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DAMMIT! Electrical problem!

Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
OK I am a little annoyed now. got the car back today from having a enw trans installed, and am now experienceing a bunch of ellectrical issues (non of which were problems before the trans deal). Sof ar what I've noticed is this: Soemtimes teh seat belt reminder works, sometimes not. Had an issue where I went to start it today, and got no response. No horn, lights, not a damn thing. Went under the hood and checked battery connections, all were good. Went back, and car fired up fine. Speedo jumps around when in gear and stopped. When in park, the speedo needle sets right where it should. OK now lights. Now, all lights flicker. Inside and outside. Now when I start the car, it hesistates like a drained battery, but that is becuase teh battery has been dead most of the month that the car sat, so that makes sense that it doesn't have a full charge. So I drove home tonight after jumping it, and let it run for a while. All problems persist. I am plannign to take it back to the dealer and have them fix it (free,) but I'm wondering what could cause this? Wiring loose somewhere? What do you folks think
 
T

Trakternut

Active member
How old is your battery? If it sat a month with a dead one, it may not be taking much charge, anymore, hence the draggy feel to the starter, which is starving your electrical system. Simply put, an underpowered computer doesn't know what to think! Have a local service shop put a load test on your battery before you go to the tranny shop. Otherwise, you could spend boo koo bucks for a simple fix.
 
T

Trakternut

Active member
Rusty Shackleford said:
Battery is around 5-6 years old. Maybe I better run back down to Advance and have them test it quick.
Click to expand...

That's damned good life out of a battery! However, I'm betting it's weak as heck. See what Advance says and, if you do replace the battery, see if your issues straighten out.
 
AAUTOFAB1

AAUTOFAB1

Bronze Member
SUPER Site Supporter
Check the cables very carefully for corrosion , i had a bad cable that looked great where it hooked up to the battery,but 3-4 inches down the cable it was corroding inside the plastic insulator cover,the cable looked like a snake that swallowed a mouse where the corrosion was,that said it sounds like a bad battery terminal(broken inside the battery)this can easily get broken if some one forced the cable loose ;)
 
jwstewar

jwstewar

Active member
A weak or dead battery will cause all kinds of problems on computer controlled vehicles. A guy that I work with was having all kinds of problems with the instrument cluster on his '97 Chrysler Van. Was getting ready to take it in for repair when all of sudden it wouldn't start. Had to put a new battery in it. All of the instrument cluster problems went away for about 4 years. He went and bought a new battery that evening and it was fine again.
 
Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
Well I solved one issue. They didnt tighten down both bolts ont eh positive terminal. The main one, which I had checked before, is nice adn tight, but the secondary cable was pretty loose. Tightedned that down, and we are good with the no start/no anything issue. Batt is a 650CCS, it was putting out 194. Gonna throw the trickle charger on it tomorrow for teh day at work, and see where we end up from there.
 
Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
Trakternut said:
That's damned good life out of a battery! However, I'm betting it's weak as heck. See what Advance says and, if you do replace the battery, see if your issues straighten out.
Click to expand...

That's not long enough for me. We see batterys in the Volvos last much longer, and hell, alot of batterys nowadays have guarantees on them that long, if not longer.

AAUTOFAB1 said:
Check the cables very carefully for corrosion , i had a bad cable that looked great where it hooked up to the battery,but 3-4 inches down the cable it was corroding inside the plastic insulator cover,the cable looked like a snake that swallowed a mouse where the corrosion was,that said it sounds like a bad battery terminal(broken inside the battery)this can easily get broken if some one forced the cable loose ;)
Click to expand...

Corrosion extremely minimal, surprisingly enough. These terminals have never seems to grow anything.

jwstewar said:
A weak or dead battery will cause all kinds of problems on computer controlled vehicles. A guy that I work with was having all kinds of problems with the instrument cluster on his '97 Chrysler Van. Was getting ready to take it in for repair when all of sudden it wouldn't start. Had to put a new battery in it. All of the instrument cluster problems went away for about 4 years. He went and bought a new battery that evening and it was fine again.
Click to expand...

This is what sucks. The fact that it likely does need a battery is bad, as I am completely tapped out after paying the bill this morning. I haven't got the money for a battery right now :mad:
 
M

mla2ofus

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
And if the battery and cables don't fix it, check all ground cables that run from engine to body and engine to frame. I'm not talking about the one that runs from the batt to engine, there's usually at least two small ones plus some that attach from wiring harnesses to engine.
Mike
 
Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
Everything as far as cables go seem to be fine now. I noticed it when I went to leave Advance and had nothing again. So I popped the hood, and wiggled the positive cable again, like earlier today, and happened to notice, (while it didn't move at all on the terminal,) that the puddle lamps came on when I pressed down on the positive cable terminal. When I let go, lights went out. Pushed again, lights came on. Let off, lights out. So I took a closer look, and it was that damn tiny cable that attatches to the terminal and goes down under the motor and after diggin through my box of tools, finally found a 10mm wrench, and went to town. WAY loose. Tightened it down, and problem solved. Now I know why the battery isn't charging well. While driving, that terminal was probaby mostly loose, thereby cutting out the alternator's charging efforts.
 
AAUTOFAB1

AAUTOFAB1

Bronze Member
SUPER Site Supporter
well if you lived closer to me I'd give ya a good used battery to try,but shipping it to ya is a little expensive:yum:

if you get it started, try pushing and pulling on the cables and the terminals and see if the instrument panel starts working or stops ...:unsure:
 
Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
Thanks, lol.
Well, I think my issue is solved now, with that cable now being tight. Time will tell, going to test it again tomorrow after driving it with the cable now attatched.
 
Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
Symptoms have disappeared. The little cable was to blame. That stupid, little, freaking cable. Why is it the smallest, most unnoticable shit can cause everything else in a car to go wonky? damn automobiles.
 
muleman

muleman

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
Rusty Shackleford said:
Symptoms have disappeared. The little cable was to blame. That stupid, little, freaking cable. Why is it the smallest, most unnoticable shit can cause everything else in a car to go wonky? damn automobiles.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a wonky operator! They put all these gizmos in vehicles to alert folks but half the time it is faulty sensors.
 
tiredretired

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
Rusty Shackleford said:
Symptoms have disappeared. The little cable was to blame. That stupid, little, freaking cable. Why is it the smallest, most unnoticable shit can cause everything else in a car to go wonky? damn automobiles.
Click to expand...

Sometimes it's the littlest of things that can cause the most problems. Glad it's sorted out, you need a break right now and it looks like you just got one. :biggrin:
 
Rusty Shackleford

Rusty Shackleford

Automotive M.D.
SUPER Site Supporter
Yes I do need a break, LOL.


Gimme a break, gimme a break, break me off a piece of that Kit-Kat bar......







:doh:


Anyway, the seat belt minder still doesn't function, but that is nothing I am worried about, anyway.
 
Galvatron

Galvatron

Spock and Galvatron < one and the same
sounds like a earthing wire is glitching....i know to change the box they would have had to have removed starter and some electrics....pop it back and have them check it m8.
 
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