Help needed, catastrophic electrical failure!
11-27-2017, 01:31 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: 12-17-2016
Location: Kent, WA
Posts: 6
Help needed, catastrophic electrical failure!
Hey all. Ive driven "Grace" (2007 HHR LT) problem free for almost a year now since purchase. Other than getting less than expected (~20-21 mpg) mileage and front end noises she's been reliable.
Last night, starting on a short trip to the store, I noticed warning lights (ABS, traction) blink on and losing power steering at lower rpms. I had to slightly hit the gas pedal to back in a spot to get the PS to assist. Coming out of the store, she wouldn't start, like not enough juice to turn the starter over, and dash warning lights all over the place.
Couldn't find the battery after lifting the spare tire cover, it was raining, so I decided to call for a tow. The tow driver asked to jump it to try out. He hooked the positive to the rear of the fuse box (sparked) and the negative to where the red cover should have been. Key on pretty normal, wouldn't crank, so he put the negative somewhere on the engine and said his jumper box would have indicated wrong polarity if he had it hooked wrong.
Long story short, electrics are completely down. Dead, can't even open the trunk or pull the key out. Checking battery voltage this morning from the fuse box (+) terminal to numerous ground points is 3.19V. The 60A fuse next to the rear Fuse box terminal (where he connected his jumper pack +) is blown.
Questions:
1. Is it possible the battery goes from completely good (started right up last night) to 3V overnight? Barring a dead short somewhere, I've never seen that.
2. Might the driver have burned anything up besides the 60A fuse by hooking his jumper pack (+) to the back and the (-) to the fuse box (+) jumper terminal, then moving the (-) to an actual ground point with his (+) cable still hooked up to the rear terminal of the fuse box?
3. Does anyone know a great HHR shop in Seattle's south end besides the dealership?
When time permits, I'll remove and charge the battery, replace the 60A fuse, but am hesitant to reinstall the battery if there is a dead short somewhere, don't want to burn Grace up lol.
Thanks in advance for any and all ideas!
Last night, starting on a short trip to the store, I noticed warning lights (ABS, traction) blink on and losing power steering at lower rpms. I had to slightly hit the gas pedal to back in a spot to get the PS to assist. Coming out of the store, she wouldn't start, like not enough juice to turn the starter over, and dash warning lights all over the place.
Couldn't find the battery after lifting the spare tire cover, it was raining, so I decided to call for a tow. The tow driver asked to jump it to try out. He hooked the positive to the rear of the fuse box (sparked) and the negative to where the red cover should have been. Key on pretty normal, wouldn't crank, so he put the negative somewhere on the engine and said his jumper box would have indicated wrong polarity if he had it hooked wrong.
Long story short, electrics are completely down. Dead, can't even open the trunk or pull the key out. Checking battery voltage this morning from the fuse box (+) terminal to numerous ground points is 3.19V. The 60A fuse next to the rear Fuse box terminal (where he connected his jumper pack +) is blown.
Questions:
1. Is it possible the battery goes from completely good (started right up last night) to 3V overnight? Barring a dead short somewhere, I've never seen that.
2. Might the driver have burned anything up besides the 60A fuse by hooking his jumper pack (+) to the back and the (-) to the fuse box (+) jumper terminal, then moving the (-) to an actual ground point with his (+) cable still hooked up to the rear terminal of the fuse box?
3. Does anyone know a great HHR shop in Seattle's south end besides the dealership?
When time permits, I'll remove and charge the battery, replace the 60A fuse, but am hesitant to reinstall the battery if there is a dead short somewhere, don't want to burn Grace up lol.
Thanks in advance for any and all ideas!
11-27-2017, 01:51 PM
#2
Moderator
Join Date: 05-01-2014
Location: California
Posts: 7,808
Hi stray cat, sounds like your battery may have been dead already, but it also sounds like the driver totally botched the jumpstart attempt.
The battery certainly could go bad overnight, happens all the time. Some light may have stayed on all night. If it's the original battery, it was due for replacement anyway.
The battery certainly could go bad overnight, happens all the time. Some light may have stayed on all night. If it's the original battery, it was due for replacement anyway.
11-27-2017, 03:03 PM
#4
Technical Moderator
Join Date: 01-23-2009
Location: Fredericksburg, Virginia
Posts: 24,694
The driver did do some damage. I would certainly register a claim with his company. Does your HHR have the large decal on the fuse box cover?
At the very least he blew the power steering fuse.
I don't understand what he did in the rear at the battery. The 60 amp fuse goes to the BCM (actually to the ground side, I think. so it depends on which side of the fuse he connected to what).
It is hard to tell exactly what damage the tow driver did, but you can't figure out what was wrong before until his damage is fixed. It sounds like he may have shorted the BCM and broken it.
You should be able to get the key out and open the trunk by hooking jumper cables up correctly under the hood, even a 9 volt battery should do it.
If the label is missing from your fuse box cover jump starting directions are in the Owner Manual (available through a link in my sig for free).
Even a new battery will die in 30 minutes with the head lights on.
At the very least he blew the power steering fuse.
I don't understand what he did in the rear at the battery. The 60 amp fuse goes to the BCM (actually to the ground side, I think. so it depends on which side of the fuse he connected to what).
It is hard to tell exactly what damage the tow driver did, but you can't figure out what was wrong before until his damage is fixed. It sounds like he may have shorted the BCM and broken it.
You should be able to get the key out and open the trunk by hooking jumper cables up correctly under the hood, even a 9 volt battery should do it.
If the label is missing from your fuse box cover jump starting directions are in the Owner Manual (available through a link in my sig for free).
Even a new battery will die in 30 minutes with the head lights on.
11-28-2017, 01:17 AM
#7
Thread Starter
Join Date: 12-17-2016
Location: Kent, WA
Posts: 6
Thanks for the feedback, feel encouraged the fuse took the hit.
He put the positive from his jumper pack on top left where a 10-12 ga wire goes to the post, and negative lead to bottom left (mine did not have a red cap), then after I cranked it once and starter acted like it wasn't getting enough amperage (and the dash warning lights went bananas), he transferred his negative lead to a ground point on the engine, but left his positive lead on the top left. After that, I could not take the key out, everything was dead.
He put the positive from his jumper pack on top left where a 10-12 ga wire goes to the post, and negative lead to bottom left (mine did not have a red cap), then after I cranked it once and starter acted like it wasn't getting enough amperage (and the dash warning lights went bananas), he transferred his negative lead to a ground point on the engine, but left his positive lead on the top left. After that, I could not take the key out, everything was dead.
11-28-2017, 01:33 AM
#8
Platinum Member
Join Date: 04-09-2006
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 7,032
As Donbrew says - the guy is an idiot - and that is being kind. That is the most wrong way to jump start it one can do.
Replace the fuse, and the battery - and cross your fingers for the best. To open that hatch to replace the battery, you can temporarily attach a battery to the Positive post under the hood (the bottom left lead as you refer to it), and the negative to the stud for the drivers side strut tower (as is supposed to be marked). That will apply power so you can open the hatch - then remove the jumper cables.
If you replace the fuse and are unable to open the hatch using the above procedure, there is likely much more serious damage that has been done. There is a manual way of opening the rear hatch documented in your owners manual via a tiny removable panel on the inside of the hatch. It's not easy and of course requires access to the inside of the vehicle.
Replace the fuse, and the battery - and cross your fingers for the best. To open that hatch to replace the battery, you can temporarily attach a battery to the Positive post under the hood (the bottom left lead as you refer to it), and the negative to the stud for the drivers side strut tower (as is supposed to be marked). That will apply power so you can open the hatch - then remove the jumper cables.
If you replace the fuse and are unable to open the hatch using the above procedure, there is likely much more serious damage that has been done. There is a manual way of opening the rear hatch documented in your owners manual via a tiny removable panel on the inside of the hatch. It's not easy and of course requires access to the inside of the vehicle.
11-29-2017, 04:20 AM
#9
Thread Starter
Join Date: 12-17-2016
Location: Kent, WA
Posts: 6
As Donbrew says - the guy is an idiot - and that is being kind. That is the most wrong way to jump start it one can do.
Replace the fuse, and the battery - and cross your fingers for the best. To open that hatch to replace the battery, you can temporarily attach a battery to the Positive post under the hood (the bottom left lead as you refer to it), and the negative to the stud for the drivers side strut tower (as is supposed to be marked). That will apply power so you can open the hatch - then remove the jumper cables.
If you replace the fuse and are unable to open the hatch using the above procedure, there is likely much more serious damage that has been done. There is a manual way of opening the rear hatch documented in your owners manual via a tiny removable panel on the inside of the hatch. It's not easy and of course requires access to the inside of the vehicle.
Replace the fuse, and the battery - and cross your fingers for the best. To open that hatch to replace the battery, you can temporarily attach a battery to the Positive post under the hood (the bottom left lead as you refer to it), and the negative to the stud for the drivers side strut tower (as is supposed to be marked). That will apply power so you can open the hatch - then remove the jumper cables.
If you replace the fuse and are unable to open the hatch using the above procedure, there is likely much more serious damage that has been done. There is a manual way of opening the rear hatch documented in your owners manual via a tiny removable panel on the inside of the hatch. It's not easy and of course requires access to the inside of the vehicle.
I called AAA yesterday to report the incident and lay the groundwork for a claim just in case the tow driver caused damage to the ECU or something else but sending major cranking amperage through that circuit in the back of the fuse box could not have been good. I'll post noteworthy updates.