Wierd Problem.
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 639
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From: Norcal
Wierd Problem. I don't know if this is the right forum, but I think my issue is tied to my stock stereo somehow......
I have a weird electrical problem in my TA. To begin, I put a brand new battery in about three months ago.
A few days ago I drove to work in my TA and when I got off work the car would not start….symptoms of a dead battery. When I first tried to start, the dash lights came on, then a little click, then nothing…..dash lights would not come on when turning key to the on position afterwards. Ok, so I rustle up some jumper cables and try to jump start the car….nothing…no dash light, no nothing. Then I hear a clicking sound coming from the front of the car, but I can’t locate it. After awhile I give up and send my coworkers away. A few minutes later someone else asked if I needed a jump so I gave it another try….still nothing….no dash lights…..We even tried push starting to no avail. Ok, so now I am just sitting waiting for my GF to call and I start hearing the 12 disk changer in the back of the car start to cycle….WTF??? So I go to the back and pull the cassette out, then go back and turn key on and viola!! I have dash lights!!!! So I find another jump and the car starts on the first try!!! WTF??…..So, I figure somehow I have a drain through the stereo??? I don’t listen to the CD player on the way home, just the radio. The next morning I go out and my TA starts right up and I drive to the gas station about 12 miles away, listening to the in-dash CD player on the way. I get to the gas station, put gas in, get some coffee, come back out and bam!!! No dash lights, car won’t start……. So I go back, unplug the disc changer, come back, turn key….Dash lights!!! So, my GF comes down and when we go to jump it…..no dash lights, car is dead as a door nail. I play around with the stereo again, plug it in, take out etc….I am also getting a really fast clicking sound from the little red light on the dash….it goes away if I turn the headlight switch to on…??? Anyway, at first I though I just had a drain through the stereo/cd changer but now I don’t know…..car had to be towed home.
Also, about the time I put the new battery in the cd player started skipping when going over bumps. And sometimes, during hard braking or hitting a bump the cd player would switch to the radio.
Could it be loose grounds? I have had no issues, except for the stereo skipping, until this happened a couple of days ago. TIA.
I have a weird electrical problem in my TA. To begin, I put a brand new battery in about three months ago.
A few days ago I drove to work in my TA and when I got off work the car would not start….symptoms of a dead battery. When I first tried to start, the dash lights came on, then a little click, then nothing…..dash lights would not come on when turning key to the on position afterwards. Ok, so I rustle up some jumper cables and try to jump start the car….nothing…no dash light, no nothing. Then I hear a clicking sound coming from the front of the car, but I can’t locate it. After awhile I give up and send my coworkers away. A few minutes later someone else asked if I needed a jump so I gave it another try….still nothing….no dash lights…..We even tried push starting to no avail. Ok, so now I am just sitting waiting for my GF to call and I start hearing the 12 disk changer in the back of the car start to cycle….WTF??? So I go to the back and pull the cassette out, then go back and turn key on and viola!! I have dash lights!!!! So I find another jump and the car starts on the first try!!! WTF??…..So, I figure somehow I have a drain through the stereo??? I don’t listen to the CD player on the way home, just the radio. The next morning I go out and my TA starts right up and I drive to the gas station about 12 miles away, listening to the in-dash CD player on the way. I get to the gas station, put gas in, get some coffee, come back out and bam!!! No dash lights, car won’t start……. So I go back, unplug the disc changer, come back, turn key….Dash lights!!! So, my GF comes down and when we go to jump it…..no dash lights, car is dead as a door nail. I play around with the stereo again, plug it in, take out etc….I am also getting a really fast clicking sound from the little red light on the dash….it goes away if I turn the headlight switch to on…??? Anyway, at first I though I just had a drain through the stereo/cd changer but now I don’t know…..car had to be towed home.
Also, about the time I put the new battery in the cd player started skipping when going over bumps. And sometimes, during hard braking or hitting a bump the cd player would switch to the radio.
Could it be loose grounds? I have had no issues, except for the stereo skipping, until this happened a couple of days ago. TIA.
TECH Resident
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 809
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From: chicago burbs
Originally Posted by PrototypE
Loose battery terminals would be the first thing I'd go for. Check with a 5/16 wrench or socket to be absolutely sure. I've seen loose battery terminals cause some really weird problems.
if thats not it, i have no idea, start looking for a short somewhere, or a broken wire
