1984 C4 does not start
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
1984 C4 does not start
I have a problem with my 1984 C4.
About three months ago, I had a new battery installed because the old one did not hold its charge anymore. Back then, I was still able to jump start the engine with a jump start kit though.
The car was running fine with the new battery until now. I had not driven the car for about 2 weeks. When I tried to start it yesterday, there was nothing. Even the jump start kit did not bring the battery back to life. It is completely dead.
I am starting to think there is a loose connection or a drain somewhere that keeps draining the battery, This one was brand-new and should not have problems so soon.
Is this a common problem with C4's of that age? Could it be an easy fix? I don't want to put too much money into this car, even though it only has 97,000 miles.
Thanks in advance for any help and information!
About three months ago, I had a new battery installed because the old one did not hold its charge anymore. Back then, I was still able to jump start the engine with a jump start kit though.
The car was running fine with the new battery until now. I had not driven the car for about 2 weeks. When I tried to start it yesterday, there was nothing. Even the jump start kit did not bring the battery back to life. It is completely dead.
I am starting to think there is a loose connection or a drain somewhere that keeps draining the battery, This one was brand-new and should not have problems so soon.
Is this a common problem with C4's of that age? Could it be an easy fix? I don't want to put too much money into this car, even though it only has 97,000 miles.
Thanks in advance for any help and information!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,228
Likes: 698
From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
I have a problem with my 1984 C4.
About three months ago, I had a new battery installed because the old one did not hold its charge anymore. Back then, I was still able to jump start the engine with a jump start kit though.
The car was running fine with the new battery until now. I had not driven the car for about 2 weeks. When I tried to start it yesterday, there was nothing. Even the jump start kit did not bring the battery back to life. It is completely dead.
I am starting to think there is a loose connection or a drain somewhere that keeps draining the battery, This one was brand-new and should not have problems so soon.
Is this a common problem with C4's of that age? Could it be an easy fix? I don't want to put too much money into this car, even though it only has 97,000 miles.
Thanks in advance for any help and information!
About three months ago, I had a new battery installed because the old one did not hold its charge anymore. Back then, I was still able to jump start the engine with a jump start kit though.
The car was running fine with the new battery until now. I had not driven the car for about 2 weeks. When I tried to start it yesterday, there was nothing. Even the jump start kit did not bring the battery back to life. It is completely dead.
I am starting to think there is a loose connection or a drain somewhere that keeps draining the battery, This one was brand-new and should not have problems so soon.
Is this a common problem with C4's of that age? Could it be an easy fix? I don't want to put too much money into this car, even though it only has 97,000 miles.
Thanks in advance for any help and information!
then pull the CTSY fuse for the heck of it and see if any improvement
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,263
Likes: 188
From: Wabasha Mn
I have a problem with my 1984 C4.
About three months ago, I had a new battery installed because the old one did not hold its charge anymore. Back then, I was still able to jump start the engine with a jump start kit though.
The car was running fine with the new battery until now. I had not driven the car for about 2 weeks. When I tried to start it yesterday, there was nothing. Even the jump start kit did not bring the battery back to life. It is completely dead.
I am starting to think there is a loose connection or a drain somewhere that keeps draining the battery, This one was brand-new and should not have problems so soon.
Is this a common problem with C4's of that age? Could it be an easy fix? I don't want to put too much money into this car, even though it only has 97,000 miles.
Thanks in advance for any help and information!
About three months ago, I had a new battery installed because the old one did not hold its charge anymore. Back then, I was still able to jump start the engine with a jump start kit though.
The car was running fine with the new battery until now. I had not driven the car for about 2 weeks. When I tried to start it yesterday, there was nothing. Even the jump start kit did not bring the battery back to life. It is completely dead.
I am starting to think there is a loose connection or a drain somewhere that keeps draining the battery, This one was brand-new and should not have problems so soon.
Is this a common problem with C4's of that age? Could it be an easy fix? I don't want to put too much money into this car, even though it only has 97,000 miles.
Thanks in advance for any help and information!
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,752
Likes: 276
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Firstly can you get your battery capacity checked? You can get a dud new battery.
Then if the battery load test conforms its good, check the current load to try and identify what is causing excessive drain. There are plenty of YouTube tutorials on how to check for battery drain, pull the fuses and check one by one. Simple stuff like an antenna that looks retracted, can have the motor engage every few seconds. That i have come across in my car, would flatten the battery in several hours just happened to hear the antenna motor click every so often...
Also once a battery goes completely flat some never recover, them may show 12 volts but cannot hold a load like even the headlights for a few minutes. That is a simple quick test if you do not have access to a battery load tester, charge the battery overnight then connect and put headlights on see if the volts drops. A good battery will not be affected with 15 or 20 minutes of lights on engine off. However if you see the voltage dropping rapidly you know your battery is no good. A 600CCA battery won't be affected by a hundred watts of lights, a starter motor will draw a hundred amps or more. Try cranking it with fuel fuse removed, you will quickly run out of patience before the battery reserve gets affected....
Then if the battery load test conforms its good, check the current load to try and identify what is causing excessive drain. There are plenty of YouTube tutorials on how to check for battery drain, pull the fuses and check one by one. Simple stuff like an antenna that looks retracted, can have the motor engage every few seconds. That i have come across in my car, would flatten the battery in several hours just happened to hear the antenna motor click every so often...
Also once a battery goes completely flat some never recover, them may show 12 volts but cannot hold a load like even the headlights for a few minutes. That is a simple quick test if you do not have access to a battery load tester, charge the battery overnight then connect and put headlights on see if the volts drops. A good battery will not be affected with 15 or 20 minutes of lights on engine off. However if you see the voltage dropping rapidly you know your battery is no good. A 600CCA battery won't be affected by a hundred watts of lights, a starter motor will draw a hundred amps or more. Try cranking it with fuel fuse removed, you will quickly run out of patience before the battery reserve gets affected....
