car dead, now what? Options

[SirAndy]

last night i went to start up my car, i turned the key (gauge lights come on), i try to start her and everything went dead.

gauge lights went out, no starter, nothing. tried the blinkers, horn etc. nada.

so i think the battery might be dead, take a voltmeter to the posts, ~13V. hmmmm ...

now what?
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) Andy

[Katmanken]

This is so catastrophic it has to be simple. It's either a bad battery or a wiring connection issue. Might be as simple as a loose nut.

Check the ground first. Have a continuity checker on the voltmeter (VOM)? Looks like a plus symbol with a big black arrowhead pointing into the left arm of the plus. Select that and you should be able to get an audible beep when the two VOM probes touch. Might have an audible button to touch too. Great for seeing if a wire is connected and can pass electricity. Touch the negative terminal of the battery with one probe and a spot on the chassis with the other. Try a bolt head or dig the probe into the paint to find bare metal If your ground is good from the battery to the chassis, you get a beep. Ground good ? Go to step 2

Step 2, it's a positive problem. Start at the battery and start chaining out. First stop, jack the car, Put the VOM on DC volts, and get under and check if you have 12 volts at the big red wire connecting to the starter. Yes? need to go further out, No? Is the nut tight? Is there a break in the big wire?


Hmm.... This isn't one of those cars with the fuching seat belt interlocks is it? That will act just like your problem if it is acting up. Slide the passenger seat forward and look for a buncha wires, a connector and a relay. Have one? wiggle the relay while turning the key. Or, pull the relay and short (jumper) the yellow wires together for a long term fix.

I'd next try the fuse box for power. Most of the fuse clips on one side of the fuses should be positive. Touch one lead to the fuse clips and one to ground with the ignition switch on. No juice? the problem is between your contact point and the battery and is a broken/burned wire issue

Try the above.

Ken