97 civic electrical system dead, nothing works
10-20-2009, 08:21 PM
#1
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
97 civic electrical system dead, nothing works
Right now the GF's car is a lump in my driveway...
Battery reads at 12.73 volts, there is a little crud on the pos terminal, and last night everything worked great as usual on it.
This morning GF got in it to leave, and absolutely nothing happened. No radio, ding-ding-ding, lights, etc... Tried jumping it just for kicks, same response: dead car.
If it were the battery or a connection issue, wouldn't it be more of a progressive issue than a sudden issue? Any ideas as to what could have caused this?
Thanks,
Matt
Battery reads at 12.73 volts, there is a little crud on the pos terminal, and last night everything worked great as usual on it.
This morning GF got in it to leave, and absolutely nothing happened. No radio, ding-ding-ding, lights, etc... Tried jumping it just for kicks, same response: dead car.
If it were the battery or a connection issue, wouldn't it be more of a progressive issue than a sudden issue? Any ideas as to what could have caused this?
Thanks,
Matt
10-20-2009, 09:43 PM
#3
Re: 97 civic electrical system dead, nothing works
Clean the battery connectors and the ground wire attached to the frame. Then take the battery to an auto parts store for testing and/or charging. If bad, replace.
10-21-2009, 09:23 PM
#4
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: 97 civic electrical system dead, nothing works
battery tested out excellent...
grounds look ok... I'll clean them all tomorrow.
I'll pull the battery cables and examine them, make sure they're ok, if not replace.
grounds look ok... I'll clean them all tomorrow.
I'll pull the battery cables and examine them, make sure they're ok, if not replace.
10-21-2009, 09:29 PM
#5
Re: 97 civic electrical system dead, nothing works
Does anything electrical work in the car?
Check whether the 80A fuse 41 (Battery) or 40A fuse 42 (Ign switch) under the hood is blown.
Check whether the 80A fuse 41 (Battery) or 40A fuse 42 (Ign switch) under the hood is blown.
Last edited by Former User; 10-21-2009 at 09:37 PM.
10-22-2009, 05:12 AM
#6
Honda-Tech Member
Re: 97 civic electrical system dead, nothing works
No headlights or anything, I'd suspect either a blown main fuse as already described by Ron, bad batter positive connection (either at battery or fuse box) or bad ground connection at battery or body. If you had headlights, it would make me suspect something else. My guess is dirty terminals or a bad ground.
10-22-2009, 08:20 PM
#7
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: 97 civic electrical system dead, nothing works
I was going to push it into the garage today (I used a key in the park lock release), and I needed to turn the car, and it came to life with the shifter in N.
I started it and all was well. Pulled into garage, it restarted in Park. I think it was something with a switch in the shifter mechanism not being fully in park or neutral...
I cleaned the grounds at battery and chassis anyway, just to be sure. It's run fine since. Fuses read 0 ohm... I did it for kicks.
I appreciate the help guys!
I started it and all was well. Pulled into garage, it restarted in Park. I think it was something with a switch in the shifter mechanism not being fully in park or neutral...
I cleaned the grounds at battery and chassis anyway, just to be sure. It's run fine since. Fuses read 0 ohm... I did it for kicks.
I appreciate the help guys!
Trending Topics
10-22-2009, 08:32 PM
#8
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: SoCal, CA, USA
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: 97 civic electrical system dead, nothing works
Weird, I thought the switch in the shifter mechanism is only an interlock for the starter. The radio should have work.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Outlaw-Hondaz
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
28
11-19-2010 03:24 PM
