Grounding or shorting issue
 

I went for a cruise yesterday which involved some hard driving, stopping for fuel, more hard driving then stopping at a car wash. Car was fine until the car wash went to start the car. Nothing...Dead!

We ended up jump starting it but the minute I turned the steering wheel it died. Jump started again, turned the wheel... Died. At no time did the steering go heavy but the whole electrical system flashes (like I had turned the key of and on).

I have since found that if I keep the revs up I can keep the car running while the steering wheel is turned.

Suspecting the Power Steering harness I have taken the airbox out, disconnected the 2 power steering connectors, checked and cleaned the earth point right near it but exactly the same.

The following is a little video I took tonight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ2NuSV6G58

After taking the video I also noticed that my fog lights aren't going on, and when I have the fog lights in the on position on the stem my dash lights are "backlit", if I turn the fogs off on the stem, they go dark...

Anyone got any ideas?

Cheers

Andrew

No one? Anything?

^ I had something similar happen and noticed the same with regards to my foglights. I poked around changed several things I feel like it was my battery ground that finally made things better......

I only know where one ground is, the one that sits between the battery box and air box but I know there are more.

Battery negative terminal (or the battery itself).

^Do fuses ever partially blow? or could the fuse being blown do that?

Interesting you say that ... and also interesting what we choose to remember, but when I pulled the battery, I recall a fair bit of liquid around the negative terminal.

Now this is an Optima Yellow top so a sealed battery. Could have been just water ... will check tonight when I get home.

Liquid? Is the terminal corroded if so could be causing a crappy connection clean it up and see if not i suspect a ground.

No corrosion, but the liquid was all around the negative terminal.

well...new battery seems to have done it. Will see if its fine for the next few days but if it is then there is a 2 Year warranty on the Yellow Top so it will be going back for a warranty claim.

good to hear!

Happened to me once too. Make sure the negative terminal on the battery is clean. Use baking soda and water to clean it. Make sure it is tight and secure.

As I said the RX8YA, no corrosion. The battery looks pristine ... with the one exception that the top is slightly warped.

Temporary battery in there now and reads 12.5v when the car is off and 14.5v at idle.

Yellow Top going back under warranty.

Cheers

Andrew