'97 850GLT electrical brown-outs, "fixed" via fuse #6, ...?

[dwd]

I started back last fall having a problem with my 1997 850 GLT wagon wherein while driving there would be what seemed sort of like a "brown out" of the car's electrical systems - all the lights (interior/dash/headlamps) would dim, the (aftermarket) radio would shut off for a second, etc. Usually this brownout would only last a second or two, and wouldn't seem to have any effect on the engine power - it wouldn't stall the engine - although occasionally, especially as the problem grew worse, the engine would seem to lose power and once or twice it did actually stall. Most of the time, though, it was just the electrical system (lights, stereo).

The problem grew more frequent over time - at first it was pretty rare, every couple of weeks, but got to the point where almost every time I drove it this would happen at least once - and often multiple times over the course of even a short drive.

It seemed (though this may have been coincidental rather than scientific) that shutting off the engine and restarting would cause this problem to stop at least temporarily.

The final straw came once when this brown-out happened just as I was pulling out of a parking space. Tried the "turn off / restart engine" trick to "fix" it. However, rather than getting me going, this time the alarm tripped - lights started flashing, horn going off, etc. And of course the immobilizer aspect of the alarm kept me from starting the car.

After some rather frantic brainstorming / research I pulled fuse #6, which controls the central locking system and the alarm. That disabled the alarm and allowed me to start the car and go on my way.

But the weird thing is that this also "FIXED" the problem with the brown-outs! I haven't had that electrical issue a single time since pulling that fuse, back in March.

But as a result, of course, the central / electric door locks don't work anymore; I have to unlock all doors by hand or with the key. So I'd love to figure out the root of this problem and fix it.

Any ideas? Any clue what could have failed in the electrical system which would be hooked up to fuse #6 and would cause this brown-out situation? Any thoughts on what needs to be repaired/replaced to get me back to having central door locks as well as a car that doesn't brown-out all the time?

Also, this may or may not be relevant, but my remote keyless-entry fob stopped working about two years ago. Tried replacing the battery in the fob and that didn't fix it, so the problem may be on the receiving end, which may be tied into this sytem. No idea if this has anything to do with it, but putting it out there just in case that helps with the deductions..

Thanks!

[V850B5254T]

I cant help you with the main problem, but the keyfob problem is often caused by sweat and dirt entering the enclosure.
Remove the battery and pry the two plastic halves apart.
Wash all parts (including the circuit board) using a mild soap (e.g. hand dishwashing soap) and a soft brush. Rinse with lot of tap water and end with destilled water to remove any clorine or other stuff the tap water might contain.
Blow dry using compressed air or simply your mouth.
Leave to dry completely for an hour or more.
Assemble.

oakey