• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

Some kind of electrical problem

S

skifast87

New CEG'er
Joined
May 12, 2005
Messages
10
Location
Howard County MD
So as some of you know I lost the only key I had to start the car. So I had to head over to ford and tow the car and get a new key. I at first I thought my battery was dead from sitting in the car for so long. Since I bought a new camaro I gave the merc car you my younger brother. Well he doesn’t drive yet so the car sat for a good 6 months. So I charged the battery. I went to go see if any thing would turn on and there was no power what so ever. So I went out and got a new battery. I figured I needed to have a good battery to get the keys programmed. Well to make a long story short. They had to use a jump box at ford to program the keys. When I tested the battery the volt meter read 12.45. So I think the battery is still good. When I drove down the road. If was at a stop and pressed on the breaks the car would die. The Speedo jumps up and down. The lights dim and brighten. The whole car is an electrical mess. When I just went out side to start it. Nothing happens like no sounds no lights no nothing? HELPPPPPPPPPPP
 
10 to 1 its a bad battery, wierd things happen when the battery goes really low. it may show 12v right after you charge it or anything like that. let it sit for like 5 mins and see what it reads if its less find your parasitic draw. theres something draining it.
edit: have the car running when you test the voltage. if its 12v its not being charged, it should be at like 14v. that might be the reason it dies with the brake lights on.
 
do you think it could just be alot of corrosion on the terminals ? Becasue they could get the car to start with a jump box. But it would not start on its own.
 
ok boys and girls here is the next chapter in my story. So i cleaned the terminals on the battery. The lights and all work now but when i go to start it nothing happens not a noise nothing. However when i jump it. It fires right up. Some one help me
 
Battery is completely discharged. Charge it well and see if it works. If not, you need a new one. ;)
 
There is a problem with the cable connection to the battery. Try "reaming" out the inside of the cable connection.

In addition, be very suspicious of the negative cable. I am assuming that you are jump starting it the proper way. Good positive terminal to bad positive terminal. Good negative terminal to bad ground.

There is a gound wire which goes under the battery tray. Check that as it has been found to be a problem issue in previous posts.
 
So i figured out the problem. many monthes later! The negtive battery terminal was soo corroded i had a 6 volt loss. This would expaline why the car was running like dog ****. More importratly i towed the car to a new ford dealer to get them to look at it. They said other than the cable there was nothing wrong with the car. The other dealer chraged me to program the keys but never actually did it. so **** is about to hit the fan. I am going to pick the old girl up right now. Apprently you turn the key and it runs great! lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top