Hmm, thought the battery was the problem.
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From: Lancaster, PA
Hmm, thought the battery was the problem.
Probably going to take it to the garage sometime this week, but thought someone may have an idea of the problem.
It all started at the beginning of the year. I went to turn it on one morning, and nothing happened. No interior lights came on, the power locks didn't work. It was as if the battery was dead. Replaced the battery and it ran just fine. Thought there would be no more trouble.
I went 2 or 3 days without using my car, then tried to go somewhere. Same thing happened that morning. No power to anything. Thought the battery went dead again. Ok, so I jumped it another time. Since doing it that time, the car would seem to keep charged when I would run it at least once everyday.
I stopped using the car because I went away for 5 months. We planned on my wife starting it every now and then so it wouldn't sit there all those months. However, maybe a week or so after I left when she went to start it, nothing. Same symptoms as before. Jumped it again, ran fine.
Rinse and repeat for the next 5 months.
So I come home, expecting to just jump my car and go replace the battery and be on my way. However, after replacing the battery tonight, when I went to turn the key over, the lights and power went out. Turn the key to off, the lights come back on. I press the power locks and it seems to struggle (lights dim). Car doesn't start, makes zero noise as if it's not getting power when trying to start it. So I've come to believe that it isn't the battery.
I'm hoping it's just a bad sensor and not the alternator.
It all started at the beginning of the year. I went to turn it on one morning, and nothing happened. No interior lights came on, the power locks didn't work. It was as if the battery was dead. Replaced the battery and it ran just fine. Thought there would be no more trouble.
I went 2 or 3 days without using my car, then tried to go somewhere. Same thing happened that morning. No power to anything. Thought the battery went dead again. Ok, so I jumped it another time. Since doing it that time, the car would seem to keep charged when I would run it at least once everyday.
I stopped using the car because I went away for 5 months. We planned on my wife starting it every now and then so it wouldn't sit there all those months. However, maybe a week or so after I left when she went to start it, nothing. Same symptoms as before. Jumped it again, ran fine.
Rinse and repeat for the next 5 months.
So I come home, expecting to just jump my car and go replace the battery and be on my way. However, after replacing the battery tonight, when I went to turn the key over, the lights and power went out. Turn the key to off, the lights come back on. I press the power locks and it seems to struggle (lights dim). Car doesn't start, makes zero noise as if it's not getting power when trying to start it. So I've come to believe that it isn't the battery.
I'm hoping it's just a bad sensor and not the alternator.
I've had problems like this. My car would just die all the sudden. No power to anything. I would go out and mess with the cables, and bam, everything back to normal. I think its a grounding issue or loose cable. Check your terminals for corrosion and make sure they are tight on it. Make sure none of your cables are touching the hood, sometimes happens with grounding kits, or anywhere else.
Thread Starter
Evolved Member
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From: Lancaster, PA
Forgot to update this...
So it turned out that the negative terminal was bad and killed the battery. It was loose because the nut and bolt were stripped and I was able to just slip it on and off when I needed to. Apparently it needs to be on there nice and tight or it'll do damage to the battery.
$6 parts and $85 in labor.
At least it wasn't the alternator.
So it turned out that the negative terminal was bad and killed the battery. It was loose because the nut and bolt were stripped and I was able to just slip it on and off when I needed to. Apparently it needs to be on there nice and tight or it'll do damage to the battery.
$6 parts and $85 in labor.
At least it wasn't the alternator.
