idosubaru Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 replaced the battery in a 2003 Legacy and now it doesn't start? Started fine right before that. Hooked up my truck to it with jumper cables and nothing. Lights and radio won't come on either - but the door locks work fine? Fuse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 (edited) replaced the battery in a 2003 Legacy and now it doesn't start? Started fine right before that. Hooked up my truck to it with jumper cables and nothing. Lights and radio won't come on either - but the door locks work fine? Fuse? alarm?? connect the battery with the key in the run position. bad from the factory battery?? now many volts? another scary thought, was the old battery doing the same thing? oops, already answered. Edited December 28, 2010 by johnceggleston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 28, 2010 Author Share Posted December 28, 2010 it does have keyless and i wasn't sure if it has some kind of system for preventing a start if the battery was tampered with? owners manual didn't seem to say much about that though, seems to insinuate it won't cause issues, but i thought i saw mention of it on the board before? bad from the factory battery?? now many volts?there's no change with jumper cables hooked up so i don't think so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 it does have keyless and i wasn't sure if it has some kind of system for preventing a start if the battery was tampered with? owners manual didn't seem to say much about that though, seems to insinuate it won't cause issues, but i thought i saw mention of it on the board before? the ''no lights no radio'' makes me wonder. but it is pretty easy to re-connect the battery with the key on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdjdc Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 It is a quirk of the keyless entry system. You need to either reconnect the battery with the key in the run position or locate the keyless entry activation button and go thru the steps for your system. It is probably easier to do the key in the run position. Happened when I built a car for my sister. It has an ignition lockout feature. You could also locate the lockout jumper harness and remove it and just put the ignition back to the stock wiring and then you will not have to worry when the keyless module craps out and they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 28, 2010 Author Share Posted December 28, 2010 the ''no lights no radio'' makes me wonder. but it is pretty easy to re-connect the battery with the key on.no change. what works: door chime works if the door is left open emergency flashers work door locks work seems like a main fuse must be blown or this is a security detail? car will not come out of park. the fuses i checked seemed good. nothing else works, no interior lights, radio, fan, windows, etc - none of that works, just the couple things listed above. all i did was remove alternator and battery and reinstall....started, ran, and drove fine before that. now with alt and battery installed it does this craziness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 28, 2010 Author Share Posted December 28, 2010 i posted before i saw your reply mike, thanks. i just tried the connect battery with key in run position and got nothing, i'll try again. thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 28, 2010 Author Share Posted December 28, 2010 i disconnected it and will leave it that way for a few minute before i try again, maybe a quick disconnect wasnt' long enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 (edited) It does sound like there is a problem with one of the SBF fuses at least. Get a test light and check the power on each side of the fuses in the Main Panel under the hood. Make sure power is getting to both sides of each fuse. If all the fuses are ok in there then checking for power getting through the ignition switch wiring is the next step. Edited December 28, 2010 by Cougar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 i recently read a post somewhere, which i can't locate now, that listed all of the stuff a slow blow fuse, #2 i think, controlled. your list of things not working sounds similar . i'd check check those . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shin Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 i would say maybe a dirty bad battery connection... new battery may be dead or you starter just took a crap.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 i recently read a post somewhere, which i can't locate now, that listed all of the stuff a slow blow fuse, #2 i think, controlled. your list of things not working sounds similar . i'd check check those . Fuse SBF-2 does tie to a number of important areas, mainly for the engine system. If all the fuses in the Main Panel are good then it needs to be determined if power is getting through the ignition switch since it controls power to that area and more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 28, 2010 Author Share Posted December 28, 2010 waiting a little bit did nothing either, still same thing. can't seem to find in the FSM where it shows which fuses (SBF's) carry what. seems like that would narrow this down real quick which one it is if i could find that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 (edited) I didn't think disconnecting the power would change anything. Let us know what you find out after doing the checks I suggested in post #9. EDIT: Another thing to check is the smaller wire tied to the battery. Make sure it is making a good connection to the positive battery post. That wire supplies power to the Main Panel. Perhaps there is a bad connection there that is causing the trouble. Edited December 28, 2010 by Cougar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebugs Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 Nothing sucks more than breaking a car that was running. And an electrical gremlin to boot. I feel for ya... Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 28, 2010 Author Share Posted December 28, 2010 It does sound like there is a problem with one of the SBF fuses at least. Get a test light and check the power on each side of the fuses in the Main Panel under the hood. Make sure power is getting to both sides of each fuse.Pull the fuse and one side should have 12-14 volts? Or do I have to have a light, I don't have a test light. If they're more beneficial than a multimeter I'll get one. thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 (edited) You don't need to pull the fuses but you are correct about your statement. Power will only be on one side of the fuse connection if you pull the fuse. Look for some tiny test slits on top of each fuse. They allow a probe to get at each side of the fuse connection to make sure power is getting through the fuse without pulling the fuse out of the panel. If you have a voltmeter but no test light that is ok. Either one will work and you can do better testing using a meter. In this case a test light works just fine. All we need to know is if power is getting to and through the fuses. I kind of think you are going to find a problem with the main lead from the battery to the fuse panel. While testing it may help to have the ignition switch turned on so there is a load tied to the fused circuits. Think about adding a test light probe to your tool chest. They are a good thing to have on hand for these kind of problems but given a choice a meter is the best thing to have. Edited December 28, 2010 by Cougar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 28, 2010 Author Share Posted December 28, 2010 great, i'd like to have some more electrical testing tools for sure, i just never know what to get. is a test light the same kind of light they use for testing for current draws as well? i'd definitely like to have one of those then. i didn't know fuses had access points like that, is that all fuses or just the SBF ones? thanks cougar, that's a big help to the electrically challenged like myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 (edited) The test light probe is what folks talk about using to check current draws with but since you have a meter I would use that since you can use it to measure the current draw and not just look at a light intensity. As far as the fuse test points go it is the smaller fuses I know that have the test points on them for sure. The SBF fuses I am not real positive about; I am assuming they do. Even if they don't have them hopefully you can check each side of the fuse contacts somehow without removing them. If you can't do that then we can try something else I guess. You could pull them out one at a time and measure the voltage at the panel contact to make sure that is ok and also measure the fuse resistance to make sure it is good before replacing it and checking another one. Edited December 28, 2010 by Cougar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnW Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 Cougar is one of the best at electrical on these forums! Id be checking the pins on the alternator connector. Does the battery charge light illuminate when you key it to on? If you have a scan tool does it connect to the ECM ok? I use this to verify ignition on connections to many things at once and its proven useful to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 Thanks for the vote of confidence Shawn. We haven't determind yet if the battery warning light is working but the question has been asked. Perhaps we will get the answer tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeti41 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I am experiencing the same symptoms but see no solution to the problem. was it ever figured out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I have purchased and installed new batteries that have been very low on water, that have caused trouble. You would think it would be full since it's new. It may be worth a look to see if there is enough water in the battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I am experiencing the same symptoms but see no solution to the problem. was it ever figured out? put the key in the ignition and turn the key to start and let go. DO NOT TOUCH IT AGAIN. open the hood, disconnect the negative battery cable and wait 2 minutes. reconnect the negative battery cable. get in the car. turn the key to off and then try to start the car again. report back here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeti41 Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 put the key in the ignition and turn the key to start and let go. DO NOT TOUCH IT AGAIN. open the hood, disconnect the negative battery cable and wait 2 minutes. reconnect the negative battery cable. get in the car. turn the key to off and then try to start the car again. report back here. tried it 3 times and no joy:banghead: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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