[67Coupe]

Hi all,
I am posting a question for a friend of mine that has an automatic
'05 Aqua Blur SSR.

She has had problems with this car since she first bought it a few months ago.
Electrical gremlins that caused her gauges to act weird upon start up,
and her cruise control and turn signals not to work sometimes.

After three trips to the dealer, it appears that most of the issues are resolved.

There is still a question.
The volt meter reads at max all the time. I believe 16 volts.
This cannot be right.

I did a search before I posted this question, and apparently some other cars had this issue.
Someone mentioned a faulty battery might be the culprit.

Your thoughts?

Thanks. :seeya

 

[ssr71]

A quick test for the volt meter:

Make sure all accessories are off - A/C, fan, radio, headlights (if possible). Turn on the ignition to the run position. The gauge should read at battery voltage, which will probably be close to 13 volts.

Turn on a few accessories - like the ventilation fans, headlights, etc, all while still not running the engine, and you should see the guage drop a volt or two. That's normal voltage drop which the alternator "back fills" while the engine is running. If you don't see that drop and the needle still points to 16v, the guage is faulty.

If the guage works fine and only goes to 16v while the engine is running, that would indicate to me that the regulator in the alternator is faulty and is not cutting voltage off at a safe level. That can cause things to blow and definitely shortens the life of everything electrical in the car.

 

[kgoodwin]

Voltmeter

The problem is most likely the voltmeter, just check the voltage at the pseudo battery terminal in the engine compartment and it probably shows the voltages are correct (13.2 to 14.5 volts) when the engine is running. I am on my second voltmeter which has ended up reading 16 volts with the engine running. It seems to read correctly with the engine off, but after a few gyrations after starting the engine, it goes to max (16 volts). Both of them 'failed' after a few days of correct operation, others in the forum have had the same problem with the meter reading max during normal operation. I am not convinced that the meter is at fault having seen the same problem after replacing the original. The dealer nominally replaces the entire gauge set.

 

[Olde Pharte]

67 coupe

after 2000 miles, my voltmeter pegged at 16, dealer replaced it. they have to replace the whole aux pacjage, not just the meter. when they order it, make sure they mark the use the part number/finish for color or satan. they tried to replace my satin with a red.

 

[tonystoolroom]

Yeah, my electrical gauge is reading 16volts too. Need to check with my DMM. Maybe GM shoulda just used Autometer gauges!!

 

[n29we]

Mine is doing the same thing too!! It's going in for a "tighten gas cap" dic message tomorrow so I'll have it checked then.

 

[Jetcop20]

Voltmeter

Ahhh today just left dealer with my 05 nothing is wrong.... now we hooked up a volt meter to engine/tech 2 also hooked up motor running reading on indash gauge cluster 15 actual read between both TechII and volt meter at battery (red box) underhood 13.85 the alternator and electrical system is perfect ..................................voltmeter guage off 1.2 volts never pegs out/not broken but looks like it is in drivers seat Hope this is the fact for most out there as of now not much in the way of fixes on a multitude of bulletins generated by SSR vehicle most code numbers wheen entered show nothing in the GM computer system mechanic is gonna call and talk to a warm blooded human and ask some questions....torque management for the automatics is deffinately a problem ABS and TMS retards ignition and refuses to let ya LITE up them HIDES more as I learn it going with 410 gear from GM in route to dealer install next 2 wks later

 

[JAustin]

Ahhh today just left dealer with my 05 nothing is wrong.... now we hooked up a volt meter to engine/tech 2 also hooked up motor running reading on indash gauge cluster 15 actual read between both TechII and volt meter at battery (red box) underhood 13.85 the alternator and electrical system is perfect ..................................voltmeter guage off 1.2 volts never pegs out/not broken but looks like it is in drivers seat Hope this is the fact for most out there as of now not much in the way of fixes on a multitude of bulletins generated by SSR vehicle most code numbers wheen entered show nothing in the GM computer system mechanic is gonna call and talk to a warm blooded human and ask some questions....torque management for the automatics is deffinately a problem ABS and TMS retards ignition and refuses to let ya LITE up them HIDES more as I learn it going with 410 gear from GM in route to dealer install next 2 wks later

Huh?

 

[Jetcop20]

huh?

Which part didnt U understand volt meter is not broken engine (by way of Tech II which is connected into vehicles program computer(under dash drivers side..)and a remote voltmeter ( calibrated ) both read 13.8 volt motor running in dash volt meter read 15 difference o0f 1.2 volts but gauge is not exact calibration but is not BROKEN per say verstehen se/ comprende otay Spanky

 

[LOP]

another voltmeter problem

Took into dealer for something else, when I got my SSR back from dealer voltmeter began jumping back and forth repeatedly (while driving) between 13 and 15 volts. Continuous intermittent jumping, rest awhile on 15, jump again, and so on.
Dealer claims this is normal operation. Funny, never happened before and I have had it since 6/21/05.
This is separate from start up calibration, I am aware of that function.
I believe voltmeter is bad, any thoughts?
GM executives are invloved as well now.
Thank you in advance.

 

[JimGnitecki]

ampmop: AFter readng your posting, I actually started watching my voltmeter whenever it as SAFE to (which is not too often!).

I can verify that mine, on my 04, does exactly the same things as yours. It fluctuates a fraction of a volt as you drive along, and sometimes even at idle.

I guess I wouldn't sweat it.

This means it now makes the accessoary gauage set, whether the Volts-GPH-TRanny temp on the 03 / 04s, or the Volts-Torque-temperature on the 05 / 06s, officially full of BS, but very sexy to look at. Sort of like some of our popstar or movie heroines . . .

Jim G

 

[tonystoolroom]

My guess is that GM switched the gauges in the 05 to volts, torque, and outdoor temp to make the installation easier for the dealer. Maybe its easier to hook that up instead of tranny temp.

 

[Mike in AZ]

Voltmeter into DIC

The 2006 has the Outside Temp programmed into the DIC display. Do you think we can get a software mod to add bus voltage to the display? This would allow exact measurement when we want it, instead of a gee-whiz gauge that is inaccurate and poorly placed.

Perhaps GM could help here.......

Mike

 

[tonystoolroom]

I checked my voltage with my Fluke DMM. The overpriced GM gauge reads 15v, my Fluke reads 14 volts at the underhood battery terminal. So the SSR's gauge is off 1v, I still think that's a significant amount considering that 12v would mean the alternator is shot and 15 volts would be an overcharge condition. That's a 25% error in my book.

I shoulda got that plastic console cover somewhere and put my own Autometer gauges in myself.

 

[Mike in AZ]

Anyone with Factory connections?

Do we have a technical point-of-contact at GM to ask about programming the bus voltage in the DIC? Couldn't be that hard and it would be an excellent use of the digital system accuracy.

Mike

 

[Pushrods4ever]

Volt meter reading jumping around

I too have a problem with the meter. Actually two problems. I have an 05 with the dealer installed console. My meter all of a sudden just pegged all by itself. I tapped on it and wiggled the whole unit and the problem went away.. I think there is a grounding problem somewhere in the unit, the cabling to the unit or the grounding of the wires from the unit.. The other problem is when it is working it doesn't seem to be too accurate. Maybe 1.5 volts or more off..If the guage is this inaccurate what is the purpose of the meter in the first place? If the purpose of the gauge is to let the driver know if there is a problem, I would think there was a big problem driving a car with all the digital wonders this car has and designed to run between 13.8 and 14.2 volts. If my GM guage says is running at 16.5 to 18 volts, I would think we have problem that would decrease the life of all my electronics and wonder if I didnt have a Alternater regulation problem. Many of us dont have a calibrated digital meter, but mine says we don't have a alternater problem but a guage problem.. Hope someone from GM reads and understands these posts about the guage problem and comes up with an answer other than just having the dealers order new units and replacing them with units with the same problem.

Doug

 

[JimGnitecki]

Mikem-2005: I suspect this question is targeted at me.

I THOUGHT I had the ability and right to ask GM some technical questions after they encouraged me on the SSR e-book project , were talking about a no-charge letter of blessing for the project, and invited me to call or email with any questions.

However, that was before they evidently changed their mind and decided that they really needed to charge me a "licensing fee" that amounts to $5 per copy of the e-book - an offer which I naturally declined since (a) I am unemployed so not about to throw around money, (b) I am already losing money on the project when I tally up the costs so far so I'm not going to add $5 per book to the losses, and (c) I don't really need their blessing as long as I don't use their trademarks, etc.

Since I am declining their licensing offer, I don't think I can ask them technical questions.

I agree that the whole gauge package is "quirky", and several different chapters of my book document some of the irrational behavior. ALL of the accessory gauges appear to be at best inaccurate and at worst humorous or misleading, at least until GM chooses to explain to us exactly what they are measuring and why the gauges behave the way they do.

Jim G

 

[Mike in AZ]

Jim.

I too am disappointed in GM's posturing about your book. I think it is a little short sighted on their part and will end up hurting them, somehow, in the long run. Don't know how that would be, but it can't be positive.

The question was actually aimed at a couple other members who have connections to the product line..... especially the masked man who sent us the "inside scoop" when we were talking about the end of the SSR line. One of these individuals must know who to contact in Technical Support or the Controls Engineering group that has the knowledge I seek.

I have been in Flight Test and Controls Engineering at my company for 25+ years and know how little it takes to send a piece of data from the FADEC to the cockpit display. All we need is the tag information for the parameter and the display rotation memory space location. I would like to have someone PM me with a factory contact point..... E-mail or phone, I don't care.

Have a good day,

Mike

 

[JimGnitecki]

Mikem-2005: Lynn Wester migt be able to help. I don't have his phone number and email handy but have published it on this forum before.

Jim G