No power...to anything but radio? HELP!?

[mjt73]

Hi all out ther, I have one for you to ponder...I've searched and can't find anything that relates specifically to my problem.

On Monday, my wife drove her 1997 Civic DX around the city to run some errands. Starts and stops, whatever. She got home and was going to leave again about an hour later but her car would not start...here's what it does, or doesn't do.

When I turn the key to the "ON" position, the dash/idiot lights come on, but only half as bright as what they normaly do. But if I wait about 2 to 3 seconds, they will come on fully bright. The headlights will not turn on at all and again with the key in the "ON" position any attempt to turn on the fan or the wipers and the car goes completely dead. However, you could play the radio all day long if you wanted to. That seems to work. NOW, If I try to start the car everything goes dead and I hear a clicking sound (like a relay clicking) from down near the driver's side kick panel. Is the battery suddenly shot and I'm having a low voltage problem?!

Her terminals are totally clean and I've only ever replaced the igniter a couple times on it.

I don't think it's the batter but I will throw the battery from my truck in it after work tonight to see if that makes a difference.

Thanks for the help!

 

[theodorcrx]

Like i suggested in another thread. check the battery and the starter. also does she have an alarm and/or remote starter. if so check the starter wire to see if it's loose. i knew a guy who changed his starter for the same reason, and still couldn't start his car. i asked him if he had an alarm, he said "yeah, why" then i told him to check his starter wire and well it was loose. so i reconnected it for him and his car starts fine.

 

[mjt73]

Nope, she doesn't have an alarm or remote starter(it's a manual trans). I will check the starter wires though as soon as I get home. Thanks.

 

[phyregod]

Sounds like you have a dead battery or loose / corroded connections somewhere. Could be that a relay or two kicked the bucket on ya.

 

[mjt73]

That's kind of what I've been thinking all along; a relay of some sort. Won't know until I get home today and dig into it. Thanks for backing up my first instinct though. Maybe it will be just a connection issue. Would be nice for once.

 

[mjt73]

Well, you guys were right. It was the battery!

It is, afterall, the original so I shouldn't be surprised. I just wouldn't expect those sort of syptoms from a dying battery. Maybe a cell cracked or something, I don't know. But I put the battery from my truck on it (a chore in itself, since my battery is about three times the size of my wife's Honda's) and it popped right off. So I went out and bought a new one. Everything is good again. Thanks all.

 

[phyregod]

Originally posted by mjt73@Sep 8 2005, 08:48 AM
Well, you guys were right. It was the battery!

It is, afterall, the original so I shouldn't be surprised. I just wouldn't expect those sort of syptoms from a dying battery. Maybe a cell cracked or something, I don't know. But I put the battery from my truck on it (a chore in itself, since my battery is about three times the size of my wife's Honda's) and it popped right off. So I went out and bought a new one. Everything is good again. Thanks all.

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