In Need Of Some Serious Electrical Help!

[dam_guy]

I know this is a long read, but please read along and offer any assistance if possible.

So as the story goes, I brought my car into a reputable shop to install some suspension stuff and picked it up today. As I was driving home, I noticed that my stereo would not turn on, and by the looks of it, there seemed to be no power going to it. I got home, pulled out my deck and checked for loose connections and any blown fuses, but everything seems to be in working order. So at this point I called the shop and told them my problem. What they told me was that they have no idea what happened since they never disconnected the battery, which I understand since it was only suspension work that was getting done. They said they would talk to the technician who worked on my car and would call back to tell me. Okay, well I checked everything a second time through, but nothing seemed to be out of place. So I had to go to Walmart to pick up some items, but that’s when my headache would just get worse. I parked my car, and tried to lock it with my remote, but guess what, SURPRISE! nothing happened. As much as I mashed the lock/unlock button, no response. So I try locking the car from the inside with the power door locks, and you guessed it, nothing. So now I’m really concerned/frustrated… and give the shop another call (at this point I still have not received a call back within 20mins of my last call). I told them my situation and I clearly know something happened to the battery. So they finally go talk to the tech who worked on my car, and I was told that while my car was on the lift, the brake was left on and the battery died, so they boosted it, and also told me that it was pretty common for this type of situation to happen. Well its great that they told me, but now I don’t have a stereo, I don’t have operational door locks, and I CAN’T ALARM MY CAR!! And the best part is, they can’t do anything about it.
I also want to add that I’ve boosted my car numerous times, and have never had this problem.


Well I tinkered with my car until I had to go to work, and this is what I diagnosed,
-no power going to the stereo,
-no power locks without having the keys in the ignition
-cannot set alarm
And if I park the car for 5+ min, upon startup, every needle on my speedo does this weird test (can’t explain, will make video if necessary).

I just want my car back up and running the way it was before going into the shop. *sigh*

If anyone could please help me, by giving me some advice, or helping me diagnose the problem, it would be very much appreciated.

Damien

[dj_rice]

Me confused...leaving the brake on makes your battery die?WTF?


What shop was this?Try setting ur ECU and re-learned your alarm or check the fuse on the brain of the alarm

[Tik-Tok]

I'd look at your fuses, could be that your radio/locks have a shared one, and that it is just BARELY blown, so it may look fine, but isn't.

[zoik]

Originally posted by dj_rice
Me confused...leaving the brake on makes your battery die?WTF?


What shop was this?Try setting ur ECU and re-learned your alarm or check the fuse on the brain of the alarm

yeah i'm confused too. how do you leave the brakes on to start with and how does that drain your battery?

[Euro_Trash]

Originally posted by zoik


yeah i'm confused too. how do you leave the brakes on to start with and how does that drain your battery?

They put a brick on your brakes or something?? (I am guessing they are talking about those brakes, maybe thinking the brake lights drained the battery.....)

[PINOY-X]

maybe his E-break?....

[arian_ma]

Originally posted by PINOY-X
maybe his E-break?....

How would his e-brake drain his battery?
Why would boosting your car do that to it? Blow fuses? Can that happen?
How can you blow a fuse and yet your door locks sometimes work? (ie when the keys are in your ignition)

[PINOY-X]

........

[Idratherbsidewayz]

The Ebrake doesn't activate the rear light I don't think.

Take ALL the accessory fuses out and check them. Its a pain in the ass but more than once that has been my solution to a similar problem. I would say its almost definitely a fuse somewhere.

[New2Talon]

The problems you are listing don't seem to be related (AFAIK radio and door locks are NOT on the same circut, both have different fuses) which means the shop must have done something pretty bad to your car to blow more than 1 fuse just boosting your battery...

Depending on how your alarm is wired, it could have something to do with your power locks not working, but again I don't think they would run off the same fuse as the stereo, so you *possibly* could have 2 sets of problems.

I would do as sidewayz said and check ALL your fuses (just use a test light), not just the cabin ones, and see if any are blown. If there is more than one, I would definitely be calling the shop up and demanding an explanation of how they blew X amount of fuses "boosting" your battery.

Their story of how your battery died seems shady aswell. Your ebrake doesn't turn any lights on (other than the dash (!) light, and that only comes on when the ign is "acc/on"). Your brake lights shouldn't be on, unless someone/something was on your pedal, but even then, the 4 bulbs should not be drawing enough power to kill your battery. Even if that is what happened SOMEHOW, are the techs blind? They are bright red lights probably just around eye level (suspension work doesnt need to be lifted very high) so why wouldn't someone see it and fix it before it killed your batt

Sorry to hear damien and gl getting it fixed.

[Hemi RT]

Sounds like they may have boosted your battery with a charger that has a start cycle in it; most charges now adays have this system and if not used properly can cause a lot of problems. A manual start cycle is used like this - have a person in the vehicle and one standing beside the charger, the person inside turns the key to start, then the person beside the charger switches it to the start/high boost setting, once the vehicle starts the outside person should turn the charger off and disconnect it.

What also may have happened is the mechanic set the charger to the start cycle or high boost to quickly put a charge into the battery; if the battery isn't disconnected from the vehicle there is a chance that the high out put of the charger can damage some of the electrical components in the car - the radio being one of the first ones to give problems generally.

A charger on the start cycle/high boost acts differently than when it is in a normal operating mode; it actually forces current into the battery/starter system. Most of the newer vehicles recommend that even if you charge the battery under normal circumstances to disconnect the battery prior to charging.

I think if you check with a lawyer, you will find they are liable to fix the electrical problem as they have admitted to charging your suspicious dead battery. I wouldn't be surprised if the mechanic was playing your stereo - thus the dead battery.

Just my opinion after being a licensed mechanic for 35 years.

[dam_guy]

well i checked all the fuses and yes, #9 fuse blew (which i later found out controls power to the stereo, the remote control and such problems i was having.) also, the another fuse seemed to be half blown? either way, replaced both fuses and i'm good to go.

thanks to everyone who has given me advise.

also, i still question why they would leave the brake on while on a lift?

[barbarian]

Check the fusible links?

[Euro_Trash]

Originally posted by dam_guy
well i checked all the fuses and yes, #9 fuse blew (which i later found out controls power to the stereo, the remote control and such problems i was having.) also, the another fuse seemed to be half blown? either way, replaced both fuses and i'm good to go.

thanks to everyone who has given me advise.

also, i still question why they would leave the brake on while on a lift?

Same reason someone would use the e-brake on a hill or driveway or even a flat surface. (I am assuming a lift you drive on, not one that lifts from your jacking points which might of been what they were using)