2000 Pontiac Montana electrical issue

[rainjacks]

OK, strange problem:

At seemingly random times the following items will stop functioning, wipers, AC, headlights, trip computer (on the headliner). The engine keeps running and everything else appears to be fine. After a few seconds everything starts working again. I noticed the other day that it seems to occur most often when I put my foot on the brake. My first thought was bad battery or alternator. But, I had them both tested and was told they are fine. Initially it happened once or twice and I thought I was just imagining things. Now it is happening more often, and the length of the outage seems to be getting longer.

I'd appreciate any thoughts on this.

 

[rainjacks]

Also, the windows don't roll down when this is happening. I am thinking it almost has to be the alternator, right? I need a solution becuase I am getting sick of my wife bitching about it.

 

[ground_zero298]

i googled for some pontiac forums, seems to be a lot of eletrical shorts on the 2000 montanas. #1 being a common electical short in the brake light pigtail harness which seems to cause all the syptoms you described. Google 2000 pontiac montana eletrical stops working, GL with this, I hate fixing shorts. Also their is a class action lawsuit against gm for the head gaskets, not sure if it still applys now but the info was in the same forum posts.

 

[rainjacks]

Unfortunately it isn't the taillight pigtail harness. I checked both sides. If only it was that easy.