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Cadillac Repair/Ride control compressor

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Expert: - 2/1/2010


Question
My battery keeps going dead on my 96 Seville sts I was informed that my compressor was constantly running for my control ride system. How do I rewire this compressor to have it connect directly to the ignition so it will only run while the vehicle is on? Also where is the compressor located?

Answer
Hello,

I am a little confused here because I have worked with Cadillacs most of my life and I have never known the compessor connected to straight battery power. If the suspension had a leak, the car may sit low in the rear, which immediately changed it's height the minute you would turn ignition on.
I suppose it is possible in your make and model, the compressor could be wired into unswitched power, but I seriously doubt it.

The reason Cadillac used switched power was I believe a good chance over time of a suspension leak and the potential for compressor damage from constant running.

It could be that there is an internal wiring problem in the compressor and I am concerned that if you run alternate wiring to switched power, youight burn something up.
The first thing I would check is the owner's manual about the compressor. The next step is go to http://www.alldata.com pay the subscription of $25 and enter everything about your car. You will get all the electrical diagnostic for you car and much more.


Rob

Cadillac Repair

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Rob Painter

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Alarm system questions cannot be answered on this forum. These systems are not what I can answer. Without being physically at the vehicle and not knowing what kind of electrical service has been done on the vehicle, there is no possible way to give an accurate answer over the internet. My expertise is in Ignition/key based anti-theft systems. These issues include GM VATS (resistor chip in key blade) PASSLOCK (MRD)-ignition lock rotation based, no special ignition key and the PKIII Transponder (computer chip in key) systems. These systems are not alarm based and are integral with the starting of the engine. This is why I cannot diagnose alarm problems without physically looking at the vehicle: Alarm systems are a completely different annimal than ignition key/lock based anti-theft system. Many alarm questions come from vehicles 10 years old, and since older, many hands that had been involved over the years.I am an expert in all GM factory (ignition/key based)systems. Alarm system questions pose to many situations beyond my knowledge as to what has been done to the vehicle over the years. Some guy may have actually wired the stereo into the alarm system. Who knows? Over my past 30 years in vehicle wiring repair, I have seen unbelievable wiring disaters done by guys that consider themselves "mechanics." I have seen stereos and alarms intalled using surgical tape. I have seen modules burn up, un-fused circuits, wiring jambed between the doors and even lamp cord used for a starter kill. To answer alarm questions over the internet without examining the vehicle is like asking; What does it take to remove a dent?

Experience

Education/Credentials-ASE certified. 11 years with a GM dealer and 17 years with a repair facility dealing with only the repair of theft recovered vehicles.

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