[Fleming]

Frank, let me describe a problem I am having with the 1999:

Gauges are wonky: car idles down - like at a stop light and there is a hesitation, the car just dies for a split second. One time the gauges blink and the needles do a hesitated drop (stop-move-stop-move-stop-move) from up to down. The trip gauge resets to zero, clock rests to a different am/pm setting. Shut off the ignition and right back on - on restart the radio comes on by itself and louder than normal?

Has happened a number of times. I hadn't read a skip or drop in voltage from norm - but have not been studying that gauge.

Dealer replaced the alternator as it was giving random voltages. (Yup a pricey item).

Two days after - the problem happens again. Seems to be tied to a low idle. This time all the idiot lights join in in doing a low light level dance. Turn the key off and back on - the car restarts. Dash maladies repeat themselves on start-up.

Also on this same trip hit a sharp bump and the slight hesitation - engine skips a beat - happens but car continues on like nothing is wrong?

Mechanic has the car and has a few drives to try to get it to replicate the drop/hesitation in running. Yesterday he experienced the hesitation and the gauges doing the death dance. Seems the ignition has foggy contacts and lets the power skip a beat.

Ignition is the next to be replaced in a 22 year old car. Will know more Monday or Tuesday. Stay tooned.

Is this anything like your problem?

___________________________________
Has the car had a problem with electronics - you ask - why yes at a complete gas fill up the gas gauge will read full. but within a few miles it takes a nose dive to zero and light comes on, give it a couple of minutes and it reads full again. At about 10 to 20 miles it stops doing the faulty read and carries on. Months later the droping after full fill is back. A couple of fill ups later normal accurate readings. Totally random. If the Fill is less than a full tank it does not do the drop. What is happening?