Weird issue. Trying to make sense of what happened

[3G_REX]

I started my car at 5:30 am and it was about 14 degrees out. While letting the car warm up I noticed the clock display wasn't working. Didn't think much of it, thought it was a blown fuse. The car warmed up and I take off, turned the heat on and now the fan doesn't work. I restarted the car at a red light and still no heat. After 15 minutes of driving, the clock works again and so does the heater fan. Does anyone know what happened? I searched, but no results.

[SD_GR]

Faulty contact somewhere is my guess.

[Ruh Roh]

most likely that^

my clock doesnt come on sometime. just give it a love tap and itll usually work. if it doesnt then i give it a few more til it comes on lol

[3G_REX]

Thanks for replying. I just don't understand why the fan went out at the same time as the clock. Are they both linked to one fuse or something?

[SD_GR]

One fuse and/or one harness would do it; either way.

[3G_REX]

I guess you're right. Didn't find anything that says they're linked...Hope it doesn't happen again. Winters get pretty cold up here.

[mycologist]

I'd suspect your battery first - the car will progressively shut things off when it is low. Cold temperatures will affect a poor battery. It will do better as it charges up and warms up from running.

[3G_REX]

I didn't know that, thanks. Learn something new everyday.

[Heide264]

I'd suspect your battery first - the car will progressively shut things off when it is low. Cold temperatures will affect a poor battery. It will do better as it charges up and warms up from running.

I had no idea it did this. Is this by design? Or just due to the battery voltage dropping below the threshold to switch certain relays on?

[mycologist]

I had no idea it did this. Is this by design? Or just due to the battery voltage dropping below the threshold to switch certain relays on?

I don't know exactly what happens, but it was supposed to be by design. A guy came on here years ago with weird stuff shutting down and it turned out to be the battery with some tech. explanation that it was supposed to (but not how). It could be BS but I remember it pretty well and it worked then.

[Heide264]

Cool. I guess it makes sense.

I have always seen low battery charge issues show up by the car not starting. That is a possibility though.

[MainFrame]

Yeah, I noticed that when my alternator cut off. Different things started shutting off incrementally. I think first the brake and cruise lights came on, then the cluster backlight went off, then gauges, then cluster needles. The headlights and coilpacks and ECU continued, but after I pulled over and shut it off it had a hard time cranking and wouldn't start. I figured it just had to do with voltage thresholds for certain devices to work properly.

[mycologist]

Cool. I guess it makes sense.

I have always seen low battery charge issues show up by the car not starting. That is a possibility though.

That part bothered me too. I was thinking maybe it gave its last breath starting the car and was marginal on voltage after that.

[Heide264]

Robin... That is concerning. My car has been kinda cranky cold starting... And on my way home today the parking brake alarm would not shut off :-(

[3G_REX]

Well it happened again today. Only thing different was it is 10 degrees warmer so about 25 and I let the car warm up for 10 minutes instead of the usual 5. It sucks balls having to drive with no heat and it sucks even more that I can't use the windshield defroster. Has anyone experienced this? (clock + blower motor) first. If its by design I would assume things start shutting down in a specific order.