It wont turn over at all. I have lights, dome lights and radio, but no power windows or locks. I took off the battery cables and cleaned them and tried again and it still wont even turn over, no noise from the engine at all. Is there a fuse connected to the starter? I checked all the regular fuses. I am at a total loss. Please HELP!!
2006-08-16 11:45:15 · 3 answers · asked by hfracz2000 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
I assume you have checked all your fuses. Always do this first before any electrical parts eplacement. You may have a fusible link near the battery and/or also an main fuse near the battery. Check your ignition fuse in the regular fusebox. This fuse could be the same one used for the locks and windows.
Lights and radio do not draw much amperage, so most likely your battery does not have enough juice to start the car. Your alternator may also be bad since you drove the car beforehand. One would expect the alternator to put a charge on the battery. These items typically fail in proximity of each other. A bad battery puts extra wear on an alternator and a bad alternator puts extra wear on a battery. You won't realize it until a failure occurs, unless you are like me and watch the voltmeter and/or ammeter on your dash. Many cars lack these instruments and just have idiot lights. Are you getting a dashboard idiot light for the ignition? This will often tell you you have a charging problem.
Power windows and power locks require more amperage than lights or radio, so this is another good indication that your battery is toast. Check the specific gravity of the battery. If you can jump start the car, put a voltmeter on the battery. While running, if voltage is around 14v, your alternator is good but your battery is bad. If the voltage is 12v or under, your altrnator is bad, and possibly the battery too.
On an 85 Firebird, you can often just replace the alternator brushes for around $10 instead of buying a new alternator (around $75).
2006-08-16 12:26:01 · answer #1 · answered by x 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If your headlights turn on then you're battery is good. This would then be an indicator that you have a bad starter.
2006-08-16 12:05:05 · answer #2 · answered by Cambion Chadeauwaulker 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Does it have an alarm system?
If so, it may have disabled the ignition.
2006-08-16 12:15:00 · answer #3 · answered by Mr. KnowItAll 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋