Car wont start after removing radio

**theorangeguy** · 03-18-2014, 04:00 AM

Ok...so first off...im an idiot. I took the radio out last night without disconnecting the battery "I know better but I just forgot". WITH THAT SAID...the car started when I put it back in at like 9:30pm last night...it stuttered, but it started. I set the clock to the accurate time, set my presets back to the stations I wanted and went to bed.

Fast forward to this morning...put the key in, go to start the car and it just clicks but wont turn over. I disconnected the battery for a minute or two and let it sit there and reconnected it hoping that would solve the problem but it didnt. So im thinking 1 of like 5 things...First is the battery, its got the symptoms of a dead or dieing battery so I'm going to take it out after work and go get it tested...gonna try and jump it off too. Second thing I was thinking is that I somehow messed with the theft system by not disconnecting the battery but wouldnt the car have not started last night instead of this morning...? Weird...

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated...like I said, the car started last night when I put the battery back in. It wasnt a solid start and it hesitated for just a second and then turned over with no issues. I was thinking it was because I had the radio out for like 2-3hours and didnt think much of it until I tried to start it this morning.

**0rion** · 03-18-2014, 05:13 AM

sounds like your battery ran down overnight.......got any pinched or shorted wires? Leave anything on accidentally in the car overnight like parking lights or anything like that?

**theorangeguy** · 03-18-2014, 05:20 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

sounds like your battery ran down overnight.......got any pinched or shorted wires? Leave anything on accidentally in the car overnight like parking lights or anything like that?

I dont think I left any lights on...but I very easily could have. I'll pull everything out tonight and make sure nothing is shorted or pinched before I try to jump it off...hopefully thats all it is.

**Too Fast** · 03-18-2014, 02:40 PM

+1 on a battery/connection issue. Radio has nothing to do with our cars starting.

**pajeff02** · 03-18-2014, 03:16 PM

Battery, electrical connection or a bad relay in the ignition system.

**theorangeguy** · 03-18-2014, 05:36 PM

jumped it off tonight and it started with no issues...let it sit for an hour and started it again with no issues...took it to dinner and started with no issues.

Lets see how it does in the morning...

**Too Fast** · 03-19-2014, 02:44 AM

Will you do a basic check of you charging system for me? Turn the key on, engine off, and see where the volt gauge reads. Should be close to 12v. Now, start it and see if it goes higher, near 14v. If it does, your alternator *should* be ok. If it stays near 12v or goes lower, you are only running on battery power and you Trans Am will strand you somewhere soon.

Also get your battery checked if the volt meter responds like it should. You may have permanently damgaed it by draining it the other day. Most auto batteries have their life greatly shortened when completely drained, which it sounds like you almost did. A deep cycle battery can withstand multiple drainings.

Also you may have a bad spot on your starter, sometimes it will just "click" and no crank over.

**theorangeguy** · 03-19-2014, 06:00 AM

Voltage looks good on the dash. I haven't hooked a meter up to it...the battery is about a year old. Had a brand new battery in it when I bought the car last June/July.

I've been trying to remember if I left a door open or a light on in the car because it was sitting in my garage all night...I know I had the hatch open for a while too. I highly doubt its the starter...I could be wrong, but I really doubt it. I think I left something on and just drained the battery some how...stupid move on my part.

***SMWS6TA*** · 03-19-2014, 07:09 AM

crap this thread just reminded me to add a battery to the list of stuff to by on payday.

**0rion** · 03-19-2014, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by theorangeguy

Voltage looks good on the dash. I haven't hooked a meter up to it...the battery is about a year old. Had a brand new battery in it when I bought the car last June/July.

I've been trying to remember if I left a door open or a light on in the car because it was sitting in my garage all night...I know I had the hatch open for a while too. I highly doubt its the starter...I could be wrong, but I really doubt it. I think I left something on and just drained the battery some how...stupid move on my part.

this is what it sounds like to me.....sounds like you just left something on.

**Too Fast** · 03-19-2014, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by theorangeguy

Voltage looks good on the dash. I haven't hooked a meter up to it...the battery is about a year old. Had a brand new battery in it when I bought the car last June/July.

I've been trying to remember if I left a door open or a light on in the car because it was sitting in my garage all night...I know I had the hatch open for a while too. I highly doubt its the starter...I could be wrong, but I really doubt it. I think I left something on and just drained the battery some how...stupid move on my part.

....except usually the interior lights are controlled by the BCM and time out after 10 minutes or so to prevent a dead battery. Maybe you left the igniton on all night? Did you check the voltage on the dash as I suggested?

**theorangeguy** · 03-19-2014, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by Too Fast

....except usually the interior lights are controlled by the BCM and time out after 10 minutes or so to prevent a dead battery. Maybe you left the igniton on all night? Did you check the voltage on the dash as I suggested?

yea, I said it was fine.

**Too Fast** · 03-20-2014, 02:42 AM

^^^kewl.

Sometimes people don't follow directions, just checking to be sure your voltage went up when the engine started.

**RONS98TA** · 03-20-2014, 04:20 AM

I've left my door open during radio installs too. The car will shut off the lights after 10 min or so, but if you turn on the ignition, open a door, open the hatch etc, the interior lights come back on. You just killed the battery. I'm sure all will be well now. The car prob just started the 1st time cause it was still warm, in the morning when it was cold, it required more cold cranking amps to start it back up.

**pajeff02** · 03-20-2014, 07:51 AM

My car has a draw somewhere and will drag a battery down in about 2 weeks... no aftermarket electrical equipment other than gauges, so not sure what the issue is. Hasn't been troubling enough to take the time to chase it yet.

**RONS98TA** · 03-21-2014, 07:02 AM

Electrical issues are such a PITA!! I have a co-worker with a 2002 Pontiac bonneville, that had a battery drain issue that took 2 days of the car sitting to completely kill the battery. Took me a week (working on it a few hrs everyday after work) just to find the circuit where the drain was located. Pulling the fuses did not work, because after I pulled a circuit fuse, the drain took 2 minutes to go away. After finding said circuit, I decided just to put a toggle switch on the center console for that circuit to kill it and save the battery from draining. He's "suppose" to get rid of the car soon, so that's why I didn't fix the problem correctly.