My car won't start and my friend connected the jumper cable backwards?

Question

I have a 1991 honda civic. I left the lights on and the battery was dead when I got off work. A friend jumped it and it started it right way. The next morning it won't start again, nothing would turn on and the engine didn't try to turn either. Complete silence. I asked a coworker to help jump it, initially the lights in the car turned on but the engine would do nothing. After charging the battery with my friend's car for about 10 minutes I tried again and the engine made click-click-click sounds, but still would not start. I finally gave up and went to work. Later that night I asked another friend to help jump the car, except he's a dork and connected his end of the jumper cable backwards. It was on there for a few minutes before I realized it. Then he corrected it but my car still would not start. We went and got a new battery, intalled it, but the car still would not start, no lights, no sounds, nothing. I check all the fuses and they seem to be ok. PLEASE PLEASE HELP!!

Answer 1

first don't assume that the new battery is working, check it, OK dumb question, new battery's in right, ok, you need to start with the basics here, get a 12 test light at auto parts, first thing, touch it across batter terminals,(i still do it every time to verify my test light works), ok we got battery power, go to the fuse block, even, the relay center, just look at all circuits, red wire from alt to battery, If you finding no power go to fuse block/box at all, that's a good thing, easy fix, look at the wires(small to medium) at the positive side of battery, some can be" fusible link) looks just like any ol wire, but melts away to protect circuits from shorts, you must inspect close and carefully, some burned open spots can be kinda small,

OK we need a Honda tech over here, I'm all about GM...good luck

Answer 2

when you connect the jumper cables backwards it would of blown a fusible link or a just a fuse. All you need to do is find the fuse boxes. get someone with some mechanical knowledge to find it for you if you can't then get that person to check the fuses to see if any fuses are blown which would probably cause your car to do absolutely nothing until it is replaced. Fuses are cheap $5-10 at most. If your car had no trouble starting prior to you leaving the lights on then that has to be your problem

don't return your battery, if it is a brand new battery then thats not the problem, the power from the battery can't reach the car if the power link has been broken hence the fuse.

Answer 3

Check the battery terminal wiring.. when I was in Bullhead City with some friends, my friends car lost complete power, and we tried to jump start it, but all it did was backfire and smoke.. we put in a new battery, and had the same problem that u have.. it turned out to be a problem with the wiring.. u should try to check yer electrical b4 ye spend too much on parts that u dont need..

Answer 4

If you got a BRAND NEW battery and it still will not start, check the connections on the battery to be sure it was hooked up right and nothing is loose. If the electronics in your car still dont work AFTER checking the connections then take the battery back to the place you purchased it and have them check the charge. Have them also check your alternater, if they can.

Answer 5

Fuses might want to blow before you may short an european. quite some the time not something occurs. yet you would possibly want to likely harm the battery or alternator. mainly electric powered kit. yet again on more recent automobiles there's a fuse for each electric powered ingredient.

Answer 6

HI
unfortunately your friend that boosted it backwards blew one or two of the main fuses in the fuse panel located in the engine compartment.If theses fuses blew quick enough all u need to do is replace them.they are there to protect the electrical system from damage.

Answer 7

That's not wrong

Answer 8

I was wondering much the same thing

Answer 9

Thanks for the answers!