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electrical: STUPID mistake, car wont start after jump

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AlphaAssault

15+ Year Contributor
480
1
Sep 5, 2007
Tyler, Texas
My car battery dies while I was working on it, I think I left the trunk open. Anyways, my bro and I get out there and jump it, it starts up fine, no problems there. When we unhooked the jumper cable negative from the frame of my car though, my car dies. Damn, didnt let it charge enough. So I put the cable back on the frame, and go to start the car again. I get in and notice the interior lights arent on even though the batteries are connected properly. I try to start the car and I get nothing. Its lights out for my GSX. When we connected the batteries the second time, they key of my GSX was still in the ignition and in the on position, I never messed with it after the car died. <---Dumbass move. Anyways, what happened? We jumped it once, and now nothing electrical, NOTHING, works, even while hooked up to another cars battery. Did I burn something out??? If so what?
 
My car battery dies while I was working on it, I think I left the trunk open. Anyways, my bro and I get out there and jump it, it starts up fine, no problems there. When we unhooked the jumper cable negative from the frame of my car though, my car dies. Damn, didnt let it charge enough. So I put the cable back on the frame, and go to start the car again. I get in and notice the interior lights arent on even though the batteries are connected properly. I try to start the car and I get nothing. Its lights out for my GSX. When we connected the batteries the second time, they key of my GSX was still in the ignition and in the on position, I never messed with it after the car died. <---Dumbass move. Anyways, what happened? We jumped it once, and now nothing electrical, NOTHING, works, even while hooked up to another cars battery. Did I burn something out??? If so what?

The key being in the on position shouldnt affect anything. Are you sure your getting a good connection?(Ie no corrosion on the terminals).
 
Both terminals are clean and tight. I checked some of the fuses in the interior, and they all looked good. When I attached the negative to the frame the second time, i heard a small fizzle from the engine, but didnt think anything of it. There are some fuses, at least i think thats what they are, in the engine bay under a cover by the battery, but I cant tell if they have gone out or not because they are just little black boxes. Im confused what could be going on here...
 
Dude, I had the same problem posted in my other thread.
See if this story matches up with mine. I have to mention one thing though. You said that you took off the negative from the frame. You don't hook up negs to the frame. The neg. jumper goes on the minus on the battery. The pos. (ground) can be hooked to the frame.

I hate to burst these non-newbs bubble, but the problem isn't his connection. It's good advice to check the connections, but I know precisely what this guy is talking about.:talon:

1. Car starts fine.
2. Battery dies.
3. Jump the car once it's fine.
4. Then something happens and you have to use the donor car.
5. Then it doesn't start at ALL, even with the jump.

I had a little parasitic drain as well. Maybe I can help you narrow the problem in theory. After these commercails.:talon:
 
Dude, I had the same problem posted in my other thread.
See if this story matches up with mine. I have to mention one thing though. You said that you took off the negative from the frame. You don't hook up negs to the frame. The neg. jumper goes on the minus on the battery. The pos. (ground) can be hooked to the frame.

I hate to burst these non-newbs bubble, but the problem isn't his connection. It's good advice to check the connections, but I know precisely what this guy is talking about.:talon:

1. Car starts fine.
2. Battery dies.
3. Jump the car once it's fine.
4. Then something happens and you have to use the donor car.
5. Then it doesn't start at ALL, even with the jump.

I had a little parasitic drain as well. Maybe I can help you narrow the problem in theory. After these commercails.:talon:

Um. Ok. So what happened? and is it serious? I need to drive this car to the shop today, some timely responses would be appreciated.
 
Check under hood fuses there is one for the gauge lights that if it blows the car will not start. This happened to me after I jumped my battery. And check the voltage of the battery if it is below 12.2 volts it needs to be charged or replaced.
 
My first piece of advice is to check the battery. Have it tested to see if it holds charge. If it doesn't try buying a new one. Side note: Interstate batteries are wonderful. I think mine and yours have either a short or blown fuse. I don't think this is the case, but maybe it's an ignition problem. That "sizzle" might signal a short, but I don't know what a blown fuse sounds like. :talon:
 
I think spooner, oh sorry, LOL, spoonman, has given the BEST advice so far. In fact, I'm going to come back to this thread whenever my Balance Shaft has been removed.:talon:
 
I have to mention one thing though. You said that you took off the negative from the frame. You don't hook up negs to the frame. The neg. jumper goes on the minus on the battery. The pos. (ground) can be hooked to the frame.

:talon:


The Positive Clamp(Red one) goes on your positive terminal of the battery(+), always. Always. The Negative Clamp(Black one)can either go on the negative terminal of battery(-) or the frame. The frame and the negative ones are your ground. If you hook these up backwards, something terrible will happen. Your PCM will throw every code it has at you.

If the car started and ran, but quit right after you unhooked your clamps. My guess would be to look towards the alternator. It is the part that supplies power to your electrical componets in the car while the engine is running. Therefore, your battery is not getting a charge. Power is non-existant after that. If your battery was completly drained, a good charge, not a jump, might wake it back up. Buy a new battery, have your alternator inspected.
 
Just a suggetion but try hooking your jumper cables up to the battery and not the frame. If you have a bad ground from the frame to the battery it want let it get voltage to the battery. And the sizzle you heard may have been the gound wire finally giving out or just arching.
 
The Positive Clamp(Red one) goes on your positive terminal of the battery(+), always. Always. The Negative Clamp(Black one)can either go on the negative terminal of battery(-) or the frame. The frame and the negative ones are your ground. If you hook these up backwards, something terrible will happen. Your PCM will throw every code it has at you.

If the car started and ran, but quit right after you unhooked your clamps. My guess would be to look towards the alternator. It is the part that supplies power to your electrical componets in the car while the engine is running. Therefore, your battery is not getting a charge. Power is non-existant after that. If your battery was completly drained, a good charge, not a jump, might wake it back up. Buy a new battery, have your alternator inspected.

The cables were connected correctly. My battery was 100% drained because a small interior light was left on. After the engine started, I only left the batteries connected for another 25 seconds or so. However, I dont believe the alternator if nothing electrical works. period. Even when connected to the good battery of another vehicle.
 
Ive also noticed the starter doesnt click when I turn the key in the ignition. There is absolutely NO electric current flowing through this vehicle.
 
Bloomer420s is corrrect in sayng charge your battery on a charger or replace it. Then have the alternator checked aswell as the fuse for the alternator.

If the alternators the culprit:
It ran the first time do to being hooked up to the other cars alternator. Once removed the battery didnt have a good enough charge to keep it running. Now that you drained the battery completly, non of the interior accessories will fuction properly.
A seriously bad battery will have a hard time jumping because it takes allot of amps from the starter. I had this happen to me with a optima yellow top.

Also a alternator can not be tested corectly with out a charged good battery.

Seeing as how the starter doesnt click, if yur handy with a multi-meter, crawl under the car and test the main feed line to the starter. It stays hot no matter what and should show around 12.6v. If it doesnt then your battery cables need to be cleaned/replaced.
 
Dude, I had the same problem posted in my other thread.
See if this story matches up with mine. I have to mention one thing though. You said that you took off the negative from the frame. You don't hook up negs to the frame. The neg. jumper goes on the minus on the battery. The pos. (ground) can be hooked to the frame.

I hate to burst these non-newbs bubble, but the problem isn't his connection. It's good advice to check the connections, but I know precisely what this guy is talking about.:talon:

1. Car starts fine.
2. Battery dies.
3. Jump the car once it's fine.
4. Then something happens and you have to use the donor car.
5. Then it doesn't start at ALL, even with the jump.

I had a little parasitic drain as well. Maybe I can help you narrow the problem in theory. After these commercails.:talon:

Well that's your problem!!! You hooked up the jumper wrong and probably did some serious damage.
 
Well who ever said not to hook the neg to the frame is a dip!He is one of those guys that burn your alternator up when tring to jump his car that he already burn the alt. up in!

The correct way to jump just in case you dont know is to hook the good car up first then on the dead car hook up the neg LAST TO A BODY GROUND!If you hook it to the battery is arcs and could burst in your face:cry:.Thats why it says no flames right on top of your battery!

Now it sounds like the grounds need to be checked/repaired and are probully dirty/bad.

And for the guy giving bad info and calling people newbs just because its a newb forum(rules wont allow some to post elseware)That is a newb mistake for sure!:nono:

Remove your alternator and take it to a parts store and have them test it if their is any question about it.Look at all the big fuses underhood first and if still nothing take those cables and manually jump the ground to the frame and engine.If its a groung strap it will now work.

Not bashing anyone but that was bad info and i cant believe no one seen that!DONT GO BLIND OVER A STUPID CAR!
 
First and foremost, pull your battery and take it to any auto store. They should have a machine that will charge and test the battery at the same time. It could be that your battery just wont take a charge. I see it all the time. The battery was completely drained for "x" amount of time and now its bad. Being completely drained is really hard on batteries. Check the battery, if it is bad or good. Replace, Re install and see if you can start the car. If the car starts, check the alternator just in case. If car doesn't start, check all under hood fuses. Post back with results.

Oh and if you connect the cables to both of the batteries, it is not completely detrimental, BUT if either car has a bad alternator, it can send an electrical impluse back through the system killing fuses, batteries, or even the other cars alternator. SO that is why its good to ground the dead car to the frame.
 
plus it can explode-It used to happen alot more with the older batteries but it still can happen.
 
Well, I thought I had solved the problem, but I guess not. Heres what we did:

A few nights ago my bro and I get out there to jump the GSX again. this time, I connect the ground to the dead batter of the GSX instead of to the frame. Hey! it works. So I start my car up and let ir tun for about 10 minutes *while it is connected to the other vehicle.* I shut my car off and unplug the cables. At this point, all the interior lights and stuff are working fine, even with the cables unplugged. Cool, problem solved. Well I go out there just now to move the GSX, and wouldntcha know it, everything electrical is dead again. SO, that was kinda irritating. Everything electrical was working fine before I drained the battery the first time. Whats the deal now? I like to think the battery has had it - I dont know when it was put in because I bought the car with this battery - because that would be an easy fix, but are there any other things this could be other than the battery. I cant find any blown fuses or anything of the sort, and the car runs fine when its hooked up to another vehicle.
 
Sounds like the battery was drained too low to hold a charge anymore or the alternator just isn't charging the battery anymore. I'm leaning more towards the alternator first since it should still run even with a dead battery.
 
It sounds like your alternator isn't charging your battery and your battery is dead. Get the battery checked and if it checks out, then most likely its your alt.
 
I have had the same issue with my GST. First if havent already get a new BAT it is more than likely drained(to where it takes alot of crap to bring it back), it is easier to get a new then to try to refill it and get the electrolisis started again. Second I will put money on it that your ALT is toast. I went trough 4 ALTs in 6 months(had a shorting problem)(but autozone doesnt know that) When your car is running you should be able to have your battery out of the car and it should still run(I know because I used 1 BAT to start my car disconnected and then placed my dead battery back in which than got a charge) if it dies it is your ALT not putting enough juice out, or not putting any out. Autozone lifetime warranty on ALTs(the one I got anyways) f it, change it if it goes bad get another new one for free. Also make sure to check the ALT before you leave the store, I had 2 bad ones in a row.
 
It sounds like your alternator isn't charging your battery and your battery is dead. Get the battery checked and if it checks out, then most likely its your alt.

The alternator is still a possibility. however, the only time I let the car run without the jumper cables attached to the battery was when it died that first time after jumping it. Every time since Ive had it hooked up to another car. The fact that the car had a charge 2 nights ago and not one today obviously points towards the battery. Additionally, the battery was completely drained, so the possibility of a bad battery is greater than the possibility of a bad alt at this point. Anyways, today I ran and got a new battery and dropped it in, and so far all electrical systems are working. obviously, the battery is new and therefore charged, but I think its a good start from nothing electrical working at all, hehe.
 
The Positive Clamp(Red one) goes on your positive terminal of the battery(+), always. Always. The Negative Clamp(Black one)can either go on the negative terminal of battery(-) or the frame. The frame and the negative ones are your ground. If you hook these up backwards, something terrible will happen. Your PCM will throw every code it has at you.

If the car started and ran, but quit right after you unhooked your clamps. My guess would be to look towards the alternator. It is the part that supplies power to your electrical componets in the car while the engine is running. Therefore, your battery is not getting a charge. Power is non-existant after that. If your battery was completly drained, a good charge, not a jump, might wake it back up. Buy a new battery, have your alternator inspected.

ALWAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!... ditto .. couldn't be said better... :thumb: .. how long you had the car? batteries USUALLY last around 6 yrs.. i'd start there..
 
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