No electrical power
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 481
Likes: 0
From: Lake Forest CA
No electrical power
I have no power whatsoever on my '99 C5. Turn the ingnition key, nothing--no dash lights, no starter motor, nothing. It's as if the battery was disconnected.
Yes, I used cables to try to jump it--nothing.
Recent history: I replaced fuses 33 & 34 under the passenger floorboard to fix the non-working driver's door power window/door lock/mirror buttons.
Shortly after, the FOB stopped working. FOB battery checks ok.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Yes, I used cables to try to jump it--nothing.
Recent history: I replaced fuses 33 & 34 under the passenger floorboard to fix the non-working driver's door power window/door lock/mirror buttons.
Shortly after, the FOB stopped working. FOB battery checks ok.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,182
Likes: 4,178
From: Kannapolis NC
I'd try a known good battery first. If your battery is shorted, a jump won't do anything except drain the jumper battery. Sub a battery first. If still dead, check the red wire connection to the starter solenoid, it feeds voltage everywhere else. Also check underneath the battery cable connections to be sure you have good connections. You could also measure the battery terminals directly, if you have voltage there, but not on the cables, you know they're corroded or loose.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
If you have ZERO power,, either the battery is completely dead OR the battery cables are NOT properly connected. They need to be torqued to 11 ft lbs (97-2003)
Test the battery ubder load with a volt meter
Test the battery ubder load with a volt meter
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 481
Likes: 0
From: Lake Forest CA
I charged the battery and checked w/a volt meter and it's got 12-13 volts.
The positive cable from the battery splits in two. One side goes to the fuse box next to the battery and other goes down the engine bay, presumable to the starter solenoid which is under the car.
I checked the fuse box input--12 volts. I didn't do the solenoid yet as I have to jack the car.
Question is, could there be a fuse that's causing the problem? In the fuse box, there's a mix of the small two prong fuses and the larger ones. The small ones can be checked without removal but the larger ones can't. Is this worth pursuing.
I know there's another fuse panel under the passenger side floor mat.
Thanks for your help.
The positive cable from the battery splits in two. One side goes to the fuse box next to the battery and other goes down the engine bay, presumable to the starter solenoid which is under the car.
I checked the fuse box input--12 volts. I didn't do the solenoid yet as I have to jack the car.
Question is, could there be a fuse that's causing the problem? In the fuse box, there's a mix of the small two prong fuses and the larger ones. The small ones can be checked without removal but the larger ones can't. Is this worth pursuing.
I know there's another fuse panel under the passenger side floor mat.
Thanks for your help.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
If you measure the battery with a meter and have someone try to start the engine, what does the battery read when it usder LOAD?? If it goes really LOW,,,,, your battery is TOAST!! Seen that more than one time!!!!!
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
The electrical center or distribution of the car is at the starter solenoid. You might want to measure the battery down there too just in case you've got a bad crimp. My first thought goes along with Bill but at the solenoid...the postive battery cable going down there could be lose or the negative cable that attaches to the block.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 481
Likes: 0
From: Lake Forest CA
As was suggested, next step is to check the power at the solenoid. Was hoping to avoid that as I have to raise the car and it's in the street.
Thanks.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,450
Likes: 1,155
From: Dyer, IN
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Whats the use of checking the power at the solenoid??? Its only to power the solenoid/starter.. Check it at the back of the alternator. If the terminal on the back of the alternator has battery power, the solenoid has 12 VDC power also.
Don't understand your description of NO POWER. If the battery is powering the 12 VDC main bus,, ALL the things that are HOT at ALL TIMES power should work. If you turn on the headlights, they should pop up and turn on. There powered ALL the TIME.
Heres the schematic that you need:
See what you have for voltage on the BATT terminal on the alternator.
BC
Don't understand your description of NO POWER. If the battery is powering the 12 VDC main bus,, ALL the things that are HOT at ALL TIMES power should work. If you turn on the headlights, they should pop up and turn on. There powered ALL the TIME.
Heres the schematic that you need:
See what you have for voltage on the BATT terminal on the alternator.
BC
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 481
Likes: 0
From: Lake Forest CA
If you read the entire thread, you'd see that yes, I did check the voltage at the battery--12-13 volts. With zero power when turning the key, how do you have someone "start the car"?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,450
Likes: 1,155
From: Dyer, IN
.....the key word being TRY. Which means you place the meter leads on the battery, and watch the voltage, while an assistant turns the key to start.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
What were getting at is..... A battery can read 12 VDC all day long and LOOK perfectly fine. When a LOAD is placed on the battery, it falls flat on it face and the output goes to ZERO! So measuring the battery while placing some sort of load on it, will tell us a LOT. Turn the lights on and see what the battery reads.
BC
BC
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 481
Likes: 0
From: Lake Forest CA
Whats the use of checking the power at the solenoid??? Its only to power the solenoid/starter.. Check it at the back of the alternator. If the terminal on the back of the alternator has battery power, the solenoid has 12 VDC power also.
Don't understand your description of NO POWER. If the battery is powering the 12 VDC main bus,, ALL the things that are HOT at ALL TIMES power should work. If you turn on the headlights, they should pop up and turn on. There powered ALL the TIME.
Heres the schematic that you need:
See what you have for voltage on the BATT terminal on the alternator.
BC
Don't understand your description of NO POWER. If the battery is powering the 12 VDC main bus,, ALL the things that are HOT at ALL TIMES power should work. If you turn on the headlights, they should pop up and turn on. There powered ALL the TIME.
Heres the schematic that you need:
See what you have for voltage on the BATT terminal on the alternator.
BC
This is why I'm not an electrician.
Thanks so much for your help and the comments of others.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Well,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Do you want the GOOD NEWS or the BAD NEWS first
Congrats on the car working. The GOOD
The BAD,,,, You still have a BIG issue. You need to find the BAD CONNECTION... Its STILL there!!
Murphy's Law states that you will see this issue again when it's most inconvenient.
BC
Congrats on the car working. The GOOD
The BAD,,,, You still have a BIG issue. You need to find the BAD CONNECTION... Its STILL there!!
Murphy's Law states that you will see this issue again when it's most inconvenient.
BC
Last edited by Bill Curlee; Apr 21, 2011 at 03:22 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 481
Likes: 0
From: Lake Forest CA
Well,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Do you want the GOOD NEWS or the BAD NEWS first
Congrats on the car working. The GOOD
The BAD,,,, You still have a BIG issue. You need to find the BAD CONNECTION... Its STILL there!!
Murphy's Law states that you will see this issue again when it's most inconvenient.
BC
Congrats on the car working. The GOOD
The BAD,,,, You still have a BIG issue. You need to find the BAD CONNECTION... Its STILL there!!
Murphy's Law states that you will see this issue again when it's most inconvenient.
BC
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,450
Likes: 1,155
From: Dyer, IN
Well,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Do you want the GOOD NEWS or the BAD NEWS first
Congrats on the car working. The GOOD
The BAD,,,, You still have a BIG issue. You need to find the BAD CONNECTION... Its STILL there!!
Murphy's Law states that you will see this issue again when it's most inconvenient.
BC
Congrats on the car working. The GOOD
The BAD,,,, You still have a BIG issue. You need to find the BAD CONNECTION... Its STILL there!!
Murphy's Law states that you will see this issue again when it's most inconvenient.
BC
........without question.
1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2025
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Spot On
Just replaced battery (upgraded from Group 75 to Group 78) and could not get any power. The tip about making sure the cables were TIGHT was perfect. A couple of more turns on the + cable and boom - I had power! Thanks to Bill Curlee, et al.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 6,012
Likes: 726
God i hope he did that by know.
Cruising
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 13
Likes: 4
From: TN
02 No Power same issue
I have the same issue on my 02. Did you find a resolution?
I have no power whatsoever on my '99 C5. Turn the ingnition key, nothing--no dash lights, no starter motor, nothing. It's as if the battery was disconnected.
Yes, I used cables to try to jump it--nothing.
Recent history: I replaced fuses 33 & 34 under the passenger floorboard to fix the non-working driver's door power window/door lock/mirror buttons.
Shortly after, the FOB stopped working. FOB battery checks ok.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Yes, I used cables to try to jump it--nothing.
Recent history: I replaced fuses 33 & 34 under the passenger floorboard to fix the non-working driver's door power window/door lock/mirror buttons.
Shortly after, the FOB stopped working. FOB battery checks ok.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,138
Likes: 802
From: Espanola New Mexico
This is a thread that started in 2011, with some recent replies in February of this year. It's sometimes better to open a new thread, that being said have you checked the battery voltage and insured the cables are clean and tight on the terminals?