CryptoPapi2k

Hey guys, was hoping I could get some opinions on what could be going wrong in my AP1..

So a few days ago I was on a joyride and pulled over to grab some food, I put the key in the ignition and turned, the lights came on but when I pushed the start button no luck, no ticking or anything. I got the car rolling and was able to start it in 2nd gear, the EPS light comes on and no power steering. I park it back at my place and tried starting it again, it starts back up perfectly and EPS light goes away. Back to normal for a few days and now it won’t start back up again, lights on but no start.

The car has only 65k miles, I checked the ground wiring on the engine and everything looks clean and in place, haven’t had time to check the starter yet.. any thoughts?

Note: this car went from hot Florida weather to freezing winter weather.

Thanks!

noodels

Maybe the solenoid wire on starter motor<small one>

CryptoPapi2k

Thanks! I contacted the dealer who sold me the car (he knows his stuff), he recommended I take a closer look at the battery as it could've finally gave up since it spent its entire life in Florida weather and then suddenly sat in freezing cold weather when it was shipped. Maybe the CCA went out and its just not giving enough amps to start in the cold... hoping this is the issue.

Car Analogy

I'm thinking battery too.

windhund116

Yeah, check the battery voltage. Before cold starts & under load. This YT may help you.

CryptoPapi2k

UPDATE: I was able to get back up running after testing and charging the battery, still buying a new one to keep on the side. When I tested it was pretty much dead and had no amps! Easy fix

blueosprey90

I dun'no. I think this is the exact problem for which jumper cables were invented.



Next time it happens go to the guy with the crappiest car in the lot. He'll have them in the boot.

Last fall, I pulled into the rest area on the Northway and a guy was changing his tire. I took a nap and then headed back out. He was still changing his tire. I could see he hadn't made any progress. So I stopped and changed his tire for him. He was flummoxed by the jack.

I don't know if I should welcome the OP to the forums, or welcome him to car ownership. Either case, good luck, lad. Hope you enjoy the car.


Edit: either your battery is past its "use by date" or you are having an issue with your alternator. I think the former.

CryptoPapi2k

LOL eye see what you did there sir. But no, you shouldn't welcome me to car ownership as this is my second vehicle. Threw me off that my lights were working perfectly fine so I figured I would post about it, turns out the cold crank amps had gone out and all I needed was a recharge.

blueosprey90

OP, I think the sudden failure of the engine to turn over due to a weak battery is emblematic of the modern electronics. If you're lucky, you'll get some clicking of the solenoid. If not so lucky, it's completely dead (silent).

In the old days of analogue cars, with a weak battery you could crank the recalcitrant engine and hear it getting weaker and weaker and weaker as the battery gave up the ghost.

Car Analogy

So true! I was once poor, in school. Nursed a near dead battery for over a year. It only had about 2 seconds of cranking before it would slow to a crawl. If it let off the key, you'd be doomed to clicking solenoid and a jump start. But if you hung in their, it would pause, moan, then crank ever so slowly through one more cylinders compression stroke, and virtually always fire up with sudden enthusiasm.

Meanwhile on my modern cars, leave a door open too long working on it, and battery will go low enough to put it into an apoplectic state, with relays clicking and lights flashing. Not enough power to even turn off the very systems going haywire trying to stay on.

How I loathe momentary switches that require ecu processing power to turn things on or off.