Slight Emergency: Car died, and no longer gets power, stranded in Mountain View CA.

abec

abec

Wil
I started my car once it idled for 30 seconds I turned on the headlights, instantly killing the power. Now the car no longer gets any power in any key position. I am at a friends house w/ no tools. I didn't find any burnt fuses.

I am currently visiting San Jose, and am in Mountain view * a friends house without tools. No way to figure out the issue, hopefully someone has some ideas, or could possibly come to my aid!?
 
That's not cool. I assume you tried it with the light switch off? Maybe the switch went south, mine did and smoke and melted wires resulted, but turning lights off solved it. Until I rebuilt the switch. Could be ignition switch related too I suppose, those fry up too they say. Look at where the connector is by the key, up under the dash, are those wire looking melted? Maybe you can hot wire it there to get by?
 
Check battery connections

I had something similar with my X when I was trying to get it started. (bought a car that had been sitting) I had cranked on it several times and the third time I hit the starter it poped and went dead. Turned out to be the battery connection. Visually it looked OK but it took removing it and scuffing up the battery post surface. Not sure on the alternator characteristics of the X and if it would stay running if the battery was disconnected. Something easy to check anyways.
 
Sounds like...

Sounds like a burnt/melted connection at the ignition switch. A lot of our cars (without the BWM/HRM) run all the power for the headlights through the ignition switch and then to the headlight switch and then, of course, to the headlights. I've had a few Xs over the years that the main brown wire going to the ignition switch has burnt out or melted in the plastic connection block under the steering column covers. The "quick" fix for this is to see if it can be reconnected - at least well enough to get you home...
 
nothing happens regardless of the switches position, cant see any melted wires, or smell any burning. It was an extremely sudden loss of power, the battery had good voltage when it was idling as well.
 
Sudden loss usually means electrical. When you combine that with the fact that it happened when you turned on the headlights pretty much seals it in my mind. It COULD be something else, but I doubt it. That being said - and all the fuses check out good, I would take a closer look at the plastic block connection to the ignition switch, ask your friend if he (she?) has a wire brush or a nail file that you could use to try to clean up the spade terminals with. I can't think of anything else that would kill EVERYTHING (at least not right at the moment) and that is tied to the headlights...
 
pyrraxis said:
Sudden loss usually means electrical. When you combine that with the fact that it happened when you turned on the headlights pretty much seals it in my mind. It COULD be something else, but I doubt it. That being said - and all the fuses check out good, I would take a closer look at the plastic block connection to the ignition switch, ask your friend if he (she?) has a wire brush or a nail file that you could use to try to clean up the spade terminals with. I can't think of anything else that would kill EVERYTHING (at least not right at the moment) and that is tied to the headlights...
Click to expand...

Yea i believe that to be the issue at the moment, everything else looks good. I will need to wait until tomorrow to check it though.

Oh and if someone is in the area and willing to help me out tomorrow, please PM me. Would never hurt to have someone with a bit more knowledge about the issue helping out.
 
Paging Papa Tony!

Tony N seems to know ALL the X-ers in SoCal and where they are at any given time. I think he secretly puts a GPS tracker in our cars whenever we have a get-together. That would explain why he has no idea where any of my Fiats are, but can tell me within 10 feet of where my Jeep got stuck! I'm just kidding - my Jeep has never been stuck!

Seriously though, if anyone can track down someone that might have the time to give you a hand that might not have seen this post, it would be him. It's a bit past his bedtime right now, but he might pop on later on this evening.

When you go back over to your friend's house tomorrow, don't forget to take at least a voltmeter and a SMALL wire brush or two. Might not be a bad idea to have a handful of various spade terminals and a crimper with you as well. Ok, plus the usual 10mm, 13mm and phillips screwdriver that seem to be the most usefull for roadside repairs. In the Jeep I carry a Gerber multi-tool and a hammer - plus the chain-saw, machete, hockey mask, tow ropes, shackels and other off-road/wood harvesting stuff...
 
pyrraxis said:
Tony N seems to know ALL the X-ers in SoCal and where they are at any given time. I think he secretly puts a GPS tracker in our cars whenever we have a get-together. That would explain why he has no idea where any of my Fiats are, but can tell me within 10 feet of where my Jeep got stuck! I'm just kidding - my Jeep has never been stuck!

Seriously though, if anyone can track down someone that might have the time to give you a hand that might not have seen this post, it would be him. It's a bit past his bedtime right now, but he might pop on later on this evening.

When you go back over to your friend's house tomorrow, don't forget to take at least a voltmeter and a SMALL wire brush or two. Might not be a bad idea to have a handful of various spade terminals and a crimper with you as well. Ok, plus the usual 10mm, 13mm and phillips screwdriver that seem to be the most usefull for roadside repairs. In the Jeep I carry a Gerber multi-tool and a hammer - plus the chain-saw, machete, hockey mask, tow ropes, shackels and other off-road/wood harvesting stuff...
Click to expand...

I got a hold of a few good people to help me out. Thanks!
 
pyrraxis said:
Tony N seems to know ALL the X-ers in SoCal and where they are at any given time.
Click to expand...

Just to clarify, Mountain View is in Nor-Cal. :grin:
That said, I'm sure Tony's X-head GPS goes well beyond SoCal. :thumbsup:

-ryan

ps. Mountain View is the home of Google, btw.
 
Wil... Hope you're OK...

Just saw this now... call if I can help and I have a few numbers of folks in the Bay Area and east of there.

661-296-7277

BUT... it does sound like its your IGNITION SWITCH.

If all the regular battery connections prove OK, a cheap test light or VOM might be needed... Pull the cover under the column and first check out the 4/5 wire connector from the ignition switch to see if it is burned. If not, then check for voltages by STABBING the wires with a sharpened probe or PIN and test for voltage on the BROWN wire...

Then turn key to START and test for voltage on RED wire (to starter) and then release to RUN and check for voltage on the others.

If what I think is true, there will be no voltage on any of the other wires and the switch has failed internally.

Chris Obert is in Santa Cruz and there is a shop in the Bay Area many use, the Fiat America folks would know... of course it is SUNDAY and a holiday... so I bet that won't help.

In a fix like this, I would HOTWIRE the car... tying all the other wires to the BROWN wire and then TOUCHING the RED wire to to the BROWN wire to start the car.

(This can be done with paper clips in the connector and some tape, or cut and twist. Disconnect battery first while you are messing with this.)

Shutting off the engine can be done by disconnecting the wires or letting out the clutch with the foot on the brake and the car in gear.

Hope this helps...
 
Tony you read my mind...

I would fab up a Y shaped harness with male tab connectors for this purpose. Disconnect ignition switch, install sort of as you describe.

You would need to leave the key in and on "run" for steering lock override.

:thumbsup:
 
*Check the wires to the battery.

*Check the large brown wire and it's connectors. This is the main power to the entire car.

*Check the wires and connections under the dash cover that go to the ignition switch..

*If all of the above is well, it is likely that the ignition switch died.
I have a spare and not too far away from you.

Call me at 415.350.7759, I'm still in the SJ area, but will be heading up to SF later this morning.


Bernice



abec said:
I started my car once it idled for 30 seconds I turned on the headlights, instantly killing the power. Now the car no longer gets any power in any key position. I am at a friends house w/ no tools. I didn't find any burnt fuses.

I am currently visiting San Jose, and am in Mountain view * a friends house without tools. No way to figure out the issue, hopefully someone has some ideas, or could possibly come to my aid!?
Click to expand...
 
Let us know what you find and if it is a bad ig switch. I think I have a spare or could pull one off the doner car. Its also easy to hot wire if need be.

I am about an hour from Mnt View but If you can get Bernice's help you will be in good hands.

-Tim
 
DOH! :mallet:Saw the location on the right and didn't think about how far Mountain View is from down there. LOTS of help up in that area, as many have pointed out.

I was really hoping it won't turn out to be the ignition switch, but that seems to be where all the signs are pointing to. Lots of options for the "field expedient" repair if that's the case, and getting one is easier than it used to be. It'll be interesting to see if this turns out to be internal or external to the switch. Let us know what you find how you fix it.
 
*SOLVED!*

Thank you everyone!

It did turn out that the plastic around the brown wire connector inside of the fuse box had melted. I cleaned up the area a bit and everything powered right up.
 
AWESOME! Sounds like it's time for the headlight relay mod with the brown wire mod thown in for good measure...
 
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