Brand new battery -- Car won't start. Help.
 

Car had no power so I went out and bought a new battery. When I turn my key to the on position I get power in the gauge cluster. However radio, map lights, alarm etc have no power and will not turn on. I turn the key as if im going to start the car and no start. I figured it was a fuse. Pulled the fuses from drivers side floor panel all looked good. Please help!!

At anytime did you hook this battery up backward even for a second? Did you try to jump it and maybe get the cables back wards for an instant?
What sound does it make when you turn the key?
Does it click, click, click.............does it try to turn over?

If it's just dead then there is a 120A main fuse that is in the back left hand corner of the fuse box in the engine bay. It's not really in that box, but sort of on the side. This fuse(if blown) is about $5.00 at the dealer if I recall............but, you need to know why it blew out.
There are a list of things that will still work if this fuse is blown and a lot that won't. I'll go see if I can make up a quick list for you to confirm or deny.

There are also other fuses in the engine bay fuse box that it could be, but I'd check that 120A first!

If you turn the car on you say the instrument cluster is on.................under this condition..............
Do the windsheild wipers work?
Do your Fogs?
Do your Power Windows?
Interior lights?

Check the ACC 30A fuse in the engine bay.

Thanks for the quick responses guys.

@Mazurfer -- The battery actually did get hooked up incorrectly for a second. The battery I first purchased had the terminals on the wrong side (i noob'd it up, i know!) so ill check on that 120A main fuse. The car doesn't even try and turn over. No clicks or anything. Just some things work, some don't.

@Jon -- Ill go double check that right now. Thanks!

^...............if cig lighter or trunk remote opener works, then it can't be the ACC or the main fuse right?

If the cig lighter works, then its not the 30A ACC... but he didn't mention that.
He has power to the gauge cluster... which gets power from the 120A fuse
Either way... its likely one of those.

Yeah, he was a little vague.....that's why I was working it down(sort of), but you can see by the questions I asked.........and then his response that I figured I knew what was up! :wiggle:

And with his answers you are likely correct... we'll wait and see...

It's the 120A main fuse..................I'll bet a lot of money on that now that you responded like you did.
When facing the fuse box, it's on the left side at the furthest point from you. It's not a normal looking fuse.

A girl I was helping had the same issue. Her brother hooked it up wrong to a battery charger and blew that fuse.
It was either $5.00 or $8.00 at the dealer. Not too bad considering it saved everything else! You could sort of jury rig it until you get a fuse, but I CANNOT recommend that and I will not...........even though I did for her for a day or two until we got the fuse.

Hopefully you learned an $8.00 lesson and didn't blow anything else!

so i checked the fuse and it was blown! i purchased a new one for $4 and things were back to normal. However, I still cannot start the car. New battery, new starter, new plugs/wires/coils. I don't know what could be wrong...

Does it even turn over at all but just wont start. My car did the same things and it was loss of compression in 2 cylinders and it was flooded .

Also is this a factory alarm or aftermarket. If its aftermarket may need to be reset car could be stuck in started kill mode

Okay, so now it's either flooded, you blew more than just that main 120A fuse(check the all in the engine bay), or possibly fried a relay???? Tell us exactly how it is attempting to start. Can you hear the starter turning(trying to turn over) and it just doesn't start?

be very detail and write down all the sound that you hear.

plug in key, turn to on, see what lights come on and off.

prime the injectors (you should hear it)

start the car. (crank it) hold it for 10 seconds max. describe any cranking sound, slow turning over sound, clicks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExTPnbpLp3o

use that video as a reference to what you SHOULD hear.

I'm having similar problems with my 04 AT. I bought a new battery shortly after the engine was replaced a few months ago. The car isn't being driven right now... I've had to jump start it everytime since the replacement of engine & battery. The battery will not charge and a new battery is drained overnight to the point there's nothing, no gauges, lights, remote don't work, absolutely no power at all. Thought it may be the altenator however when changing batteries out while running the car don't die. Let it run for about an hour and cut it off...again would not start. Going to check the 120A main fuse and see if this could be my problem as well. Any other suggestions?

Check for something causing parasitic draw...trunk light is a common problem.

If you charge it and disconnect the battery...and it still does it ...you may have a defective battery...it happens more commonly than you think.....

Again, the car isn't driven and hasn't been for a year. Trunk's never open for the light to be on & drain the battery. Could the trunk light still be draining due to a short or something? And has had 5 batteries since 04...with 3 being in the last year.

Hi guys,

I have the same problem here. How did you make that work?
I read about so many posts and there are never any good solutions, did you all sell you car before making it work?:sad:

Hi ambitious8

I'm having very similar problem to what you had and wanted to ask how you fixed it?

Hi Jon316G

I loosened the fuse box to get a better reach of the 120a main fuse but still having trouble getting it out, what do you use to take that fuse out?

I'm having exactly the same problem, it wont even click with the security indicator flashing. Could this be more than just a blown 120a main fuse?

much appreciated for all your informative posts :icon_tup:

Its held on by two bolts (I believe they were 8mm):
Attachment 168666

Also remember to disconnect the battery.
Even if the fuse is blown, one side is still "live"

Howdy all... Long time no see. Been away on deployment. Just returned to find my 8 not starting. While I was on the road, my wife said that she was starting and driving it occasionally, when I got home she translated this to once a month, "maybe". My translation? You were gone for six months, I started her up twice... My wife got the 8 started the other day with a jump and left it running for about 45 min to charge.

Fast forward a day or so, finally got to drive her... (she also let the out of state tabs expire) and she won't start. Checked out the threads and went looking for fault indicators.

No:
Remote doesn't lock/unlock
a/c
Radio
Lights on info bar above radio
Interior lights
Most indicators on dash
Crank

Yes:
Guage needles moved, three times up and back if i recall
Blue "background" light in guage cluster
Fashing DRS light

Bought a trickle charger just in case ( in case I leave again and she doesn't drive it again), when it was hooked up it said the battery (red optima powertop) was charged. I hit the unlock on the remote and no light flashes, but it did unlock. Still didn't start.

So i jumped the battery, I hooked everything up right but unknown if my neighboor and wife did the same the other day. This time she almost came alive.

All lights worked, a/c worked, she cranked, but did not start. Didn't sound flooded (its happened twice on this car for me). When I pulled the jump leads off, back to the conditions listed above. I checked the fuses at that point and all looked good, checked out the 120a and it looks fine too, though I'm now replacing since I yanked the cover off and can't get it back on. Whoops, didn't see the part on THIS thread regarding bolts for the fuse. I will chdck windows and wipers and such once I replace the fuse.

So I'll be replacing that today.

Any thouhgts?

So small update. Got the fuse installed, but when I pulled off one of the fuse bolts, the thread that is inside the fuse box dropped away. So I can only secure one side of the 120a fuse. Awesome. This day just keeps getting better.

I tried starting her again, and with the help of a neighbor putting pressure on the fuse (to ensure the connection since the other bolt won't go in) and I get... nothing. Same symptoms as before.

I checked the wipers and windows: the wipers twitched, the windows didn't work. There was a clicking sound coming from the engine, sounded kind of like a relay, but couldn't hear too well from inside the cabin. Had another thought after reading another thread... no sound from the fuel pump either.

Insert lots of swear words here, oh wait, I already did that when I was on the driveway. I'm getting the feeling a tow to my dealer is in my near future.

OK, so we gave it one last college try with the jump leads. Nothing. The fuel pump is on and all the accessories work fine when its attached to another car's battery. However, it turns over slowly and just won't catch.

So when you jump it with another car, you get slight crank, then when the jumper cables are disconnected you get no crank?

Yet your battery is new and fully charged?

Then you have the worst connection ever at the battery posts or the ground to body connection - logical?

Well crap... posted in the first thread that had the most details in it. Sorry, to clarify, my battery isn't new, but only has about six months of use on it and another six months of basically cold soak. Let it charge off my wife's car for about half an hour before trying to jump with her car and for sh**s and grins I tried afterwards with just my battery and nothing. Either way, yeah, might need a new battery, but I think there is another issue as well.

Dead battery and flooding sometimes go hand in hand....
Anyway, once you get a new battery, check for anything symptoms of flooding...

I can attest to Optimas not liking to sit. I had a yellow top and i would drive the car once a week. It lasted 16 months.

I was pretty sure that my starter was bad. slooooooooooooow start 8-10 sec.
Well i replaced the Unoptima with an Interstate MT-35 and guess what, starts damn near instantly.

If your Red Top sat for 6 months either get it warrantied if you can, Or buy a diffrent battery.

An engine with only 3 moving parts really gets complicated:). Sounds like a combo of you blew more than one fuse. You have to check all. Maybe a ground is also playing tricks on you or the lack of it I should say.



"I don't let any one drive my 8 or my wife....The 8 first".

Sweatr, I reckon he may have rectified the problem, seeing as he posted last, 22 months ago .:Peace:

Well....Now we are both on a 22 month old post .....right:).

I recently bought a used RX-8 2004 Model. Remote key is missing, only left with the manual key that sticks into the remote key(metallic part). The battery came dead, and upon replacing it with a good one, the horn goes off immediately, and the wipers start moving at a constant speed, even if I try to stop them. The passenger window moves in the opposite direction when controlled from the driver's side. There are no lights on the cockpit, and the indicators stay on without blinking.

WHAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM? I'M DESPERATE, AND IT ONLY HAS 65,800KM ON THE CLOCK

Need help! Installed new battery and the thing just clicks once like it has no power and the gauges cluster starts tweaking like its on methamphetamin! Everything is hooked up correctly and all electronics work until I attempt to start. Then she clicks once and starts tweaking! What am I doing wrong. Help!

Can't charge very new battery up enough to start
 

I've got a 2006. It's now on its third battery. The most recent one was about 6 weeks ago.

In the weeks since then, the starting has gotten harder and harder. On Sunday it wouldn't start. I've since invested in a battery charger and a multimeter and here's what I'm finding.

The lights go on. The radio. The AC. The remote locks/trunk. The instrument cluster.

In fact, the battery is at 11.6V. I connected the charger and let it run for a few hours until it said it was fully charged. The batter was at 12.6V.

I tried to start it but just got a whuzz-whuzz-whuzz - it reluctantly cranked a little bit but was never going to catch. I released and tried again - and it's the fast click-click-click - and the interior lights blink with the click.

Now it reads 12.4V.

I'm thinking this is not the battery? Fuses? I know there's a lot of these posts, and I found this thread by searching! So wonder if you have any specific advice for me. Thanks!

HELP!!! Anybody, please?!!?

My '05 RX-8 has an issue where I cannot simply stop and re-start my car without having to wait for at least 10+ minutes. Even then it stutters before it finally starts. Doing simple things like getting gas or running into the store have become a nightmare. I went to get my Maryland emissions test done and told me to come back another time because they could not wait for my car to start back up.

Use the search feature and find any threads on starting issues. There are a few here.:wavey: Then come back and post results please.

So this looks like a good thread to post my question in. My 8 has been sitting for about 5 months. There hasn't been a battery in it for that time either as i took it out to get checked at Advance. So i finally was able to get a new battery in it. Upon installation, my alarm went off as expected. So i just walked over to my driver side door and unlocked/locked it turning off the alarm. I proceeded to tighten down the terminals and closed everything up. I opened the door and the lights came on and everything seemed fine. I slowly turned the key forward and the cluster lit up. Perfect. I turn the ignition to run but did not turn far enough to actually engage the starter to start the car. As i turn the key back to off, darkness, absolutely nothing. Nadda. no power anywhere. Could the car have been shocked and blew a fuse? I really don't think it could be one fuse though would it? I mean the entire car went dark. I did some searching, but i don't even know what i would be looking for. Could it be a relay?
No problems electrically before. Battery is hooked up right.
Thanks for any help guys.

so I hopped in the car this morning and all the electronics work. I haven't tried starting it yet though. Maybe it was just moisture causing the outage? We'll see if it happens again. Hopefully this storm won't be too bad and I'll try startin her up tonight.

I have a similar issue, my 8 decided to stop running today. I was at a store to buy some stuff got in the car to leave started the engine put it in revers backed up about 3 feet and the engine died. I tried to started again engine wont turn at all no click no nothing and then I realized my radio stopped working as well my windows wont go up or down and the only light that I have on the dash is the ambient blue light and the red blinking key. All the other electrics work including headlights, interior lights, fog lights, hazard lights and cigarette plug. I just got back home with a tow truck. Ohh almost forgot the main fuse 120 amp was blown and I replaced it (what a pain in the but) but it still wont start. Anyone any suggestions? Thank you in advance.

[QUOTE=Mazurfer;3475352]At anytime did you hook this battery up backward even for a second? Did you try to jump it and maybe get the cables back wards for an instant?
What sound does it make when you turn the key?
Does it click, click, click.............does it try to turn over?
If it's just dead then there is a 120A main fuse that is in the back left hand corner of the fuse box in the engine bay. It's not really in that box, but sort of on the side. This fuse(if blown) is about $5.00 at the dealer if I recall............but, you need to know why it blew out.
There are a list of things that will still work if this fuse is blown and a lot that won't. I'll go see if I can make up a quick list for you to confirm or deny.

There are also other fuses in the engine bay fuse box that it could be, but I'd check that 120A first!

If you turn the car on you say the instrument cluster is on.................under this condition..............
Do the windsheild wipers work?
Do your Fogs?
Do your Power Windows?
Interior lights?[

I got new battery checked 120 fuse its good engine doesnt turn and no clicks what should be my next step its been 6 months since its ran

8 won't start.....
 

I'm having some similar issues here but with some differences. I've read through this thread and found nothing so far that helps me.

I was driving the car yesterday, no problems. Went to leave work and it wouldn't start. Car ran fine all day. I went to crank the car, got a single click and then nothing. Everytime I tried, the same results. I replaced the starter in the parking lot. Same results. It's a manual, so I got it pushed, popped the clutch and it ran, perfectly fine. Got it home, turned it off, and tried to restart it with the same results. Figured maybe the battery was no good. Replaced it this morning to the exact same results. Still have the internal power, but no replies from the engine.

What would cause me to be able to clutch jump it but not actually crank it? With the fuses blown, I shouldn't have any power in the car, correct?

You replaced the battery, so that rules out the clamps, you replaced the starter, so that rules out the relay and solenoid.

I can't even....

Still lost....
 

:ftw:
I even switched some of the fuses and relays around after checking through other threads, no change. Am I missing something? I mean, what else could it be?

It was running perfect and all of a sudden it just decides to stop? I don't know what would cause that.....

walmarts 24f battery is 750 cca and fits perfect in the battery tray with cover.

New battery
 

The new battery is a 35 group from Walmart. It's the only one shown actually for the car itself. It's brand new, just made this month, and there's still no response from the car.

You need to properly trouble shoot the issue and it is obvious you do not have the skill to do so. Take the car to a qualified mechanic.

Check the starter motor relay ...........

Solved!
 

Didnt have to take it to a dealer, I just continued looking through the systems connected to cranking it. Even though nothing has actually changed on the car, for some reason it's not reading the clutch starter safety switch with the clutch fully depressed.

I dismounted the switch, pushed it by hand and tried to start it. The car fired right up. So now I've ordered a new switch and I'll replace that this afternoon.

Could have looped clutch switch wires so you don't need it, did this for the wife so when she gets in the car, she can start it from passenger side and turn the air on. Congrats on self diagnosis and repair anyways

Wow - the clutch starter safety switch. Wouldn't have thought this but coincidences happen.

At least it's running
 

Thanks Supra, knew I'd figure it out sooner or later. Florida summertime heat just makes it a pain to work on cars after 10am.

Update: Car won't start
 

So after manually being able to squeeze the switch to start the car and looking closer, I realize that it's not the switch after all. The switch works fine.

There's is a green silicone (I believe) spacer disc that attaches to the clutch pedal. This actually shattered into 5 different pieces, keeping the pedal from fully engaging the switch and keeping me from starting the car. My error in diagnosing this was that I was working on the radio / AC problem at the same time and thought that these pieces came out of that assembly when all of the other broken pieces fell out when I removed it (the last owner got impatient and didn't remove all of the bolts, instead choosing to simply yank it until it came out). So with this spacer back in place, everything is fine.

Always pay attention to the small stuff I guess.....