I have an 03 TL-P that I acquired with some strange, possibly related electrical issues:

- ABS light always on, code for motor stuck on and front passenger speed sensor

- brake lamp failure indicator comes on and stays on the instant the brakes are touched to get it out of park

- driver door is not usually recognized as being open when it is open. Sometimes it will be recognized. All other doors work fine.

- once in about every 20 starts, the engine will idle pretty rough until I put it in drive.

- I replaced my HID bulbs with aftermarket bulbs from Amazon. They flicker for a few seconds when I turn them on, then they are fine.

I have ruled out fuses and the negative battery cable as the problem as well as the line going to the abs module, both reading 12.7 volts loaded. Are these things all controlled by the PCM, and does it have a discrete ground wire? Is there other wiring I should be looking at?

 

I forgot to mention that the car locks itself on occasion and that the remote doesn't work from more than 10 feet away, even with a fresh battery.

 

This car has multiple ground wires. There are 2-3 (Can't remember exactly) in the engine bay (braided cables). There are multiple others behind the dash.

My guess (keep in mind, a guess) at this point is that you have a bad ground somewhere. Unfortunately this will be time consuming to troubleshoot.

I would get a copy of the service manual and find the grounds for all the components you're talking about. In the manual, the component diagrams show grounds with the letter 'G' and a 3 digit number. I'll bet that all those components share a single ground that is probably corroded.

Have you ever spilled fluid into your dash/console or left the roof/windows open during a storm?

Note that if the ABS light is on you don't have functioning ABS. So be careful.

EDIT: I guess you probably won't know that because you acquired it with those problems. Cars that have been wet inside will tend to have a musty smell.

 

Some of these are ground/ electrical issues but some are actual issues of the device itself. Your HID for example is likely your ballast or bad bulbs. The door lock actuator or door switch may be on its way out. Rough idle: clean EGR ports or IACV.


Alternators on their way out also pose odd electrical issues.

 

This is my guess as well. I was taking a shot in the dark here asking trying to save myself some time. I don't think my car has gotten wet inside, the interior is in incredibly good shape. I guess I'll grab some diagrams and my multimeter and get working.

 

I have the same issue with the BRAKE LAMP Indicator light. It comes on as soon as I press on the brake to shift out of park but all my brake lights are working fine. Any suggestions?

 

RE; Brake Lamp. Perhaps this thread will help:

https://acurazine.com/forums/second-...-light-518379/