[Shop-talk] strange automotive electrical problem

[watsonm05 at comcast.net]

Well, I've seen a lot of good suggestions but there's one part of the problem description that hasn't been addressed:


"...Dakota digital dash system including neutral safety switch and Transmission gear indicator"

What if the digital dash is opening the neutral safety switch when it shouldn't?

My wild a** guess of a suggestion for whatever it's worth (maybe exactly what you paid for it - $0.00 ;-) )

Mark
________________________________
From: Shop-talk <shop-talk-bounces at autox.team.net> on behalf of Mark Andy <marka at maracing.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2026 1:39 PM
To: shop-talk <shop-talk at autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] strange automotive electrical problem

Howdy,

I had a similar thing a long time ago with a more modern car... '99 Camaro.  That did turn out to be grounding related (specifically, the grounds between the engine block and the chassis).

But in my case the car almost never ran right, vs. it only occasionally having a problem.  Not to say that you couldn't be on a similar path of course.  Given that its fairly easy, I would definitely just run a completely new / separate grounding wire from the engine to the chassis.  Maybe even one to the frame and one to whatever sheet metal your ignition stuff is mounted on / getting its ground from?

I also wouldn't rule out the new harness if everything else checks out either though.  You wouldn't be the first person to have a brand new thing have an issue.  I assume you've carefully inspected all related connectors for a pin that's not fully seated, etc. etc?

Good luck!  With my Camaro after dicking with it for a year or so, I took it to a very well respected mechanic with instructions to either fix it or burn it.  At that point I didn't care which way it went.  :)

Mark

On Wed, May 20, 2026 at 1:37 AM Pat Horne <patintexas at icloud.com<mailto:patintexas at icloud.com>> wrote:
Block to frame/body ground straps?

Pat Horne
We support Habitat for Humanity


On May 19, 2026, at 6:29 PM, eric at megageek.com<mailto:eric at megageek.com> wrote:


<http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/eric@megageek.com>

<http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/eric@megageek.com>
megageek.com<http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/eric@megageek.com>


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