Counihan

Hey guys,

I just replaced my battery for the first time since 2002, and once I got everything back together the car won't even turn over. All lights work, etc, and I can unlock and lock the alarm, but when I put the key in to turn the engine over there is silence, as if something is preventing it from being started. Is there something that the alarm may be doing or is there something I can test on the started to figure out the problem?

Thanks in advance!

Steve

lyleswk

I have swapped my battery and it was a simple in and out; no issues. If you somehow did something to the immobilizer, the car would turn over and then immediately die and the immobilizer warning would flash (know this becuase I purchased and had a new key programmed), but from what I gather, you get nothing at all. If so, recheck your connections and even brush the terminals and inside the battery cables with a wire brush. Then, torque down very securely. Try again and then come back. Not sure I know where to go from there, but maybe others will have ideas.

Counihan

What exactly is the immobilizer? I don't get any warnings so I don't think it's that. Could there be a fuse or something? All lights and everything work, it just won't turn over as if something electrical is preventing it from starting.

lyleswk

The immobilizer is the "computer" that verifies that the key trying to start the car is really the key that belongs to the car. This is done with a small chip on the key which has to be synched to the immobilizer in that car by the dealer. Again, if they aren't synched, the car will turn over, appear to start, and then die within a couple seconds and the yellow immobilizer warning light (key overlaying a car I think) will blink. So, there are really 3 components to the key fob: 1) the chip with communicates with the immobilizer, 2) the transmitter which is synched with the alarm, and 3) the mechanical portion of the key which physically rotates the key mechanism in the steering column.

So back to the battery. Again, mine was a simple in and out; no issues. The reason I said check the connection is because the current required to kick over the starter is much much higher than that required to run lights etc. I have experienced times when I would install a battery, not get a good snug connection, and the car would not turn over. So, check the connection including cleaning with a wire brush, snug it down, and try again.

Counihan

Okay this is extremely weird...After work I go to see if I can figure some of this out, and when I unlock the car and get in I can hear from what I can tell, sounds like the fans are starting up for about 2 seconds, and then they quit and it happened every 10 seconds or so. So I am like "great this was doing this all day and killing my brand new battery." So I try to start it and it actually clicks (unlike this morning nothing at all). SO I am like "awesome maybe I can jump it," so I do so and it starts immediately.

Once it has been started, my hvac doesn't turn on at all unless I hit Defrost?? The dash lights do not turn on with the headlights, and the turn signals do not work on the dash although they are working on the outside. The traction control light is illuminated, and also the EPC light is illuminated. I shut it off and it started right back up without jumping it. The radio works fine too...

I took it for a test ride and it drove fine with the exception of all the aforementioned things?? The traction control light eventually went out but the EPC remained lit up.

I am dumbfounded by all of this electrical weirdness?

lyleswk

Okay, that sounds like you got a discharged "new" battery. Regardless of reason (not charged battery or bad connections), it is symptomatic of not having sufficicent current and voltage form the batery to run the computers or start the car. I would drive for a couple days and see if everything seems to sort itself out after the alternator has a chance to charge up the battery completely.

Counihan

Well I jumped the car and took it for a 2 hour drive on Saturday and even stopped a few times and it started back up. Yesterday wouldn't start again, as if something killed the battery. Today took battery back and exchanged for brand new one (tested perfect), and installed it and the car wouldn't even try to start (No clicking...nothing). All interior lights, etc worked like normal too.

There HAS to be a sensor or a fuse or something that shorted out from the beginning. Any ideas??

a44me2

I would check out the starter itself, as well as all fuses and relays to it. Maybe you have a short along the way or it may simply have worn out. A bad solenoid sometimes acts this way.

Counihan

After buying a new battery, towing to the dealer, and having them charge me $120 to "reset" my computer because "it had a million codes in it," this still didn't fix the problem as yesterday I went out to the car it was dead again so I was furious especially after taking it to the dealer. My office said it sounded like the car was running all day so I assumed the fans were on and killed the battery again.

So I looked into this issue and it turns out the coolant fan relay was shot, because of water in the cpu box! Fixed the relay and all seems good so far...crossing my fingers.

Counihan

I also drilled a few additional drain holes in the bottom of the cpu box in case water ever gets back in.