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What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
#12991115
12/10/18 02:56 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 5,441
don the angler
OP
TFF Celebrity
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OP
TFF Celebrity
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 5,441 |
The car is an older Maxima. Friday morning the battery was dead. It would start with the start feature of the battery charger. So, I removed the battery & bought a new one @ Walmart. It was their least expensive battery since the wife is shopping for a new car, so no need for an expensive battery. So, I installed the new battery & turned the key & nothing. The electrical circuitry was dead. All the contacts seemed to be in good condition So I thought it could be the ground. I could not find where the ground cable was connected to the motor. I was frustrated with the entire problem & decided to wait until Saturday morning. Had a sleepless night trying to solve the problem. Saturday morning I put the key in the ignition, turned it, & the car started instantly. I am not complaining, but what was the problem? Maybe the car's computer rebooted itself?
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Re: What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
[Re: don the angler]
#12991120
12/10/18 02:58 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 83,264
Pilothawk
Pumpkin Head
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Pumpkin Head
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 83,264 |
Sick day.
Car shoulda called it in....
KANSAS JAYHAWK BASKETBALL - Where tradition comes from 2008 NATIONAL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS-ORANGE BOWL CHAMPIONS 2008 52 Conf Champs /5 Nat'l Champs
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Re: What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
[Re: don the angler]
#12991127
12/10/18 03:06 PM
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 49,284
RATZ
Activity Coordinator
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Activity Coordinator
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 49,284 |
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Re: What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
[Re: don the angler]
#12991143
12/10/18 03:15 PM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 61,005
LoneStarSon
Private Dancer
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Private Dancer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 61,005 |
Could have been the wrong battery. I had to replace mine a week ago. Apparently, due to all the electronics in my car (navigation console primarily), it takes a sealed battery (dealership called it a gel cell)...Dealership wanted $330, O'Reilly Auto was $185.99 plus tax....and they installed it for free. O'Reilly had a cheaper batter $125, but the dealership had already ran my VIN and told me the car needed the sealed battery to run everything. Perhaps your wife's car needed a different battery due to its accessories.
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Re: What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
[Re: don the angler]
#12991145
12/10/18 03:15 PM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 61,005
LoneStarSon
Private Dancer
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Private Dancer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 61,005 |
Or, maybe it wasn't fully in park...
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Re: What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
[Re: don the angler]
#12991147
12/10/18 03:17 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,280
I'm The Dude
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,280 |
So, my wifes old car (Ford Focus) had the exact same issue and it was the ignition module. Luckily there was a recall on it and it was fixed for free, in which I promptly went and bought her a new vehicle.
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Re: What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
[Re: don the angler]
#12991155
12/10/18 03:22 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 4,745
2014NITROZ-7
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 4,745 |
I think they just like to mess with us to show how smart they are. Cars are the debil at times.
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Re: What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
[Re: don the angler]
#12991159
12/10/18 03:22 PM
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 43,998
Tallgrass05
bill maher's protege
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bill maher's protege
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 43,998 |
"I could not find where the ground cable was connected to the motor."
You just follow the cable from the negative terminal? It probably did not lead to the engine.
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Re: What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
[Re: Tallgrass05]
#12991169
12/10/18 03:30 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 5,441
don the angler
OP
TFF Celebrity
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OP
TFF Celebrity
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 5,441 |
"I could not find where the ground cable was connected to the motor."
You just follow the cable from the negative terminal? It probably did not lead to the engine. The cable just snaked down into a mass of engine parts. I would have had to begin removing parts & I am not that good of a mechanic.
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Re: What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
[Re: don the angler]
#12991987
12/11/18 09:00 AM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 12,926
DanDaBald
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 12,926 |
"I could not find where the ground cable was connected to the motor."
You just follow the cable from the negative terminal? It probably did not lead to the engine. The cable just snaked down into a mass of engine parts. I would have had to begin removing parts & I am not that good of a mechanic. Smart move on your part.
NEVER FORGET 9/11/2001
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Re: What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
[Re: don the angler]
#12992027
12/11/18 12:17 PM
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Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 5,413
TCK73
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 5,413 |
If ever need to eliminate the ground as a problem, take a jumper cable and attach it from the Neg terminal on battery to somewhere on the frame or engine and see if it gets you started. My guess is the shifter was not all the way in park.
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Re: What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
[Re: don the angler]
#12992041
12/11/18 12:33 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 55,343
SkeeterRonnie
Super Freak
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Super Freak
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 55,343 |
possibly the anti-theft module kicked in and wouldn't allow a start. ive had that happen before. had to take the key out, lock all the doors, then unlock them and it would start. this was all after reconnecting a battery.
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Re: What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
[Re: don the angler]
#12992064
12/11/18 12:54 PM
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,477
Oldrabbit
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,477 |
The car manufacturer starts with an "N". We had one many years ago with electrical problems, it would lock the door and not let you in or out. When I walked in they knew me by name, several times I just had to set outside and honk the horn as the only way out was to crawl out the window. They replaced the brain, battery, door push buttons, ignition switch but still the problem came and went. Was locked in one day and just kept hitting the unlock button and heard a clicking noise on the hump between the front seats. Pulled the plastic cover off and there sat an ungrounded relay/solenoid just touching the mounting bolt. Mounted it where the factory should have and it fixed the problem. The service rep said that was not the problem but the tech said after he heard about it he was able to fix several others with the same problem. It doesn't take much to keep a vehicle from starting and the smarter they get the easier it is to mess up.
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Re: What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
[Re: don the angler]
#12992100
12/11/18 01:40 PM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,804
donothin
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,804 |
And the origin of the phrase, "you just need to sleep on it".
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Re: What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
[Re: don the angler]
#12992276
12/11/18 04:44 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,283
Snakeyes711
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,283 |
If the problem was the ground cable it might come back.Make (or buy) your own ground cable. One end to the neg post on battery,the other end to a bolt/nut on the head. Just make sure there is also a solid ground strap from the head/engine to the frame.It will usually be a flat,bare,braided wire at the back of the head going to the firewall. Wouldn't hurt to take a look at the wires/cables on the starter motor,a connection might be loose there as well,causing an intermittent no start condition.
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Re: What Was the Problem with the Wife's Car?
[Re: don the angler]
#12992317
12/11/18 05:32 PM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 11,253
Bass&More
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 11,253 |
"I could not find where the ground cable was connected to the motor."
You just follow the cable from the negative terminal? It probably did not lead to the engine. The cable just snaked down into a mass of engine parts. I would have had to begin removing parts & I am not that good of a mechanic.
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