My car blew up.....

[Hispanic Panic]

Ok so i tried to start my car, but it wouldn't start. The starter engaged slowly, clicked a few times, then stopped. So i was like well i guess my battery is dead since its been sitting there a while. So i tell my mom to connect the jumper cables while i pull another car up. I pulled up the car and my mom connected the cables. I start my mothers car, then i get in mine and try to start it. The first thing i realize is that the clock is blank. I turn on the ignition and nothings happening. I turn the key further, and nothing happens. IT is then that i realized that the jumper cables were smoking. I jump out of the car and get something to take off the steamy hot jumper cables. After i take the cables off, the rubber on the cables slowly burns and melts away from the wire. Before i took the cables off i had realized that my mother crossed terminals (positive was on my negative end, her negative was on my positive.) So i was kinda pissed. My mom's car is still perfectly fine. I get back in my car (after disconnecting the jumper cables) and the clock is on. I sighed and thought everything was ok. I tried to start my car again by itself, but now the starter doesn't engage. I turn the key and absolutely nothing happens. I tried jumping it again too (this time with the right ends connected to the right terminals). Now the only things that work on my car, are basic electricals. Like the clock and the alarm system. The alarm system is also acting funny now. Sometimes it only shoots out certain frequency's of sound when its going off (it only plays one note, not the whole carrosel of notes).

So what exactly could have gone bad from this?? I'm doing an engine swap sometime soon so would that fix things???


Cliff notes: I tried jumping my car but the cables were not connected to the right terminals (thanks mom). And now the only things that work are my clock and my alarm system. (does not start).


oh and i checked the fuses under the hood and they all seemed fine

[Var]

take cover

[Var]

...... now tell me why the fuck your mom put on the jumper cables for you. you almost deserve for this to happen. Does she work on cars? can you actually blame her for it? NO it's your fault.In fact you should have left that part out of the story. I think you did it and feel too stupid to admit it so you just said your mom did it. I doubt you are coordinated enough but if your car is a stick, try to compression start it. if it starts you know it's in the starter circuit only.


cliff notes:
dont blame your mom for your mistake.

[HyperTek]

I dont think he was pointing fingers at his mom, but give her credit for trying to help him.

But I dunno, im glad I never had this situation, electrical is a #^(!#

I think tho, that if someone did hook them up backwords.. there woulda ben an instant spark and they woulda realized it was backwords...

[projectRDM]

I fit was backwards, hopefully you blew the main 75A or 100A fuse under the hood. If you didn't, start buying replacement parts, you just fried everything in the car.

[wootwoot]

^^^
its either basically nothing, or fuckin everything. heck yea!

[nightwalker]

did you have a "Hispanic Panic" when you saw the smoke? har har har. I couldn't resist.

Ok, the best thing to do is get a multi-meter. (Who said that this thing was going to be your best friend?) ...well, yeah, it really is going to be your best friend. Use it to figure out what died. Sure beats replacing stuff blindly.

[Loofee95SE]

i think the worse case will be the ECU is fried, I think u have to check ur fuse panel before u " Hispanic Panic (1)" there is no way that u can Blow ur engine when u did not even start it.
so, stop "Hispanic Panic(2)" and go look, ok! "Hispanic Panic(3)" that's 3 H-P for me hahaha C

[Bradman123]

if you reverse the cables doesnt that just reverse the polarity of the battery, the clock may work cuz it may not need a specific positive or nagetive on either side, just as long as it has one of each. your battery could just be screwed up. it could all matter how dead the battery was too maybe. try a different battery and check all ur fuses. the fuses shoulda went before anything else.

[Bradman123]

I fit was backwards, hopefully you blew the main 75A or 100A fuse under the hood. If you didn't, start buying replacement parts, you just fried everything in the car.

dont let comments like this freak the shit outa you...it could be something really simple, if everything was fried i bet ur car would smell like burnt toast haha

[240Stilo]

I'm pretty sure nothing more is wrong than what was wrong in the first place. First off you're battery sounds like it needs a recharge. If that doesn't help then report back.

[projectRDM]

dont let comments like this freak the shit outa you...it could be something really simple, if everything was fried i bet ur car would smell like burnt toast haha

Why is that? I just spent 18 hours working on a car that had done the same thing, everything was damaged, ECU, MAF, radio, door lock timer, AC head, etc, and there was no burnt smell anywhere. It's not a gaurantee that's what happened, but it is a probablilty. And if you read the post you'd see I recommend checking the fuses first.

[Hispanic Panic]

UPDATE:

I checked all the fuses under the hood. Every single one of them is fine.

I found 2 boxes that look like an ecu underneath the drivers side dash next to the brake pedal. Which one is the ecu? I want to pull it and inspect or something, and test the wire harness with a multimeter. My battery is completely fine too.

I also sat in my car and pressed the little remote button for the alarm for a while. I noticed, that when the alarm is supposed to lock the doors, there is a weird clicky noise under the dash, but the doors don't lock. All i hear is a beep and a faint clicky noise.

[Kid Zelda]

ECU is located under the kick panel on the passenger side.

This is one of the worst things you can do, as mentioned before, you'll have components fail & stop working out of the blue, get ready to start replacing parts.. not trying to scare you, but it sure sounds like that might take place.

Let this be a lesson to you, NEVER jumper a car ( unless it has no cpu's or it is your last resort) its not hard to take ou the batt' and get it recharged at the local auto-parts store.

[nightwalker]

btw, how many of you know how to properly jump a car anyways? ...and no! it's not black to your car's negative, red to your car's positive, black to their car's negative, red to their car's positive.

[Var]

how about pos/neg to host battery. positive to terminal on dead battery, and negative to chassis. somewhere where it cant spark if you disconnect it. If you crank an engine too long the battery's fumes come out and they can ignite with a spark from connecting or disconnecting the jumper cables.

[TheSnail]

Pop the hood, Check the grey fuse (ALT)

-Snail

[TheSnail]

And if thats not it.. Since the wires got got and caught fire, look around for melted sheilding, and make sure no wires are grounding to the chasise.

-Snail

[formeRiceR]

btw, how many of you know how to properly jump a car anyways? ...and no! it's not black to your car's negative, red to your car's positive, black to their car's negative, red to their car's positive.


and the correct answer is..... :hug:

red host , red your car, black your car, black host....no??????? just how I was taught by a mech down the street when I was 13 :smash:

[Hispanic Panic]

ECU is located under the kick panel on the passenger side.

This is one of the worst things you can do, as mentioned before, you'll have components fail & stop working out of the blue, get ready to start replacing parts.. not trying to scare you, but it sure sounds like that might take place.

Let this be a lesson to you, NEVER jumper a car ( unless it has no cpu's or it is your last resort) its not hard to take ou the batt' and get it recharged at the local auto-parts store.


someone said that if i had a computer diagnostic run on my electrical it could help pinpoint the problems.

anyone have a computer diagnostic thingy around the houston area of texas?? I'm not about to pay 60 bucks to get my car towed to a shop.