As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

Car woes (99 sable)

DiannaoChongDiannaoChong Registered User regular
edited April 2012 in Help / Advice Forum
Posting here because I dont trust random car forums(never get any answers and I like you guys). I did as much research into this as I could without getting too confused, I enjoy troubleshooting and fixing what I can on my own, but I am not too proud to just take the thing somewhere to get it fixed if I have to.

So I start my car yesterday, and I couldnt put my finger on it, but something strange happened during startup. Car ended up starting fine but there was something different about the timing/sounds when it did start up. I went and got gas 5 minutes away(Car started fine I paid more attention that time starting it up at the gas station). Then drove all the way back to my appartment which is about 20 minutes. Go out this morning, and power doors/remote doors dome light come on like normal, but the car doesnt start. I hear a humming which I assume is the fuel pump from descriptions. The clock and radio don't come on at all, and when in accessory they dont come on. I call my boss and say I can't make it in, but I am not done troubleshooting. I go out 4 hours later at lunch, and nothing is powered, and no noise when starting. Now theres an audible clicking under the steering wheel, which I figure out is the fuse box. The battery saver relay is clicking rapidly.

I dont have anyone to help jump until tonight, and I hope I can get this resolved quickly. Could the relay/fuse(I assume that box is the fuse for the relay, not the relay?) just need replacement? Or is the fuse breaking the symptom of another problem?

N.B.: I ask if its a symptom, as I read in a forum that problems with electricals in cars can cause this, and I had a car window replaced 2 weeks ago, where they had to take the door apart. I am curious if taking the door apart they fucked something up, which causes a constant drain on the battery. I am comfortable pulling fuses, but this relay spot is a black box above them and I am not sure I can just yank it out if I need to?

Any advice would be a help, or knowledge about the relay box and how to remove, or if I need to...

steam_sig.png
DiannaoChong on

Posts

  • L Ron HowardL Ron Howard The duck MinnesotaRegistered User regular
    Are you sure your battery isn't just dead?
    When was the last time you replaced it?

  • DiannaoChongDiannaoChong Registered User regular
    I am kind of embarrassed and I might of jumped the gun. Because this problem has jumped out of nowhere and my battery issues are usually gradual or obvious due to stupidity I didnt consider it a possibility. I am borrowing my fathers car at the moment, and he let me know that he was unaware of how old the battery was when he handed it over 2 months ago. So I do still need to get it jumped, and tested.

    My main concern suddenly became "did I get fucked when they replaced my window and shorted something in the door?". This is why I never look up symptoms for illness on the internet. Everything has the same symptoms. I think this is on hold for a few hours until I can get the battery tested.

    steam_sig.png
  • L Ron HowardL Ron Howard The duck MinnesotaRegistered User regular
    You did your car window 2 years ago. In that time, if it were sucking the battery dry, you would have noticed it before then. Most likely, if that were the case, the window would always be trying to roll up or down, even at a slow pace.
    If your car is turned off, as in there are no keys in the ignition, your car won't allow you to roll down the window, correct?

    You can also check the fuses, and see if any of them are broken. Though those fuses won't have anything to do with the ignition, as Ford put the important stuff for running the car under the hood. So if it were your radio, that fuse would be inside the cockpit. The ignition is on the outside. I'm not sure of the exact location, as I don't have a Sable, but in my experience the box is close to the battery.

    Though, to be honest, I'd put my money on a battery first.

  • EsseeEssee The pinkest of hair. Victoria, BCRegistered User regular
    You did your car window 2 years ago.
    I had a car window replaced 2 weeks ago

    Maybe that makes no difference (I'm not a car person), or maybe it was a typo on your end, just wanted to point it out since there's a bit of a difference. :P

  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    Sounds like a dying battery. But if it does turn out to be the relay (?), then yes, they do just pull out.

  • L Ron HowardL Ron Howard The duck MinnesotaRegistered User regular
    I misread two weeks as two years, for some reason. I blame the drugs I'm on due to illness.
    And it's been my experience that relays never go bad. And when fuses go bad that means whatever component they're protecting is failing.

Sign In or Register to comment.