

so, even if they are part of the ACC circuit or share a ground, why would it only happen in super cold weather? I dont understand how a temperature extreme could affect the situation?

How are wipers, cig lighter, and radio related?

 

well, when it's raining so hard the wipers don't clear enough water to see, you pull over, listen to the radio, and light a cig to wait for the storm to ease up.

 

 

what do i win?

 

It's a tricky question... I'll go for "all three have an 'I' " :)

 

With such low temperatures, it's possible something shrinks enough to stop making contact. I don't know if those three things share a common ground under the dashboard, though...

Edited by jarl

There is a ground wire on one of the screws tha tholds the center console down. I would suspect a loose ground.

 

there is also a similar ground at the steering column between the head of the column and the mounting bolts under the dash

  • Author
There is a ground wire on one of the screws tha tholds the center console down. I would suspect a loose ground.

 

Hmm I may check that if I am ever in that area again, I have had that console out a lot so that may be a good place to look, maybe I didnt tighten something

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