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This just started. All electric in the car went off. I disconnected the battery and as I was loosing the - side, the light on the hood came on. Then the car would start but when I turned it off it would be dead again. The battery is ok. I have done this several times and the same thing happens. Loosen the - side and wiggle it until the hood light comes on and it starts. However after starting the car and shuting it off and waiting several minutes everything is dead again. I am stumped, HELP!!
Thanks
Sound like a bad negative battery cable. Did you check to make sure the
Negative battery terminal is not broke and spinning in the battery casing
when you go to tighten the bolt? Any signs of battery acid?(if AC DELCO)
I had a similar problem. Turned out the terminal bolt was just a little too long and was bottoming out before the terminal was really tight. I put a washer between the terminal and battery post until I could get home and grind off a little of the bolt.
Will try a washer on the bolt, but the hood light stays on for awhile before it tuns off. Don't understand how this can happen and why it started after one year with new battery. No battery leakage.
Have done all of the above and still have the problem. Still looking for answers. Everything goes dead after 30 -90 minutes. Then loosen the cable and retightened and same thing happens again.
Thanks for your help.
This just started. All electric in the car went off. I disconnected the battery and as I was loosing the - side, the light on the hood came on. Then the car would start but when I turned it off it would be dead again. The battery is ok. I have done this several times and the same thing happens. Loosen the - side and wiggle it until the hood light comes on and it starts. However after starting the car and shuting it off and waiting several minutes everything is dead again. I am stumped, HELP!!
Thanks
Hmmmm.....let's see, you wiggle the negative battery cable, and then the car starts normally. I'm stumped too.
suggest next time when you have a no start condition, you try moving, wiggling the negative battery cable, but without loosening the bolt..........maybe you have a bad cable, inside the insulator, where you can't see it, or a bad / loose connection where the cable is attached to the car.
Sounds like a bad electrical connection, have you checked where your negative battery cable is attached to engine, and chassis. I have seen internal cable corrosion that can cause this problem. I am confident if you keep working on it you will find your problem.
The battery cables MUST be properly torqued to the battery or your going to have these issues! Remove BOTH battery cables, clean and lubricate the bolt and carefully inspect the crimped connection inside the plastic covers. They have been known to fail. Torque the battery cables back on the battery using a torque wrench to 11 ft/lbs.
I would also check the battery cable connections on the engine block (negative) and starter solenoid (Positive) to make sure theta there tight.
If you can move the battery cables on the battery, thats a PROBLEM!