Totally Dead Car...

[BaysideGTR]

So I just went to go start my car to drive to take pictures of it....and it died. Completely. I was driving it 5 minutes before.

I went to turn the ignition, realized i was depressing the clutch and stopped turning the key and released the clutch. Heard a "tuuuftfft" and the thing was dead.

Now there is zero power. The lights wont turn on, car wont beep when keys in the ignition. When you turn the key there is just silence.

I am ultra NOT mechanically inclined. What do I do. I want to cry.

[Skym]

Sorry to hear.

Probably blown a fuse under dash (under drivers side of dash there's a small access panel that you put hand into and from what I can remember, push on clip part, pull down to unclip from underside of dash, which allows you to accesss fuse box under dash) or in engine bay (undo clips, remove cover). I'm thinking it's a main fuse for dash since there's no power.

Pull one fuse out at a time and check to see if fuse has failed (can see through the side of fuse body).

But as far as I know (ask a mobile auto electrician to confirm), fuses don't blow unless there's earthing problem, so check all the earths on engine, under dash, etc.

[BaysideGTR]

i bought some cables and managed to boost it. it fired up right away without hesitation.

i then let it idle for about 5 min. during that time the car lost power a few times. the stereo screen turned off and on and i could here a click from the back near the computer at the same time.

i put it back in the garage nose out. probably a little too soon. when i switched it off. it would not go back on again.

im guessing i may have killed the battery somehow in my hesitant start earlier when this started. just seems weird it would die on one bad turn of the ignition. ill boost it again tomorrow and let it run longer then see what happens. should i get the battery tested?

also i checked all the fuses with a tester and they all worked.

[BaysideGTR]

also ill check all the earths i can find tomorrow

[Skym]

Didn't mention the flat battery part, jumping, as that's important information. Jump starting can blow fuse on I think was + cable to battery. But since you said all fuses were ok, then that's probably not the problem.

If started engine and lost power, it probably would point towards alternator or battery (if alternator doesn't work it can drain battery and engine stalls. But from what you described, battery seems to have had it due to age, drained fully or engine wasn't run long enough to charge battery). Also wet cell batteries don't like to deep cycle (be nearly fully discharged). Should always keep wet cell batteries nearly fully charged. Fitting a dry cell battery would be better, as can deep cycle (happens alot on some racecars), weighs less and last's longer (can last longer than 2-3 years if looked after). Also dry cell batteries can take higher G's on racetrack without failing.

[BaysideGTR]

i boosted it after it died. after you replied first time. was starting and running fine 5 min before. when it initially died it was on a regular attempt to start it (minus me stopping hlaf way because i realized iwas depressing the clutch out of habbit).

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk 2

[Skym]

I see. If battery was gone (voltage is below roughly 12V) the dash should light up and beep when trying to turn engine on. That's if beeper wasn't removed behind dash.

[vonzilla]

Check your battery cables. Sounds like a loose connection.

[BaysideGTR]

Thank you guys for all your help. It is greatly appreciated. I am going to check the battery cables now. I boosted it again. And have let it run 35 min. Hoping that will recharge the battery. Gonna park it, turn it off and cross my fingers.

[BaysideGTR]

Okay i parked it, shut it off and back to the same old story. no power, nothing. batter cables seem to be on snug. ugh...
guess next is to trace the power, see where its dying off. Also my dash light that looks like a sizzling cat was blinking this time. it did not have any one pattern was just kinda random. stopped for a while, then started.

This must be a ground issue. Just seems weird because it was starting fine yesterday.

[BaysideGTR]

Skym - come fix my car, ill throw money at you until it works, lol.

[BaysideGTR]

after tightening the battery cables it works fine!! Whooottt thanks guys!

[Skym]

Good to hear.

Skym - come fix my car, ill throw money at you until it works, lol.

You fixed it yourself with help from Vonzilla. I was just mentioning area's it could be, to check. It doesn't hurt to check everything (check for damage) for piece of mind.

Check your battery cables. Sounds like a loose connection.

Thank you Vonzilla.