Bizarre Problem

I have never posted on this board but hoped to tap into its expertise.
Here's the situation. I went out to my car after work and it would
not start. When I tried to start it, the clock on the radio (Factory)
would go off and so I took out the key and was calling my father when
I kept hearing a relay clicking about 2-3 times a second. It sounded
as if it was coming from the back of the car. That happened for about
five minutes. My father arrived and jumped it off, it started right
up. It worked fine except I couldn't use the air conditioner because
all of the instruments would reset and sometimes it would try to die.
The daytime running lights light (The dash symbol) also flickered when
idling or fidgeting with the windows. Anyway, I got home and the car
would not start back up after I turned it off. OK here's where it
gets weird.

I had a friend come over to jump it off, so I could get the thing
started and go get it checked out. Anyway, when he got there the
clock on the radio was ON. When we hooked up the cables, he
accidentally crossed his and it made a pretty audible arc. After
that, the clock was OFF. When I turned over the key, the motor would
not even try to start. There was a relay sound but nothing else. I
went and bought a new battery and had my old one tested. It was bad.
I put the new one in and the headlights work great (I just tested them
for a second), the windows roll up and down (yes, they're power), the
dash lights work fine BUT the clock on the radio does not work, the
engine will not start and the keyless entry does not work. I cannot
emphasize enough how well everything else works. The lights work fine
and do not dim when I try to start it. The dash lights flash on when
I turn the key. The windows roll up and down perfectly fine. I have
checked the battery cables and they are as clean as can be. The
connections are perfect. All other wires appear to be fine. Beyond
that, the clock on the radio is a definite symptom of something beyond
a normal battery connection problem. It simply does not work but
worked fine before my friend crossed the jumper cables. Does anyone
have any idea what the problem could be? (I have checked all of the
fuses).

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am completely stranded
without it. If you want to email me, you can email me at
.

Darian

 

Alternators are notorious in Saturns (S Series anyway--you didn't say
what you have). Bad batteries can cause bad alternators and vice versa.
That's where I'd start. If your car is older than 4 years or so,
you've had better luck than many of us on the alternator.

 

The original problem was definitely the battery. Right now I think I'd be
checking for blown fuses.

-Alan L.

 

Check ALL fuses. You hope that's the problem(s). The backwards cables
probably subjected your car to reverse voltage - how much is hard to
say, as we don't know how dead the old battery was. Some (but not all)
electronics can be damaged this way - it depends on the device, how much
reverse voltage was applied, and for how long. What you are damaging is
the semiconductors (transistors and chips), and possibly some
capacitors. Of course as with all modern electronics, that just means
you replace the device.

Things I would be worried about:
Computer (the engine one)
Alternator (the regulator portion)
Electronic ignition
Radio
Keyless entry

There may be more, I'm just thinking off the top of my head. Devices
such as windows and lights don't have any of these devices in them, so
they don't care, and will be fine.

Again, check the fuses. Maybe you'll get lucky.

Good luck,
Tom

 

If this is an S Series Saturn you might try this...

....go stand next to the car with your key fob (remote entry) in your hand.
Press and down BOTH the Lock and Unlock button at the same time. In about 7
seconds the car's horn should give you 4 toots indicating the system is now
resynced.

Now try to start the car, it should fire right up.

I went through this the other night when my battery died and AAA gave me a
jump.

The only other thing you may want to watch for (actually listen for) is a
turbine sound coming from under the hood (indicating a failing alternator -
Kirk can explain (or not) the thing about the diodes). The time before last
that I replaced a battery I lost the alternator a couple of weeks later.

 

OK.

Here's the deal.

1) SHOOT your "friend." He did you NO favors at all!
2) As suggested by others, check your fuses.
3) Replace the alternator - reverse voltage on them will instantly kill or
degrade them. Saturn alternators die quite a bit anyway, so this isn't a
waste of money.
4) Replace the fusible link attached to the alternator. Either it's open
already, or it's been degraded.
5) Replace the battery (as you've done).

If your fuses are OK, here's probably what else is shot:

1) Radio.
2) Engine Control Computer.
3) Transmission Control Computer.
4) Remote Keyless Entry controller.
5) Pretty much anything else electronic that controls part of the car is at
risk of being shot.

If you have a weak or dead battery, and you reverse the jumper cables, you
supply reverse current to everything attached to the power of the car.
Things like lightbulbs and motors can take this. Electronics (computers,
digital radios, remote control receivers, alternators [with internal voltage
regulators and stator diodes]) get VERY unhappy with reverse voltage.

Oh, good luck. - k.

PS - did I mention you should shoot your "friend?"