129k2006

Looking for some help here. I just finished putting a new (junkyard new) motor into my 2006 HHR 2.2 liter. The motor came out of the same year and VIN code and I saw it run before it got yanked. I did this myself and it took about 6 weeks. For that entire time I had the battery disconnected. Yesterday I got everything together and connected the battery. It was on a tender the whole time and has a full charge. (I checked it with my multi-meter). Upon connecting the battery I hear the radio spit out the CD and then pull it back in. That is the only power in the whole car. No lights, nothing when I key the ignition. I have verified voltage at the starter, alternator, and terminals at the fuse block. There is even power at the fuse panel inside the car but nothing is turning on. No dome light, brakelights- nothing.

I am at a total loss here. I have the manual and have going through it looking for in line fuses or fusible links. No such luck so far.

Is there a battery in the ECM that could have totally drained during the time the battery was disconnected? Wouldn't something work though?

I have rechecked all of my connections multiple times. Grounds are good.

Hoping for some expert advice here. Really need to get this back on the road.

Thanks!

donbrew

I would double check the assembly of the fuse box. You should have removed it to get the motor in/out the 2 halves could have come loose.

Also double check the ground connection at the radiator support driver side and below the oil filter.

Double check the harness connector to the ECM. Sometimes the pins get bent.

So, there is power coming out of the fuse box?

donbrew

IIRC, the maxi fuse next to the battery controls the BCM. Wouldn't hurt to check it.

843de

X2, to what Don said, he's the Zen Master of HHR Tech.

Oldblue

X3 what Don said

129k2006

I will pull the ECM connectors tonight (after disconnecting the battery) and check to make sure none of the pins are bent. Just to be clear what is the "maxi" fuse?

Oldblue

I just thought about another member here who connected the power steering wire to the battery / starter terminal at the under hood fuse panel

Oldblue

And the power steering terminal

RJ_RS_SS_350

IIRC someone hooked the positive lead (from the battery) to the jumpstarting point(ground) on the strut tower.

Could this problem be a theft deterrent problem? Or is there something that needs to be done with a tech2?

donbrew

Look at your battery. Look where the ground cable connects to the frame. See the large fuse? That is a maxi-fuse.