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Help for total auto ignoramous - electrical

Hi all,

I know almost nothing about cars. I'm hoping that I might get a little direction here. Thanks for any help you can offer.

Car is a 1999 Mazda Protege. Suddenly, the car won't start. Not turning over, nothing. I open the hood and the battery cables are very badly corroded. I clean them the best I can with baking soda and water (no wire brush, just a tooth brush). Still no crank. I replace the battery. Still no crank. I notice that the radio will play in the first position of the ignition switch, but not the second (the one just before "cranking position"). But if I turn on the dome light (which shines dimly) or the headlights (which don't turn on at all), the radio stops.

Just thinking logically, before the battery replacement, I was thinking A. battery or B. alternator. With the new battery in place, I'm now thinking bad battery cables. What do you think?

Thanks for any help!

Reply to
Jenn
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How tight are the cables on the battery? Clean the battery posts and the battery clamps with a WIRE brush. Rub some vaseline around the posts before putting the cables back on.

Did you charge your new battery before putting it in the car? Batteries don't necessarily have a charge when you buy one new.

Definately sounds like there is barely any power getting to the car.

Reply to
Noozer

Jenn, make sure those cables are getting a good "bite' on the battery.

foothold. It might behoove you to just break down and buy new battery cables. That way you can start fresh. Whatever you do, though, don't go for just the repair ends on the cables...they truely suck and they make a mess of things. 1 more thing, I don't know if you have top mount or side mount cables, -I'm guessing side mount-be very careful not to cross thread the cables into the battery terminals. You can also pick up a little tube of diaelectric grease from AtutoZone for a buck or 2 and apply it to the mating surfaces of the terminal/battery connection. Just cheap insurance. Hope this helps! Jay

Reply to
bajazza

its 3 dolars for new teminals get them thats the problem im plagued by bad terminals all u have to do is cut the old ones off and use a 7/16 wrench to bolt the new ones on then depending if its top or side post u might need a 10 mm wrench or a 1/2

Reply to
midgetracing28

Can anybody translate this into english?

Reply to
AZ Nomad

Hes saying that if the terminals are badly corroded (or rather the cable end clamps) to buy a replacement set , cut the old ones off the cable and fit the new ones.

Reply to
marks542004

MANY thanks for the help, everyone. One last question: If I go with replacing the terminals, I presume that I'll need more than wire cutters to get the old one off, right? Hack saw?

Reply to
Jenn

What is the voltage reading on the new battery?

If the new battery is at 12.6 volts then get a wire brush and clean up the cable ends and try again. It is possible for the corrosion to get in to the physical cable and cause problems as well but at this point it sounds like you have a dead battery or a cruddy connection.

Steve B.

Reply to
Steve B.

I just finished replacing the battery cable terminators and everything is fine now. I'll take it in to the shop to have the system checked out just to make sure that everything is good. THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE for your help!

Reply to
Jenn

If you replaced the battery cable clamps , make sure you check them regularly. With the copper wire exposed they tend to corrode.

Reply to
marks542004

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