Hey my neighbors 03 Evo is having a issue with starting up.

- She said when symptoms started she replaced the battery and it worked for a day but then no electrical again.
- My first thought was alternator but when jumper cables hooked up still no electrical.
- Battery is brand new.
- Cleaned off all rust/corrosion still nothing.
- Checked all fuses in engine bay and under dash still nothing.

Now I know I said no electrical but there is a small aftermarket display on the dash (forgot to ask what for) but sometimes it will blink a couple times when turning the key back and forth from off to start. So I know there is at least very minor power getting through but still not enough to even power the dome light.

The strange part is how it worked for a day after replacing the battery. I asked if it was acting funny before it completely died but she said it was acting ok.

 

If the alternator is weak it wont charge up the battery, sometimes even a jumper pack or cables wont be enough to get it to crank if the battery is really drained and/or has a bad cell. A bad alternator can kill a new battery as well since it wont recharge it back while its running. Test the battery and see if that is good. You might also have an issue with a bad ground, which can explain the dim lights. Is the battery in the stock location or has it been relocated?

 

Nothing comes on at all except the little aftermarket led thing that just blinks. It just flickers on and off. Battery is in stock location. Even with jumpers I should get some sort of dash lights or even a dome light. I get nothing.

 

Are the battery cables tight? You should not be able to wiggle them one bit.

 

Yup.
The terminal connections are tight and rust/corrosion free.
The cables that bolt to them are tight and rust/corrosion free.

 

What mods have been done to the car? Do you know what the light is for?

 

Ya, what exactly is that light gizmo there for? If its some kind of aftermarket alarm with a kill switch then you need to bypass it. With the key in the start position, is there power going to the starter? Check it for power while someone tries to start the car. THe power leads go up to the fuse block on the pos terminal, so that's an easy way to check, although its best right at the starter if you can. Check make sure that those fuses aren't blown. That fuse sends power to your starter, alternator and your system so that is an easy place to check. Just test both ends and you can verify at least that power is going through there.

 

I have the same problem I my 03 evo 8 don't have power at all. Fuse are good and battery is brand new but no power to the car. Need help.

 

When you say no power to the car, are you saying nothing gets powered up, lights,radio,etc? Or are you referring to no crank no start condition? Check to see if the starter is getting power. If it is then try to have a second person tap on the starter while you try to crank it. If you get no power to the starter then check your wiring. Also battery might be new but just test it, its new doesn't mean it cant be faulty.

 

Well my neighbor got the problem fixed but I havn't followed up with her for a while now. From what I can gather there was a ground connection that was hanging on by one strand on the underside so thats why it was having the weird electrical issues. One strand can't pass enough current to start it but can make it show some weird electrical stuff.

Follow the negative from your battery and make sure everything is good with it.

 

Haha good thing she fixed it! I was just about to say sounds like either a bad ground, or a major power short to ground