Electrical issues with car?

Tiny
SWILSON3828
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY
  • 2.2L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 175,000 MILES
Hey guys, hope you all are doing well. The problem with this car is just a little bit of how what is going on happened. My son's girlfriend had this car, and it was leaking oil terribly, so I took on the task of changing her oil pump gasket for her. Got everything off, the timing belt, harmonic balance, and the like. Got everything put back on but when I attached the battery, I'd forgotten to attach the connection to the alternator (not the multiport connection on the back that you insert and has several wires, but the one that goes on top of the alternator and is screwed down). Well, that connection just happened to be touching the heat shield and when I connected the battery it arced for a split second before I pulled the battery terminal back off. That being said I now have no odometer, no tail lights, no brake lights, no dome light, no windshield wipers, no heater blower motor, no radio, no power locks, no power windows and no power to the OBD port (I'd wanted to scan the system to see if there are any codes and the scanner doesn't power, so no power from the OBD port). I do have front and rear hazard lights, headlights, and when I insert the key, I have the open door chime that work and the little open door light on the instrument panel lights up along with the little airbag light on the instrument panel, and the car does start just fine.
I've checked all of the little bus fuses in the engine compartment and under the dash two times and all of those fuses are good. I have not checked any relays or any of the other larger items/fuses that are in the fuse compartment under the hood.
I'm hoping this is simple problem that can be solved by replacing a relay or fusible link or something, but I have a gear that it might be the BCM. If this car has an actual BCM on it. The reason I say that is because I've looked for used BCM's on eBay and there are none, but there are several ECM's.
Anyway, that's the situation I have. Any advice would be tremendously appreciated.
Monday, January 8th, 2024 AT 10:08 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,536 POSTS
The large wire on the rear of the alternator is the main charge wire so it blew the main ALT fuse 100 amp for the car, here is the location so you can change it out. I also included the alternator wiring diagrams so you can see what I am talking about. Check out the images (below). Let us know if you need anything else.
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Tuesday, January 9th, 2024 AT 9:36 AM
Tiny
SWILSON3828
  • MEMBER
  • 110 POSTS
Ken, I really appreciate the advice. I was hoping it was something that simple. This may be a redundant question but why does the car start with a blown alternator fuse? The reason I ask is because yesterday, even with the instruments being out as described, the car started and ran just fine. Today, when I attempted to pull the fuse, it was stuck in there so badly that I broke the fuse trying to get it out. Not an issue since I'm going to replace it, but after breaking the fuse and before I got the new one, I tried to start it and it wouldn't start, as if the battery was dead. It would make one or two clicking sounds like when you have a dead or dying battery. I measured the battery with a multimeter just to see and it was measuring 12.53 volts which should be more than enough to kick the starter in. Why would the car start yesterday with a blown alternator fuse, but not tonight with a broken fuse? Isn't the starter solenoid also a DC from the battery? Headlights still work but they're pretty dim, open door chime and bell still work. There is probably some logic behind why that is, but it escapes me. Thinking back at the arc I mentioned I'm not sure anything else could have shorted out since it's a link directly from the battery to the alternator.
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Tuesday, January 9th, 2024 AT 6:10 PM
Tiny
SWILSON3828
  • MEMBER
  • 110 POSTS
Everything works good. Again, thanks for the help.
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Wednesday, January 10th, 2024 AT 8:52 AM
Tiny
SWILSON3828
  • MEMBER
  • 110 POSTS
Sorry. What is the link to your donation page? I looked around for it and couldn't find it. Thanks again
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Wednesday, January 10th, 2024 AT 8:55 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
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That would be great!

https://gofund.me/c7d318ad

Use 2CarPros anytime, we are here to help. Please tell a friend
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Thursday, January 11th, 2024 AT 10:08 AM

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