So, my daughter's Fiero was well cared for... but the owner was also a little inventive when it came to fixing things. He did the best he could with the parts he could, and managed to keep the car running for over 220k miles, to which point my daughter gets it.


There's a couple of things I'm trying to identify now, and hoping you guys can just give me your thoughts:

- Stereo Dimming Wire - We're installing a newer stereo in my daughter's car, and the little 2-wire connector that powers the dimmer / lights has a big piece of tape over it that says "DO NOT USE, SHORTS FUSE AT 3V" ... no idea why it says this, but the car had an aftermarket radio installed... thoughts? I'm tempted to just hook it up as it's supposed to be, and see what happens. We're installing one of the higher-end cassette decks with an AUX jack hooked up (so my daughter can use her iPhone to listen to music).


- Windshield Wipers - They come on once when I first turn the key. I think I've seen this issue before, but I cannot remember. The car has all of those options, including cruise, so the stalk is loaded (as they say). Is this an issue with a relay, or a problem with the windshield wiper stalk?


- Windshield Wiper Fluid - I found a little red wire that ran from... something, it was spliced off a power wire that was plugged into something else, which had a separate fuse, and then ran to a green switch that lit up (which was attached under the dash), run into the front compartment, and then connected directly to the washer fluid pump. I noticed that the orange / red wire off the pump had been cut, and this was spliced in place of it. I removed this wire, and will re-connect the pump wire. My guess... it was probably spliced in because the of an issue with the wiper stalk?


- Radiator Fan - The radiator fan comes on immediately with the ignition key turned to the on position. Is this a relay problem, or is it likely that the previous owner wired it to run at all times? My daughter hasn't started tearing apart the front of the car yet, but when I looked at the fan connector, I didn't see anything strange.


- Big Ass Purple Wire Under Dash - There's a huge-ass purple wire under the dash, and a black wire with it as part of a 2-pronged connector). There's a large thick yellow wire that's been bent and connecting the two leads, and then taped every which way. I think, if I remember correctly, this is the Neutral safety switch... or, it's supposed to be... seems like it might be missing. It's been... decades since I've had a running (and un-molested stick shift Fiero)... so I cannot remember. But, I can start the car with only turning the key. I don't have to push in the clutch pedal. Should I assume that's what that was supposed to go to?


- Subwoofer Box doesn't fit - So, I bought my daughter a Subwoofer kit... an original Fiero subwoofer system, with everything, and she wired it all up today (with the dash out). We had all the wiring done, and then went to install the subwoofer box, and... yeah... the blue dingy thingy (and those other to relay or whatever they are) is in the way. I did this install on my 87 Fiero years ago... but of course, the subwoofer was available in those years, so it makes sense that it would fit. This is a picture of my sub installed: Click Here to See, it looks nearly the same as my daughter's, but I can't get it in there. Is the HVAC box different? Anyone with an 84-85 installed the factory subwoofer? I also noticed that her HVAC box lacks the little tab for her to hook the blue wire onto (like mine has). I'm wondering if I can just take that "block" that the blue dingy thingy, and the other two things on it... from a newer car, and just swap over the wires?


... note, I'm asking these things because the dash is out while my daughter is repairing and painting it. The gauges are also out getting reconditioned... so literally nothing is connected right now, just a bunch of harness ends... haha... so I was hoping to fix some of this stuff for her while we wait for other stuff.


Thanks!!!

quote Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: - Windshield Wipers -

Common problem. Look up phantom wipes.

quote Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: - Radiator Fan -

My first Fiero was an '87 duke, and I wanted to wrestle the fan control away from the ECU. I installed a switch, which was spliced in to the fan relay up front. If the fan is on all the time, I suspect the fan relay has had the appropriate terminal (I now forget which one) grounded. Look for an added wire going from the relay to ground.

quote Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: - Big Ass Purple Wire Under Dash -

As you suspected... neutral safety switch.

For the blue dingy thingy, I would imagine they changed the bracket for the later years to accommodate the sub. The Air box is different between AC and non AC cars (non AC had much more space, but the sub only came on AC cars (I think), when I installed my custom 10" sub (with a one off plywood box I built to perfectly fill all the available space), I simply took the entire bracket and relocated it way up above the gas pedal, the wires run along the base of the window, so I folded them halfway and ran them in the loom right back out above the gas pedal, there's something solid up there to zip tie to, and they are still accessable (well, as accessable as something under a Fiero dash can be, not to much worse than the original location) and the volume of it isn't changed to much (for the driver, who is the only one who actually needs to hear it).

quote Originally posted by Patrick: Common problem. Look up phantom wipes.

Ugh... it's $150 bucks...

19244690

quote Originally posted by Patrick: My first Fiero was an '87 duke, and I wanted to wrestle the fan control away from the ECU. I installed a switch, which was spliced in to the fan relay up front. If the fan is on all the time, I suspect the fan relay has had the appropriate terminal (I now forget which one) grounded. Look for an added wire going from the relay to ground.

RGR, thank... I'll take a look.

quote Originally posted by Patrick: As you suspected... neutral safety switch.

Ok... that makes sense. I wonder why that was done. I wonder if perhaps the switch on the clutch is bad. I might a well order a new one while I'm spending $150 bucks for a turn signal stalk... ugh. Thank you!

quote Originally posted by 1985 Fiero GT: For the blue dingy thingy, I would imagine they changed the bracket for the later years to accommodate the sub. The Air box is different between AC and non AC cars (non AC had much more space, but the sub only came on AC cars (I think), when I installed my custom 10" sub (with a one off plywood box I built to perfectly fill all the available space), I simply took the entire bracket and relocated it way up above the gas pedal, the wires run along the base of the window, so I folded them halfway and ran them in the loom right back out above the gas pedal, there's something solid up there to zip tie to, and they are still accessable (well, as accessable as something under a Fiero dash can be, not to much worse than the original location) and the volume of it isn't changed to much (for the driver, who is the only one who actually needs to hear it).

Yeah, I ran into that post again while I was searching for wiring stuff. I'm REALLY glad you put a cover on that subwoofer, haha... it was stressing me out. The speaker box is awesome though.

It definitely looks like they're different from 86+. Kinda bums me out, but I remember like ~15 years ago... there would be 2 new Fieros in the junkyard every weekend I'd go there... if I needed any parts, I never even thought twice about it.

The "thing" that the blue dingy thingy is attached to... what is that called? Any idea?


Thanks!

quote Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: Ok... that makes sense. I wonder why that was done. I wonder if perhaps the switch on the clutch is bad.

A lot of people just don't like needing to step in the clutch when they start the car (so they bypass the switch)... which is fine IF the transmission is ALWAYS out of gear when the engine is being started. All it takes though is forgetting to check one time and totally ruining your day!

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 12-07-2024).]

Phantom Wipes - See Rodney's Delay wiper board rebuild kit comments:

quote Considering the cost and effort required to replace the wiper switch in the column it is best to first replace the capacitors on the delay board to see if that eliminates the phantom wipe problem. In most cases it will certainly eliminate a large percentage of the phantom wipes.

Radiator Fan - as be said, start with the fan relay and see if the relay coil has power or not.....

Neutral Safety Switch Threads
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/133653.html
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/135049.html

------------------
Original Owner of a Silver '88 GT
Under 'Production Refurbishment' @ 136k Miles

quote Originally posted by Patrick: A lot of people just don't like needing to step in the clutch when they start the car (so they bypass the switch)... which is fine IF the transmission is ALWAYS out of gear when the engine is being started. All it takes though is forgetting to check one time and totally ruining your day!

Yeah... it's second nature to me, even though we don't own any stick shift cars right now (at least ones we drive). I always... from the very first day my parents taught me how to drive... always put the stickshift in neutral.

But my wife never puts the stick in neutral before she starts. She assumes it's already in neutral. That's because she's from Miami... where everything is flat except the women. So you leave the car in neutral, and never use the emergency brake ... the car isn't going anywhere. In the DC Metro Area, where I learned to drive... you used that emergency brake all the time, and even put it in gear opposite of the direction you were facing.

I just know my daughter... and she'll do this (above). So I'm definitely going to figure out how to fix that. Thanks.

quote Originally posted by Vintage-Nut: Phantom Wipes - See Rodney's Delay wiper board rebuild kit comments: Radiator Fan - as be said, start with the fan relay and see if the relay coil has power or not..... Neutral Safety Switch Threads https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/133653.html https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/135049.html

I actually found the cheaper modern version of the turn signal stalk... it was $63 instead of $150, made by DORMAN. It's not 100% identical, but still totally stock looking, and... may even be better designed from what I can see at least in the pictures.

Thanks for the other stuff... I'll probably do the rebuild kit too...

As to your subwoofer/blue dingy thingy issue.....

The subwoofer cars had a different heater core cover bracket that allowed enough room for the sub enclosure....

my wipers only worked on high til i changed the wiper control module.

QUOTE:

- Windshield Wiper Fluid - I found a little red wire that ran from... something, it was spliced off a power wire that was plugged into something else, which had a separate fuse, and then ran to a green switch that lit up (which was attached under the dash), run into the front compartment, and then connected directly to the washer fluid pump. I noticed that the orange / red wire off the pump had been cut, and this was spliced in place of it. I removed this wire, and will re-connect the pump wire. My guess... it was probably spliced in because the of an issue with the wiper stalk?


Had the same problem... I chased the problem to a fault in the stalk switch. I did the same thing as your P.O. did and by-passed the washer switch in the column with a push button mounted on the trim panel under the steering column. I have a new switch (same one as the one in a late '80s - early '90s Chevy S10) but I haven't installed it yet because I've not had time to install it since you need to pull the steering wheel, column lock, and fish the new cable connector and wires through the column.

For the Phantom Wipe issue, I've had that, too, on both of my GT's. I replaced the wiper module on one and installed the Phantom WIpe kit on the other. Both solutions worked for me but your results may vary. The wiper modules are still available. When I bought mine a few years back and the cost was under $30 USD. Just make sure you get the right module. One has a delay and one doesn't. You'll likely need the one with the delay.

I think the problem comes from capacitors on the PCB drying out. Rodney Dickman sells a wiper board repair kit. Basically it's just replacement capcitors for the board. If you're good with a soldering iron, you can do the work yourself. If not, pay the local TV repairman a few bux to replace the capacitors for you.

[This message has been edited by Mike in Sydney (edited 12-08-2024).]