Daughter's new car won't start, no lights no electrical activity at all. She calls AAA who try to jump, no help. Battery checks normal.  Tow truck guy tries, no help.

Delivered by flat bed to dealership.....starts fine on the first try.

They tell daughter "no problems and please come and pick up!"

 

Any ideas what they missed?

Thanks in advance

Make sure the battery cables are tight on the battery. Can't tell you how many times I've seen what you described, and one or both of the terminals was loose.

Well, multiple people including two guys from AAA/towing verified they were tight. That was the first thing everyone checked. Car is 3 months old.

Started at dealership without ANY manipulation on their part as soon as it came off flatbed.

Wierd 

Well, multiple people including two guys from AAA/towing verified they were tight. That was the first thing everyone checked. Car is 3 months old.

Started at dealership without ANY manipulation on their part as soon as it came off flatbed.

Wierd 

 

Is this a manual or CVT?

 

Twitch

Edited August 16, 201411 yr by Twitch de la Brat

CVT

Well, next time it does that, request the dealer sent a tech out to wherever the car is and test it there.

Also, have the tech show your daughter the exact startup procedure he is doing.

There may be a step she doesn't know about or is forgetting that is preventing the car from starting. I've heard of weirder.

 

Twitch

They actually suggested that too. We'll see when it happens again.

I have had weird stuff like this happen before with batteries shorting out only part of the time, bad ground to the body or motor, corroded fuses links, and as already stated loose/corroded battery cables .

will check ground connection to body of car when daughter returns tomorrow, if loose that could explain all eh?

I serviced a Honda last week that would intermittently shut off while driving. No lights or anything. Car would just shut off. Coast to a stop, turn key off and back on and the car would start just fine. Owner replaced fuses, modules, relays, ignition switch, nothing fixed it.

Pulled the battery cables and the ring terminals were heavily corroded on the inside. Both battery posts were pitted and burned in several places. Had to scrape them with a round file to get down to clean metal.

Battery connections are always worth a look when you have some sort of strange problem.

no power at all points to the power distribution which would be: 

 

1. battery

2. terminals

3.  cables (no cables are bolted right - they're all soldered?)

4.  the main fuse box bolt on connector from the battery terminal power. 

 

*** I would have a multimeter or some kind of tester poised to test for power at the fuse box next time it happens.  It's fairly easy and worth the learning curve for avoiding a tow call. The main fuse should have 12 volts at all times in the fuse box - very simple to check.

thanks for all suggestions

"old" mechanic looked at car today, and thinks it is a loose ground wire from battery to engine block

will take back to dealer tomorrow and ask them to evaluate