Stranded at Fry's

[DVJ38]

Yay my car wont start. Everything was normal until I hopped in it and nothing happend when I turned the key. Nothing at all. No fuel pump, no crank, no attempt to engage. Thought it could have have the starter. But then I realized that no lights, locks, windows, nothing works with the ignition in the off or on position. 12.8 volts at the battery. I get the same voltage at the + side of the starter. Also I can't remember if the battery is grounded to the starter, and the starter is grounded to the engine. I believe so since it's bolted up..? My friend said it could be the ignition. Maybe.

Any suggestions or possibilities? Didn't do much work, but wanted to know if you guys had some inputs. I'm going to look at some wiring diagrams on the forums, maybe I'll come up with something. Hopefully nobody tries to steal my car... Thanks for any help.

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

corroded terminals or corroded starter cable?

Least you are at frys...no worry of starving.

 

[DVJ38]

No I don't think so. We had good coninuity and almost no voltage drop, but then again I couldn't see too good and could have been testing a wrong wire. I was thinking rusted cables too, what isn't rusted right. Could be a 60a fuse or a fusable endlink. Couldn't get the fuse out though. I wish we could have done more testing, but all I had time to do was check voltage and take out my faceplate, radar detector, etc.

 

[Shoaz]

If there's no current draw there'll be no voltage drop across the corrosion, so that's not necessarily a good test of whether the cables are making connection at the battery (or elsewhere).

Take the easy first step of cleaning the posts and terminals and see what happens.

 

[nik97]

I'm assuming GIIs have a remote starter solenoid??

 

[Off Road SHO]

No, it's on the starter. Removable and replaceable but not remote, like on the gen 1's. I have a spare starter if you need to test but I can't get it to you; getting ready for a Dune trip.

Tom

 

[DVJ38]

Nick, the starter and the starter solenoid are mounted to each other. I would just replace the entire unit at once though, even though they can be separated.

Tom, no problem thanks for the offer though.

Today I got it towed down the street to my house, ended up being late for school, too bad. We played around with it while waiting for the tow truck. We loosened the cables and repositioned them, then the lights came on strong and everything. I put in in the on position and heard the pump, then I put it in start and everything died. The connections to the starter were tight. When I took the terminals off the posts one of the U's snapped in half..I ripped apart a piece of metal. They're only a year old too, oh well. I'll be buying new cables and at the same time exchanging my battery at Sears for a new one (3 year full replacement-it's bulging and leaking) Then maybe it'll fix the problem. Not counting on it though, I just need new cables. Then by the time that happends, Saturday I'll be able to diagnose it after work. Figures I start at Jiffy **** (all the way in Tempe) tomorrow. Good thing I'll be carpooling with a friend, jeez.

 

[Shoaz]

Kinda sounds like the battery to me. It might be cured when you get the new one in.

 

[GoofSHO]

I agree with Shoaz....

B

 

[nik97]

Kinda sounds like the battery to me. It might be cured when you get the new one in.

Yup. Don't skimp on the cables and terminals.

 

[DVJ38]

It could be the battery. But I don't understand since I have done some load tests recently in school, and it always has tested to be good. Either way, I have a warranty that I got for a reason, and I'm going to use it!

 

[DVJ38]

Well the new battery and cables fixed it! I just got a brand new Die Hard Gold for free from Sears, still got a good amount of the warranty left on it too. I also got new positive and negative cables. It took forever to change the cables, Ford connected them to the car in so many ways I didn't realize and couldn't see. Thank god it wasn't anything else, even though I just got taxes back...

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

You still at Fry's? Get me some Pop Tarts....cinnamon flavored.

 

[DVJ38]

Do'h wish I saw this! I got strawberry instead! Haha

 

[Rav]

Mission for Rav:

Go down to Frys and find out what a pop tart is!

I think in England you'd get arrested for asking for a pop tart.

Rav.

 

[shodup]

Hold on the EXACT same thing happened to me check your fuses under the hood the first 2 fuses are 60 amp make sure one of them is not blown the first 2 from left to right looking at it from the front are the 2 fuses for the ignition if either one is blown the car wont do anything at all when you turn the key

 

[DVJ38]

Hold on the EXACT same thing happened to me check your fuses under the hood the first 2 fuses are 60 amp make sure one of them is not blown the first 2 from left to right looking at it from the front are the 2 fuses for the ignition if either one is blown the car wont do anything at all when you turn the key

I thought of this, and the fuse is good. I changed the battery cables and swapped the battery for a new one and all is fine, well until recently with another issue. Sometimes one or two (or 7) awful things happen all at once. I love life. Anyways thanks for the good suggestion.