Odd Electrical problem
 

Right, so first off it snowed here last night (first time this winter) and my car was parked outside while I was at work.

When I went to start the car in the morning to drive home it wouldn't turn on. No power, no lights, no odometer, nothing. Initially I thought that I may have left an interior light on or something, so I checked. Nothing. The trunk was fully closed (I drove to the gym from 3:30am-5:30am) and I had left absolutely NOTHING on that could have drawn power. :scratch:

I've never had this happen before, though I *did* just switch batteries in the beginning of December (now using the Odyssey PC680 small battery) but I'm not sure if that's cause for it to go completely dead overnight...

So I got the car jumped and was checking the voltage on my PFC, read 13.0-13.1 during the jump. As soon as the cables were removed my voltage went up to 14.0 and held there... Alternator is good.


I figured that it was just an odd occurance and drove home like nothing.

The next oddity occured when I parked in my garage, turned the car off, and pulled the keys out of the ignition. The car stayed on... I do NOT have a Turbo Timer installed, nor have I ever had one in my 7. However that is EXACTLY what it felt like. I blipped the throttle and when the revs came down the car stalled out (my keys are still sitting in my lap at this point). However all the lights in the dash stayed on, as if my key was still in the ignition..

At this point I'm :scratch: :scratch: :scratch:


I put the key back in and started the car again, this time it turned off like it was supposed to.


I honestly have NO IDEA how or why this could/would happen. Anybody got any suggestions?


Thanks,

Levi

This is just a guess, but both of these symptoms suggest an ignition-switch problem, like it is not completely opening the circuits when you turn it off and remove the key.

I had a vaguely similar problem in that the door-open, key-in the-ignition buzzer would sometimes stay on when I removed the key with the door open. A bit of lubrication in the ignition-key slot fixed that.

Yours may be a bit more complex to fix, but I would still suspect the ignition switch.

Hmm, interesting observation (and I'll def heed your advice about the lube, if only in a "better safe than sorry" approach). Do you think the ignition switch thinking my key was in (but in the off position) would cause my battery to run dead?


I've got no experience with ignition switches... what kind of lube did you use, and how would you suggest applying it?

Thanks for the reply Dave :)

1. Seeing that the instr lights stayed on the 2nd time, it sure seems to me to be a possibility. Also the fact that it was probably colder there than usual might indicate that that switch was gummed up (exacerbated by the cold temperatures) and sticking.
2. I would use a lube that is specifically formulated for electrical devices. They are formulated to not dissolve plastic or gum things up. These are usually available at electronics-supply stores. Also, there are threads around about cleaning the ign switch to fix no-start problems, and maybe one of those might be useful.
3. I just squirted it into the key slot. In my case, I think the tumblers were mechanically hanging up, and lubing them freed them. You may have to take more things apart (the 2-piece column cover and whatever else is in the way) to fix your problem.

If you have a short in the ignition switch it could drain the battery. The switch may have come on that night and energized the ignition system for starting and then just stayed that way overnight along with whatever other accessories come on during startup and running (i.e. radio, HVAC fan, etc.). You did say the car kept running one time after the key was removed. So then, even in the "off" position you have an issue. Another thought is that the switch shorts out in the "Accessory" position in which case just those goodies come on and stay on. I would start with the ignition switch for sure.

Steve

Would it just randomly turn itself on though? It's so wierd!

Shit just did it to me again, like three times tonight.

First time when I was getting my car washed (by hand, not machine!). I was sitting in my car, reading a book, when it just turned itself on. Pretty odd.

Then, when I got home it stayed on again, just like I've got a turbo timer, and I couldn't get it to turn off using the key. So I had to blip it and let it stall again.

Then, as I was opening the hood to have a look everything just turned on (the keys were attached to my belt loop..) and WOULD NOT turn off...


My quick fix (until I can get this fixed/replaced) is an Allen Key and a disconnected negative terminal =(

Your car has a mind of it's own Levi. :) It'd be best not to piss it off. :lol:

I know right!! =(