Help! Crossed battery wires and *poof*
08-05-2008, 02:26 PM
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Help! Crossed battery wires and *poof*
OK, my husband was changing the battery terminals on his 94 toyo p/u. The wires were short, so he turned the battery around, and then forgot he did so and put the terminals on backwards. *spark* Now nothing. Checked all the fuses under the driver's side, under the hood. The 80 amp was blown, so he replaced that. Still nothing. Getting all lights, etc., just no click or anything when you turn over the key.
Help! He's driving me crazy I need advice now.
Help! He's driving me crazy I need advice now.
08-05-2008, 02:55 PM
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if you blew out the 80 amp fuse then i can say i think you fried the fuseible link for the starter just follow the big thick wire from the starter to the battery i bet thats what happened anyone else?
08-05-2008, 02:58 PM
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Just a quick question. When you trun the key to the on position, do any of the dash warning lights come on, battery, check engine, handbrake light??? If not the ignition relay may be fried or stuck. I was having a problem with mine. I would try to start my truck , been siting for a long time, it would not catch. but when i tried the second time to turn over the truck no relay clicking and all my warning lights would not come on. With mine when it stuck i found that if I disconnected the positive and negative terminals, you have to do both, the relay would reset and the truck would start. Just something to try. Good luck!
08-05-2008, 02:59 PM
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It could be the relay or the fusable link to the starter. Ive heard of some pretty wicked things happening from crossing the batter cables though. Blown alternators, ecu's, ect.
Last edited by Justinvd; 08-05-2008 at 03:00 PM.
08-05-2008, 03:04 PM
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There is a chance that he shorted or blew out cells in the battery. Unless you have another battery with the same terminals that you could check quickly I would start with the fuseable link, then the relay.
I don't believe the alternator would be suspect?
Edit, the ECU may have gotten fried but I do not know how to test that? Am I off base???? Anybody? Don't panic until someone either confirms or denies.
I don't believe the alternator would be suspect?
Edit, the ECU may have gotten fried but I do not know how to test that? Am I off base???? Anybody? Don't panic until someone either confirms or denies.
Last edited by kramykram; 08-05-2008 at 03:05 PM.
08-05-2008, 03:08 PM
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Yes all of the dashboard lights come on, and the buzzer works to let you know the door is open.
The big thick wire from the battery is covered with plastic coil tubing and also something he called a "trap door". Is the link in there?
Where is the relay? Is that the one behind the glovebox? He says that one is fine.
He also tried tapping on the starter, which he says is NOT in a good place to get out of the truck BTW, and that did not work.
What's an ECU? sorry that is my question, not his LOL.
The big thick wire from the battery is covered with plastic coil tubing and also something he called a "trap door". Is the link in there?
Where is the relay? Is that the one behind the glovebox? He says that one is fine.
He also tried tapping on the starter, which he says is NOT in a good place to get out of the truck BTW, and that did not work.
What's an ECU? sorry that is my question, not his LOL.
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08-05-2008, 03:11 PM
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One other thing. He bought this truck in April, and just had $800 worth of work done on it. In checking the fuses, he found that most of them were not the right size - usually bigger, not smaller. There were 20 and 25's where the 15's and 10's should be. I read somewhere else that having too big of a fuse would cause the fuses NOT to blow if you had an electrical problem and allow the current to continue. Out of all the fuses, the only ones blown he says was that big 80 amp (which is actually the main fusible link I think if I read here correctly?) and a 15 amp under the driver's side.
My husband also wants to know if the fusible link on the hot going to the starter would be found right where it connects to the starter within the gray plastic housing?
A picture is worth a thousand words:
My husband also wants to know if the fusible link on the hot going to the starter would be found right where it connects to the starter within the gray plastic housing?
A picture is worth a thousand words:
Last edited by bluezru58; 08-05-2008 at 03:43 PM.
08-06-2008, 04:18 AM
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Probably blew the ECU, and the fuseable link. ECU is the computer that runs the thing. If the starter is not turning over the fuseable link is shot. Once thats fixed if the starter turns and the engine doesn't start it the ECU. Solid state electronics don't like reverse polarity.
Wrong fuses. Good indication BUBBA owned your truck.
Wrong fuses. Good indication BUBBA owned your truck.
08-06-2008, 01:25 PM
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Thanks for all the help and suggestions, we do appreciate it. About 8:00 last night I remembered that I used to work with a guy who worked on Toyota trucks for extra money. Called him and he said to try putting in a new fuse where the one labeled starter is. My husband did that today and *vroom* we are off!
08-06-2008, 01:29 PM
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Make that three dogs - the one turning the wrenches wasn't in the picture!
PS - For anyone else who has this problem for what it's worth - first step was to replace 80 amp fuse in main box under hood, done by removing main fuse box bottom and unbolting fuse from underneath... learned that right at this forum. Second step was to change out starter relay - in my case these two steps solved shortout problem from installing battery cables incorrectly. Starter relay fuse is found in main fuse box under hood as well. Thanks once again for all your help, this is a great forum, I'm sure I'll be back!
PS - For anyone else who has this problem for what it's worth - first step was to replace 80 amp fuse in main box under hood, done by removing main fuse box bottom and unbolting fuse from underneath... learned that right at this forum. Second step was to change out starter relay - in my case these two steps solved shortout problem from installing battery cables incorrectly. Starter relay fuse is found in main fuse box under hood as well. Thanks once again for all your help, this is a great forum, I'm sure I'll be back!
08-07-2008, 09:35 AM
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you're very lucky...
I got my frame straightened at college for free, but the truck was there for about 3 months. of course the battery was dead. they jump started it... backwards...
I go to pick it up. "your fusible link is bad, we had to bend it together to get the truck to start." ok. So I pop the hood to check all the fluids before I drive it home, and I notice half my negative terminal is missing, and lead splatter all over the engine bay. I still didn't put things together.
Then about 5 days later, the truck let me sit. Blew out the alternator. about 400 dollars later, we are rolling. cool. not more than 2 weeks later, the starter and starter relay took a crap. replaced them, off we go. well, as you may have guessed, the battery died exactly a week after I picked it up from the starter install.
it cost me around 700 dollars of damage (labor included haha) all because someone in an AUTOMOTIVE school didn't know how to jump start a vehicle. They also didn't bother to tell anyone they did it. they just mentioned how the fusible link was blown... the least they could have done was tell the truth.
I got my frame straightened at college for free, but the truck was there for about 3 months. of course the battery was dead. they jump started it... backwards...
I go to pick it up. "your fusible link is bad, we had to bend it together to get the truck to start." ok. So I pop the hood to check all the fluids before I drive it home, and I notice half my negative terminal is missing, and lead splatter all over the engine bay. I still didn't put things together.
Then about 5 days later, the truck let me sit. Blew out the alternator. about 400 dollars later, we are rolling. cool. not more than 2 weeks later, the starter and starter relay took a crap. replaced them, off we go. well, as you may have guessed, the battery died exactly a week after I picked it up from the starter install.
it cost me around 700 dollars of damage (labor included haha) all because someone in an AUTOMOTIVE school didn't know how to jump start a vehicle. They also didn't bother to tell anyone they did it. they just mentioned how the fusible link was blown... the least they could have done was tell the truth.
08-07-2008, 09:36 AM
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oh, and I am very glad that yours didn't cost much to get back on the road, and that you were able to repair it rather quickley.
08-07-2008, 03:25 PM
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Dude, FYI, don't get the free haircuts at the college beauty school either.
you're very lucky...
I got my frame straightened at college for free, but the truck was there for about 3 months. of course the battery was dead. they jump started it... backwards...
I go to pick it up. "your fusible link is bad, we had to bend it together to get the truck to start." ok. So I pop the hood to check all the fluids before I drive it home, and I notice half my negative terminal is missing, and lead splatter all over the engine bay. I still didn't put things together.
Then about 5 days later, the truck let me sit. Blew out the alternator. about 400 dollars later, we are rolling. cool. not more than 2 weeks later, the starter and starter relay took a crap. replaced them, off we go. well, as you may have guessed, the battery died exactly a week after I picked it up from the starter install.
it cost me around 700 dollars of damage (labor included haha) all because someone in an AUTOMOTIVE school didn't know how to jump start a vehicle. They also didn't bother to tell anyone they did it. they just mentioned how the fusible link was blown... the least they could have done was tell the truth.
I got my frame straightened at college for free, but the truck was there for about 3 months. of course the battery was dead. they jump started it... backwards...
I go to pick it up. "your fusible link is bad, we had to bend it together to get the truck to start." ok. So I pop the hood to check all the fluids before I drive it home, and I notice half my negative terminal is missing, and lead splatter all over the engine bay. I still didn't put things together.
Then about 5 days later, the truck let me sit. Blew out the alternator. about 400 dollars later, we are rolling. cool. not more than 2 weeks later, the starter and starter relay took a crap. replaced them, off we go. well, as you may have guessed, the battery died exactly a week after I picked it up from the starter install.
it cost me around 700 dollars of damage (labor included haha) all because someone in an AUTOMOTIVE school didn't know how to jump start a vehicle. They also didn't bother to tell anyone they did it. they just mentioned how the fusible link was blown... the least they could have done was tell the truth.
