Weird electrical problems

[mpr5231]

Beginning of last week, the airbag light came on. I didn't think much of it because for the last few years, any time someone sits in the rear passenger seat that light comes on, I guessed it was an issue with the seat belt airbag back there. Middle of the week, I started getting two messages on the dash about 5-10 minutes in to driving: cross traffic system fault and blind spot system fault. When these appear the blind spot indicators in the side mirrors come on and stay lit.

Monday morning, the remote start wouldn't work, and the fob wouldn't work to unlock the doors either using the fob button or touching the back of the door handle. Used the keypad to get in, and I heard it beep (not the horn, more like a computer error beeping) three times, then it started up fine. Tuesday and every day since, the fob sometimes works to unlock, sometimes it doesn't, but every time I get in I hear the beeping, then a message on the dash: "To stop alarm, start the vehicle". After a few seconds the alarm starts going off. Sometimes unlocking and locking with the fob will stop it, but usually it keeps going until I can start it. Takes any where from 10 seconds to a couple minutes to get it to start - have tried with the fob in its center console slot, and that doesn't seem to make a difference. I just keep pressing start, opening and closing the driver's door sometimes seems to help.

Once it's finally started, most things work as they should, except the fan for climate control randomly goes off and on, and the outside temperature display on the screen occasionally just shows "--".

The first time it wouldn't start I figured it might be the battery, I called AAA - they tested the battery and said it's fine, but the alternator is supplying 12v instead of the 14 it's supposed to. Changed the batteries in both key fobs as well.

Any insight is very much appreciated!

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum.
It seems that there isn't much that hasn't gone wrong which makes it a little difficult to pinpoint. If the Ambient Air Sensor goes bad it seems it will display either -40 or -- . Since so many other things aren't working as they should, it's hard to tell if this is actually the problem or the result of the other issues. As far as the alternator's low output, you could have a bad voltage regulator. I also wonder if perhaps you have a grounding issue causing these intermittent problems?

Peter

 

[mguy13sport]

More than likely an under performing battery or corrosion around terminals (or both)

Just for peace of mind, look under the car and make sure there isn't any orange coolant around the alternator or AC compressor. If the water pump weephole leaks, it will drip all over the alternator.