Battery electrical

SERENA GUERRERO SCHWARTZ

MEMBER
1998 FORD MUSTANG
3.8L
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
165,000 MILES

Bought a new battery installed it in the car after the car had been sitting for a few months. Tried starting the car and sparks flew out of the positive terminal and now there is not any power to the electronics. Did I blow a fuse or short the battery? Yes, it was installed correctly. Thanks in advance!

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,873 POSTS

More likely there was some corrosion between the post and cable clamp that caused a less-than-perfect connection. Use a test light to check the battery for normal voltage. Turn the head light switch on, even if they are not working now. First put the ground clip on the negative post, and the probe right on the battery's positive posts. Next, move the probe from the post to the cable clamp. Move the ground clip from that post to that cable clamp. The light should be just as bright. If it is, move the ground clip to a paint-free point on the body. Follow the smaller battery positive wire to the under-hood fuse box and put the probe there.

At all these places the test light should be full brightness. If it is not, you just reached the point where there is a bad connection.

If you have replacement cable ends that clamp to the battery cables, then bolt to the battery posts, those are really meant for temporary repairs. They are notorious for developing bad connections.