Shut off driving over a bump and would not restart, got it started but when the headlights are turned on everything shut off?

Tiny
DINA HARRIS
  • MEMBER
  • 2007 TOYOTA RAV4
  • 20,000 MILES
We were driving our car went over a bump and everything turned off and then wouldn't restart. We let it sit for some hours and it started but then we turned the headlights on everything turned off again. Could you please tell us what's wrong with our car?
Friday, July 29th, 2022 AT 9:27 AM

1 Reply

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
Hi,

When you hit the bump, did everything turn off? For example, the lights, radio, or everything electrical?

If that is the case, it sounds like we may have a loose ground between the battery, the engine, and the body.

Do me a favor. Check the battery terminals to make sure they are both clean and tight. Also, follow the ground wire from the battery to where it bolts to the engine and body, see if the connections are loose. If we have a poor ground connection, the headlamps may be enough to cause it to fail and turn everything off. Often times this is at the battery itself.

Take a look through this link:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/everything-goes-dead-when-engine-is-cranked

Let me know what you find. Also, let me know if I misunderstood what happened.

Take care,

Joe
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Friday, July 29th, 2022 AT 9:41 PM

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