Dead Battery.. It seems.. Help Please!?

Question

Ok, It began with what I thought was a bad starter. I took it off, took it to AutoZone and they tested it, and it failed on all tests. I got a new one, put it on, hooked it up, and nothing happens. It acts as if the battery is dead. I thought that I might have hooked it up wrong, so I switched the wires, and when I tried to put the battery terminal back on, the car tries to start itself.. A mechanic that I know said that it is a safety mechanism that allows the car to not start in gear, and to just move the steering wheel. I tried this and still nothing. Any ideas would be great appricaited.
Thanks,
Matt

it is a 92 cavalier rs all of the wires are black due to oil.. the big one.. i know is the - negative wire.. and then there is a bundle of 3 wires on one connector.. and then a small one..

Answer 1

The big wire is the negative? Are you sure? Follow it back to see if it bolts to the engine! If it does then your right. The other wires are from the battery positive,Accessories, And the small wire should be from the ignition switch. The ones with the same sized eyelet go on the post that is not grounded to the starter. The Negative post on the starter usually has a metal strap or band connected from the starter itself to the solenoid. So now you know which posts are for what. Put the negative big wire on the ground post that I mentioned. Put the cluster of wires with the same sized electrical end on the positive post, Usually but not always marked Batt. And the small wire from your ignition should go on the small little post that is marked IGN. I think the reason it tried to start itself is because you put a hot battery wire where the ignition wire is supposed to go. The ignition wire doesn't have current going to it until you turn the key to the start position. So if you put an always hot wire there then that is why you car tried to start itself. Then reconnect your battery and try to start it. You should buy a Haynes manual for your car. It takes all the guess work out of doing repairs to your car yourself.
Then try it.

Answer 2

This is a confusing way to word the question.

Your starter is bad..this you know.

It seems that you incorrectly hooked up the starter, or for some reason, the starter solenoid is engaging when you hook up the battery. (causing the engine to turn over when you attach the battery terminal)
The mechanism your friend is talking about is the neutral safety switch which, if working properly, will not allow the starter to engage unless it is in Park or Neutral. The steering wheel should play no part in that, but if the switch is touchy (in an older vehicle, they may get dirty) rocking the shift lever forward and back may help out.
The starter should have a large guage cable going to the body of the starter...along with a smaller one that usually clips onto the solenoid. The large one is always hot.. the smaller signal wire comes from the key switch. Once the key switch wire activates the solenoid, it internally kicks over the starter. The body itself is ground.

I don't know the make/model for your particular vehicle, but this is typical of most cars.

By the way.. in household electronics/electrical, vehicles, generators, or anything else to do with electricity, you must first connect the POSITIVE cable first. Then negative..
Very rarely the other way around, unless the desired effect is to destroy what you are working on.

Answer 3

If the starter went by itself you hooked the wires on wrong. At least you know the wiring and battery is good. Read the instructions carefully and hook it up again. If it isn't starting after you get it in correctly then you have another problem too. Most likely the ignition switch, but it could be a bunch of things, sorry. I would concider paying a mechanic to find the problem, then fix it if you want to fix it yourself. Diagnostics are the biggest part of car repair nowadays and it often requires a computer. Is this car a stick shift? If it is, try push starting it, then you'll know it's not engine damage.

Just one for instance. If your flywheel cracked, it would destroy the starters gear too, so right now it could be just about anything from what you know so far. There's a million reasons a car won't start. Ask again with exact details of everything you noticed, especially BEFORE it stopped starting.

Answer 4

That's a well informed question.
However, what kind of car or truck are we talking about?

ADDED:
On the large starter terminal there are three wire.
1) To battery positive.
1) To the alternator.
1) To the Power distribution box.
They should ALL go to the same post on the starer.

The small wire goes to the small post on the starter solenoid to activate the starter when the ignition key is turned to the "start" position.

ADDED #2
By the way, one of the other "answerers" said to disconnect the possitive battery cable first......WRONG!
If you touch any part of the car with the wrench while you're removing the positive battery terminal, you will create a direct short to ground and ruin your wrench, battery, and posibly cause an explosion of hydrogen gasses from the battery.

ALWAYS NEGATIVE FIRST when removing.
and negative last when hooking back up.

There is no ground wire on the starter. The starter is grounded to the engine by the mounting bolts.

Answer 5

Well first off, just b/c you got a new one from Auto Zone doesn't mean you still didn't get a bad one. I've got a ton of bad stuff from them, that's why I don't buy from them anymore.

But anyways, First you need to see if you got direct power to your starter. Do this by taking a screw driver and laying across starter terminals. If car starts, then you have a problem with the solenoid powering up or not functioning properly. there are three things in the solenoid circuit that could cause your problem: Ignition switch, starter relay, and neutral saftey switch ( which by the way is mounted on your transmission and not in your ignition switch.) Check by placing in neutral and starting. Check starter relay, by replacing with horn relay. Check ignition switch by looking under dash to see if push rod has worn ignition switch bore hole. Sometime you can wiggle key around and get it to start if this is your problem.

If crossing the starter terminals doesn't engage starter. you may have a blown in line fuse to the starter.
I hope this helps in some way, It's about all I can give without seeing the vehicle.

Answer 6

It seems such as you have a bad floor. once you leap it, you're probable clamping the destructive jumper cable to the engine, or physique and fixing the venture until the alternator kicks in and powers each and every thing up. you may confirm this via utilizing the jumper cable- clamp one end of the destructive cable to the battery's destructive submit, and the different to a minimum of something steel on the engine and notice in case you get door locks, lights furniture, etc. confirm to verify the clamp and cord on the battery's destructive terminal. hint it decrease back to the place it bolts to the physique of the motor vehicle, and verify that there is a cord between the motor vehicle's physique and engine. sparkling each and every of the contacts with a cord brush, and use somewhat dielectric grease (or vaseline will artwork, so i'm advised) to keep away from rust and corosion sooner or later.

Answer 7

the red wire goes to the "+", that's the positive terminal. the black wire goes to the "-", that's the negative terminal. always hook-up the negative first. put car in "Park" (if its automatic) or take out of gear (if manual).

Answer 8

yea some mechanic the friend is ....if its an automatic try neutral ..... if that doesnt it might be the neutral safty switch or your ignition