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No power to car

Tiny
ROBERTEUGENEALBERIGI
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 CADILLAC STS
  • 4.6L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 150,000 MILES
Stopped and ate my lunch in the car and dozed off and woke up to a car that wouldn't start. Called wife to come give me a jump thinking I might have had foot on brake pedal and drained the battery, but didn't even make a click when trying to start. So AAA it is. Thinking it was the starter I changed it along with a battery and I have no power to anything. Turn on lights and nothing, but after about 3 minutes they come on but dim. Still no instrument lights of any kind including security light. No nothing. Seats wouldn't work but started to trunk and gas tank lid will not work. Tested all fuses all good. I soldered a inline resister for the key years ago. Leading up to this it was starting up kind of slow not power slow but like a delay and when I would use key to open the car the alarm would go off.
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Sunday, February 16th, 2020 AT 1:49 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,645 POSTS
This sounds like a ground issue. Have you checked to make sure the terminals are clean and tight, the ground between the battery and the engine, body and so on are clean and tight, not damaged?

Let me know.

Joe
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Sunday, February 16th, 2020 AT 4:13 PM
Tiny
ROBERTEUGENEALBERIGI
  • MEMBER
  • 17 POSTS
All good clean and tight.
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Sunday, February 16th, 2020 AT 6:06 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,645 POSTS
Hi,

There isn't one fuse that will shut everything down and then slowly power it back. Either you have a dead battery or it's a ground issue. If you take a look at the attached pic, it indicated where one of the main grounds is located near the rear seat. Check it.

Also, take a volt meter and check the battery both with nothing on and then with the headlights on. See if it drops. Check continuity between the battery negative and a place under the hood where you can find a good place to ground the multi meter. I'm curious how much resistance there is. Also, and I don't know what all has been done, make sure none of the fuses are bad in the rear fuse box.

Let me know what you find.

Joe
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Sunday, February 16th, 2020 AT 7:03 PM
Tiny
ROBERTEUGENEALBERIGI
  • MEMBER
  • 17 POSTS
13 volts 12 with lights on lights wont come on unless key is turned on and continuity is battery to motor is 0 to 1 and battery to body is 27 motor to body is 28 to 29. But while doing this I double checked my self while my partner was moving the rear seat and now I have motor to body 2 and 3 and from battery. To motor I have 0 and battery to body is 3.
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Sunday, February 16th, 2020 AT 9:30 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,645 POSTS
When you say 0 are you referring to resistance or there is no continuity?
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Monday, February 17th, 2020 AT 1:00 PM
Tiny
ROBERTEUGENEALBERIGI
  • MEMBER
  • 17 POSTS
Yes. I had checked all fuses trunk and engine compartment when it all started but I haven't done it again that's what I am doing tonight besides installing new ground cables in the trunk area. I have already ran new grounds in the engine compartment. To chassis and frame firewall. Now I was going to finish with the rear of the car. I have tried every thing I know to do I even changed the PCM and that didn't do a thing. Checked starter relay power relay. Could it possibly be the ignition, the barrel or the starter? The key I have already did the inline resister to by pass the security system. Changed battery, new starter. Just running out juice myself I work a regular job 40 some odd hours a week with an 80 mile commute. Working on this thing until midnight every night is getting old and frustrating to say the least. So just wanted to let you know I really appreciate your help and I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. My 1999 Honda Civic with 300,000 miles on it gave up last weekend. The only car I have going is 2004 Jaguar that I really didn't want to commute in and put miles on it already have 195,000 on it and the Cadillac is the wife's car and it's very clean. She needs it for work and doesn't want to part with it.
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Tuesday, February 18th, 2020 AT 8:39 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,645 POSTS
It could be related to the ignition switch. Have you checked the maxi fuses? See attached pic.

Joe
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Wednesday, February 19th, 2020 AT 7:20 PM

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