I have no idea what kind of stroke my 2001 Cavalier is having but it's really sounding to me like maybe a possible BCM problem. It started out a few weeks ago as a "driver's door (only) will unlock but not lock with the power lock button on the remote and the door" problem. My wife had the car last week, hit the wiper "mist" function, and heard a CLICK CLICK CLICK like you had a turn signal on. The wipers did not move. She never had to use them again luckily and parked the car for a few hours. When she got back in the car, the power door locks now worked 100%, and so did the wipers. She mentioned it to me this week and I kinda brushed it off as a quirk it had. Well last night with the car out, I turned the headlight switch on and the DRLs stayed on (as did the green DRL light on the dash) but the dash lights and parking lights came on. Pulled the high beam switch and nothing happens. The headlights never come out of DRL mode but the rest of the lights (parking and dash) all behave normally. Tried the wipers and again we get CLICK CLICK CLICK from the wiper motor for as long as you leave the switch on but the wipers do not move. If I turn the headlight switch on and off, when I hit on (where the normal headlights should be) I actually hear the driver's door power lock sound like it's try to unlock.

Is this thing possessed??? I have made no changes to this car to cause this problem to start occuring. The service light is NOT on but does light up when you first turn the key to show it's working. The only electrical components I've changed in the last 2 months is the driver's door pin. My Haynes manual provides exactly ZERO information on where the BCM is located or if any testing can be done on it. Even checked the wiring diagrams!

I hope someone can provide some advice on what I should try next.

Thanks!

Just to update the problem this morning:

The problem is still occuring. The green DRL indicator on the dash behaves properly in the sense that it does not appear unless the car is put into gear. The headlights still aren't working. I also tried the wipers again. If I manually move the wipers through their cycle and hit the wipers again, they move a tiny bit (maybe 1/4 of an inch (slowly) and then the CLICK CLICK starts again. I can hear the driver's side power door lock make an unlocking sound once each time I operate the headlights and/or the wiper switches. This happens consistantly I checked all the fuses and they are all good. Checked for burned out bulbs outside the car too in case. Nothing appears out of order.. Everything else in the car is operable. When I turn the headlight switch on with the keys out of the ignition, I get the reminder bing sound (because the door is open and the lights are all supposed to be on), and every outside light turns on except the headlights. The only headlights I can get are the DRLs when the car is in gear..

I really hope someone has seen this problem or can provide some stuff to check as I really have no idea what could be wrong at this point.

This like what happened to my friends parents car 2000 cavalier, I cant remember what was replaced, they got it brand new, they financed it as lease car, I know they had to take it to the GM dealer, My guess would be ecu it not working properly, Hopfully things work out for you.


GoodLuck

The wipers, sounds like the wiper motor or arm has bit it.

The rest, I can't help ya...

Just read a few posts here on the possibility of the headlight switch being a possible culprit. Most of the people who mentioned having the problem said they could get "high beams" if they slowly pulled back on the stick. All I get is the "woosh" sound of the driver's door unlocking when the stick is pulled back (not to the full extent of where the high beams should be turned on with).

Thought about the wiper motor maybe being the culprit for the wipers but would a failed motor would cause these other symptoms as well? Seems kinda unlikely and all problems started at the same time almost like they are all tied together somehow.

The wiper arm doesn't have anything to do with the locks.... so the fact that it's affecting it? Sounds like a wiring short somewhere. Something is connected to something it's not supposed to be.

Maybe the BCM is fooked... most of these functions are connected in there.

Have you had any modifications done to the wiring in the car? Aftermarket alarm? Any ricer light-up mods? Underbody neon? Anything??

Hi John..

The car is actually bone stock.. Been running like a champ since I bought it a year and a half ago until this issue.. Wierd huh? The keyless entry, etc. is all factory equipment.

I was afraid it might be a BCM problem.. I'd hate to guess what one of those are worth..

Thanks for all your help/suggestions so far..

$5 at a wrecker

I've been through 3 myself... the convertible is condusive to leaking... plus I had some other issues...

Just go find a car with the same options as yours.... engine, A/C, keyless, etc.... make sure the part number is the same... swap it out... there's three plugs... then do the PASSLOCK relearn I put in the Library FAQ.... takes half an hour. Then take the car to GM to get the keyfobs and radio reflashed. Should take 10 minutes tops for the keyfobs and radio.

If that's the problem, that's how to fix it... quick. It will change your mileage tho... so record what your car really is at.

I had similar issues with my 02 fire - mine was a bad ground on the BCM - ended up grounding the wiper motor to the car and that solved all my other issues as well. Might be worth trying!

$5? I think I can handle that.. :-) Thanks John!

Thanks also Rotten Banana.. I will give that a try!

Just an update...

My wife took the car tonight to her running group. As she left the driveway, she hit the MIST function again on the wiper stick. The wipers moved that small amount again and did the CLICK CLICK deal. She hit it a couple more times and this time the wipers moved the same short distance again each time she hit the MIST function. She tried turning the headlights completely to ON. Still no headlights, only DRLs. She turned the light switch back to parking lights only and all of a sudden the wipers made a complete pass on their own, and returned to the park position. Also the headlights now worked and the driver's side door lock now locks again..

John, where is the BCM located exactly if you don't mind?

Rotten Banana - Did you ground the body of the wiper motor to the car or did you wire into the harness somehow?

Thanks again to both of you!!

Your problem sounds more and more like the issue that I had!

I grounded the body of wiper motor to the car, I believed I removed one of the screws on the motor and wire in a crimp. One day (If it ever cools down) I will check the grounds on the BCM.

Good Luck!

It's located on the driver's side under the dash, in a big plastic housing it clips into. if you put your head by the pedals and look up, it's on the left

Thanks! I will check into the grounds on the BCM and worst case try grounding the wiper motor for now as a temporary fix.

Thanks a ton!!!