so all you do then is pull them out and insert a wire into the hole to reset them? this could be my prob also.
I F'ed something up! HELP! pix included
- Thread starter socc924
- Start date
SOCC, the first thing that you need to do is undo what you first did. Remove all power connections to your fog lights, this should eliminate this as the cause of your problem. If the funny things are still going on, check your battery voltage, if it is low, charge it. Where did you tap for your hot wire of the fog lights? This is the first area to check. if you shorted any thing a fuse should have blown before you blew anything else that is what they are in the system for in the first place. I had a similar problem with my car after it was flooded during one of the many typhoons that we have here in Guam. The lights would all flicker and the dang thing would never turn over. After going nuts for two weeks I finally found out that the ignition switch (not the tumbler but the actual switch) was corroding inside, a little electrical cleaner and working the switch fixed it right up. Good luck and I hope anything of this helps.
couple more things: The battery shows 12.5 volts with a multimeter. The voltmeter inside showed like 3+ before but then droped down to zero. Now it just shows zero and even the lights on the doors dim or go out when i turn the key. I cant even get it to run the codes cause the light is so dim.
THe starter relay was buzzing when i first tried this morning so i replaced it and it changed nothing. Still buzzed right after. I reset the cirtuit breakers with a pin like you were talking about but heard no click and it didnt help.
Oh and the tach would go up to like 2000 when i tried starting.
Thanks alot for the help guys, I realy appreciate it.
THe starter relay was buzzing when i first tried this morning so i replaced it and it changed nothing. Still buzzed right after. I reset the cirtuit breakers with a pin like you were talking about but heard no click and it didnt help.
Oh and the tach would go up to like 2000 when i tried starting.
Thanks alot for the help guys, I realy appreciate it.
Last edited:
Also I tested the starter switch and it is fine.
Anyone know how to test relays or know if they are bad. Can you remove the circuit breakers? if so how, just pull. Mine wouldnt come off.
Anyone know how to test relays or know if they are bad. Can you remove the circuit breakers? if so how, just pull. Mine wouldnt come off.
OK, try this. You replaced the relay under the dash but have you tried the MAIN RELAY in the engine compartment. This relay supplies power to the ECU and may be the cause of all your problems. You can remove it from the system and just use a piece of wire to jump the connections to check.
1. Look at the diagram on the main relay itself. (my car is a 1992 and I don't know what year yours is) but on mine, the relay shows two pictures. One picture is of a box wth the numbers 1,2,3 & 4 in it. This picture is the pin oreantation(? spelling) in reference to the relay itself. The second picture shows a little box with the numbers 1 & 2 off on each side of the box and the numbers 3 & 4 off each side of the electrical symbol for a switch.
2. Take a short piece of wire and jump it across the area in the main fuse box where the numbers 3 & 4 (reference the pin oreantation) would go. This will close the loop and bring power to your ECU. If this clears your problem then the relay itself is bad.
To test the relay itself, the drawing of the little box with the numbers 1 and 2 off to the sides is the coil of the relay. When this is energized it acts as an electromagnet and closes the switch between the numbers 3 & 4.
1. turn your meter on to read ohms.
2. place your leads across pins 3 & 4 of the relay, you should not read continuity.
3. apply 12v to pins 1 & 2 (pin 1 to (+) of battery, pin 2 to (-) it really does not matter though.)
4. place your leads across pins 3 & 4 of the relay with voltage still applied to pins 1 & 2 and now you should read continuity.
If any of the above steps don't match my description, then the relay is bad.
Good Luck.
1. Look at the diagram on the main relay itself. (my car is a 1992 and I don't know what year yours is) but on mine, the relay shows two pictures. One picture is of a box wth the numbers 1,2,3 & 4 in it. This picture is the pin oreantation(? spelling) in reference to the relay itself. The second picture shows a little box with the numbers 1 & 2 off on each side of the box and the numbers 3 & 4 off each side of the electrical symbol for a switch.
2. Take a short piece of wire and jump it across the area in the main fuse box where the numbers 3 & 4 (reference the pin oreantation) would go. This will close the loop and bring power to your ECU. If this clears your problem then the relay itself is bad.
To test the relay itself, the drawing of the little box with the numbers 1 and 2 off to the sides is the coil of the relay. When this is energized it acts as an electromagnet and closes the switch between the numbers 3 & 4.
1. turn your meter on to read ohms.
2. place your leads across pins 3 & 4 of the relay, you should not read continuity.
3. apply 12v to pins 1 & 2 (pin 1 to (+) of battery, pin 2 to (-) it really does not matter though.)
4. place your leads across pins 3 & 4 of the relay with voltage still applied to pins 1 & 2 and now you should read continuity.
If any of the above steps don't match my description, then the relay is bad.
Good Luck.
You can also check for voltage at the main fuse box where the relay plugs into.
With the battery connected and the ignition switch in the on position check the following.
1. set your meter to VDC and place the leads into the area where pins 1 & 2 would go. You should read 12v
2. With your negative lead of your meter to ground, use your positive lead of your meter and probe the area where the # 3 and 4 pin would go. One of these areas should read 12v.
If any thing does not match this is your problem area.
Good luck again
With the battery connected and the ignition switch in the on position check the following.
1. set your meter to VDC and place the leads into the area where pins 1 & 2 would go. You should read 12v
2. With your negative lead of your meter to ground, use your positive lead of your meter and probe the area where the # 3 and 4 pin would go. One of these areas should read 12v.
If any thing does not match this is your problem area.
Good luck again
Thanks alot man... I will be trying all your suggestions next weekend, or the one after. I had to come back to philly for school and the car is at my house in CT.
Ok. Now I played around with it a little and have some new info. Now with the batery terminals all cleaned and tight I get a full 12 volt on my voltmeter in the dash. When I turn the key to start, the volts drop down to like 3, and the engine turns over once. Then it clicks and lights flash. I am going to try to redo the battery cables again since that helped but I also checked the codes and got code 11 (ECU power source).
It says:
Trouble Area
Ignition switch circuit
Ignition switch
Main relay circuit
Main relay
ECU
I tested the Ignition switch itself and that is good. Ill go check the other things now. Just thought I would post incase someone had this same thing happen and knows the solution. Thanks for the help everyone.
It says:
Trouble Area
Ignition switch circuit
Ignition switch
Main relay circuit
Main relay
ECU
I tested the Ignition switch itself and that is good. Ill go check the other things now. Just thought I would post incase someone had this same thing happen and knows the solution. Thanks for the help everyone.
If you have a battery charger, charge your battery first. Eliminate this out of the equation. Next perform the voltage checks that I outlined on my past post. Let me outline the troubleshooting for the following.
1. Ignition switch circuit - With battery fully charged, insert key, (depress clutch/place in park) turn key to the on position, observe all light in the dash, meter movement of the fuel guage, SRS light, does the radio turn on, can you turn on the wipers, pay close attention to the check engine light, it should light up. With this done and all seems well, assume it good as well as the Ignition switch.
2. Ignition switch - Pull the switch and ohm it out (I don't have the wire diagram readily at hand, but if you have one for your car then it should be a piece of cake.)
3. Main relay circuit - Do the voltage checks from my last post.
4. Main relay - Do the relay check I outlined.
5. ECU - Dude what can I say, swap it out with a known good one and hope for the best.
Good Luck!
1. Ignition switch circuit - With battery fully charged, insert key, (depress clutch/place in park) turn key to the on position, observe all light in the dash, meter movement of the fuel guage, SRS light, does the radio turn on, can you turn on the wipers, pay close attention to the check engine light, it should light up. With this done and all seems well, assume it good as well as the Ignition switch.
2. Ignition switch - Pull the switch and ohm it out (I don't have the wire diagram readily at hand, but if you have one for your car then it should be a piece of cake.)
3. Main relay circuit - Do the voltage checks from my last post.
4. Main relay - Do the relay check I outlined.
5. ECU - Dude what can I say, swap it out with a known good one and hope for the best.
Good Luck!
All of this sounds to me like you had short or drain. You killed your battery, and now it wont take a full charge again. Get a new battery.
agreed. find a diffrent battery and try again. your current battery may have just puked out on ya.
Ok guys. Thanks alot for the help. Especially bensn8. I was able to get it running yesterday. Dont ask what was wrong because I dont realy know. I was checking the main relay under the hood at the time. I actually had the main relay that is under the dash out and the wiring harness that clips to the bottom of the fuse panel disconnected when it all of a sudden started when I turned the key. I dont under stand how it could even run with those off, but it did. And on top of it all, now the blower for my hear works after being broken all winter. HAHA. The battery was good, i am stumped on what it could have been. maybe just playing around with stuff enough to stumble accross the problem lol. Thanks again though.
I hooked them up and grounded them right and they work great. Ill try to get a picture of them at night sometime too.
