Installed gauge cluster, car dead, but battery good - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

oobergoober · 05-06-2017, 09:10 AM

I posted this over in the problems thread, but thought since it occurred after I installed a 4 gauge cluster, maybe someone over here might know something...

I just installed a 4 gauge cluster in my '13 1LT. I left the stereo on, and got distracted for a bit. Came back, car was dead.

I used a li ion jump pack to jump her, and she fired right up, but once the jumper pack was off, nada, nothing.

So I took the battery into a parts store, they said the battery was good, just needed charging, so they gave her a full charge. Reinstalled the battery, and she's still completely dead. I put the jumper pack back on, and she fired up immediately. Removed the jumper pack again, dead.

What the heck could be causing this? I verified the battery was good--14.7v with a voltmeter. Could I have hosed up something in the primary electrical system just installing gauges?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks!

Leo72793 · 05-06-2017, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oobergoober

I posted this over in the problems thread, but thought since it occurred after I installed a 4 gauge cluster, maybe someone over here might know something...

I just installed a 4 gauge cluster in my '13 1LT. I left the stereo on, and got distracted for a bit. Came back, car was dead.

I used a li ion jump pack to jump her, and she fired right up, but once the jumper pack was off, nada, nothing.

So I took the battery into a parts store, they said the battery was good, just needed charging, so they gave her a full charge. Reinstalled the battery, and she's still completely dead. I put the jumper pack back on, and she fired up immediately. Removed the jumper pack again, dead.

What the heck could be causing this? I verified the battery was good--14.7v with a voltmeter. Could I have hosed up something in the primary electrical system just installing gauges?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks!

think it narrows it down to the battery. a jump pack is basically an external battery. get a new one.. if it works good if not make sure the positive at the post in the engine bay is good connection.

oobergoober · 05-06-2017, 10:55 AM

O'reilly said she was good, but I don't know if they did the deep load test on her.

I took the battery out of the trunk, and hooked her up under the hood using jumper cables. Battery was weak, but at least she finally caught & started.

Are there any relays in the primary electrical system between the battery & the ignition that could have gone bad?

Taking the battery to another parts store now to see what the verdict is. Sure would be nice if it were just something simple like a bad battery...

oobergoober · 05-06-2017, 12:03 PM

Autozone said battery was good too. They suggested driving it in & letting them do a full test. Jumped her with the battery pack & drove her back (only 2 mi). Their computer gave a "cannot sense engine rpm" error when they told me to rev it. She would only rev to about 3100 rpm. Drove home, uninstalled the gauges/DIY harness, still dead.

cohocarl · 05-07-2017, 04:09 AM

That is odd...
I know this is a long shot, but when installing the gauge cluster, the positive wire leading from the battery wasn't compromised by chance was it???, or the insulation on it?
I was just thinking if the bat is in fact good, and your ground strap is also good....if you jumped it from inside the engine compartment and it starts, but without jump starting it won't start....I said it's a long shot, but that does sound odd.

oobergoober · 05-07-2017, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cohocarl

That is odd...
I know this is a long shot, but when installing the gauge cluster, the positive wire leading from the battery wasn't compromised by chance was it???, or the insulation on it?
I was just thinking if the bat is in fact good, and your ground strap is also good....if you jumped it from inside the engine compartment and it starts, but without jump starting it won't start....I said it's a long shot, but that does sound odd.

When I was fishing the power wire thru to the console, I DID jimmy the power cable around a bit. A LITTLE BIT, as in maybe 1"??? The insulation was still soft/rubbery, and the cable didn't feel brittle.

The fact that it will only rev to about 3K, and that the computer can't detect RPM would indicate something more severe than a damaged power cable tho, wouldn't it?

Overnight I was having nightmares of taking it to a stealership, and being told I'd fried the computer, and it was going to be $2K to repair...

Angrybird 12 · 05-07-2017, 07:52 AM

Just swap the Battery. Do you have a friend or another vehicle you could borrow the battery from and try it?

oobergoober · 05-07-2017, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angrybird 12

Just swap the Battery. Do you have a friend or another vehicle you could borrow the battery from and try it?

Battery isn't the problem. Verified 3 times.

Angrybird 12 · 05-07-2017, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oobergoober

Autozone said battery was good too. They suggested driving it in & letting them do a full test. Jumped her with the battery pack & drove her back (only 2 mi). Their computer gave a "cannot sense engine rpm" error when they told me to rev it. She would only rev to about 3100 rpm. Drove home, uninstalled the gauges/DIY harness, still dead.

If it is an automatic in park or neutral it will not rev any higher than that. Did it rev higher when you drove it?

Angrybird 12 · 05-07-2017, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oobergoober

Battery isn't the problem. Verified 3 times.

Did they do a load test on it after they charged it?

2SSRS@Gen5diy · 05-07-2017, 12:28 PM

Short story, we sold a mylink to a guy, and they did the install, all went well, 3 months later they called up and said the face plat was bad, car was fine radio was fine but the screen did not get bright, we worked out a deal to replace the face plate, and sent one to them, did not here back for 2 weeks how things where going, then we get a phone call, the did not need the new face plate, we asked why? was told and i " seams that one of the things they tested before the call about the face plate in the first place was the battery, they where told the battery is fine only run down all it needs is a charge" whell when we sent the new face plate car was pulled out to change the face plate but this time it did not start at all, see it dyed all the way this time, and to me it sounds like what yours will do any day now.

ITS your battery..........

oobergoober · 05-07-2017, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angrybird 12

Did they do a load test on it after they charged it?

Yes. Said it was putting out 700 cca's, batt was rated for 720 I believe. They said that was well within acceptable range.

Rainbow1616 · 05-07-2017, 02:05 PM

You said you have a volt meter? Connect the battery and check the volts. If it's zero you caused a short with whatever you did!

oobergoober · 05-07-2017, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2SSRS@Gen5diy

ITS your battery..........

Well, 1 $160 battery later....problem still there. Had to use the jump pack to leave the store with new battery installed.

On the drive home, batt voltage was constant between 14.7 & 14.8v. New issue: Mylink stereo turns on & off intermittently now...

05-06-2017, 09:10 AM	#1
oobergoober Drives: 2013 1LT rs Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: wichita KS Posts: 10	Installed gauge cluster, car dead, but battery good I posted this over in the problems thread, but thought since it occurred after I installed a 4 gauge cluster, maybe someone over here might know something... I just installed a 4 gauge cluster in my '13 1LT. I left the stereo on, and got distracted for a bit. Came back, car was dead. I used a li ion jump pack to jump her, and she fired right up, but once the jumper pack was off, nada, nothing. So I took the battery into a parts store, they said the battery was good, just needed charging, so they gave her a full charge. Reinstalled the battery, and she's still completely dead. I put the jumper pack back on, and she fired up immediately. Removed the jumper pack again, dead. What the heck could be causing this? I verified the battery was good--14.7v with a voltmeter. Could I have hosed up something in the primary electrical system just installing gauges? Any help appreciated. Thanks!

05-07-2017, 07:52 AM	#7
Angrybird 12 7 year Cancer Survivor! Drives: 17 Cruze RS, 07 G6 GT, 99 Astro Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 21,546	Just swap the Battery. Do you have a friend or another vehicle you could borrow the battery from and try it? __________________ Cancer's a bitch! Enjoy life while you can! LIVE, LOVE, DRIVE... The Bird is the word!

05-06-2017, 10:55 AM	#3
oobergoober Drives: 2013 1LT rs Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: wichita KS Posts: 10	O'reilly said she was good, but I don't know if they did the deep load test on her. I took the battery out of the trunk, and hooked her up under the hood using jumper cables. Battery was weak, but at least she finally caught & started. Are there any relays in the primary electrical system between the battery & the ignition that could have gone bad? Taking the battery to another parts store now to see what the verdict is. Sure would be nice if it were just something simple like a bad battery...

05-06-2017, 12:03 PM	#4
oobergoober Drives: 2013 1LT rs Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: wichita KS Posts: 10	Autozone said battery was good too. They suggested driving it in & letting them do a full test. Jumped her with the battery pack & drove her back (only 2 mi). Their computer gave a "cannot sense engine rpm" error when they told me to rev it. She would only rev to about 3100 rpm. Drove home, uninstalled the gauges/DIY harness, still dead.

05-07-2017, 04:09 AM	#5
cohocarl Drives: 2015 1LS Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Mid-Michigan Posts: 119	That is odd... I know this is a long shot, but when installing the gauge cluster, the positive wire leading from the battery wasn't compromised by chance was it???, or the insulation on it? I was just thinking if the bat is in fact good, and your ground strap is also good....if you jumped it from inside the engine compartment and it starts, but without jump starting it won't start....I said it's a long shot, but that does sound odd.

05-07-2017, 12:28 PM	#11
2SSRS@Gen5diy Drives: 2014 Z/28 #82+#192, 18ZLE 66Nova Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: By the lake in AZ Posts: 15,728 View My Garage	Short story, we sold a mylink to a guy, and they did the install, all went well, 3 months later they called up and said the face plat was bad, car was fine radio was fine but the screen did not get bright, we worked out a deal to replace the face plate, and sent one to them, did not here back for 2 weeks how things where going, then we get a phone call, the did not need the new face plate, we asked why? was told and i " seams that one of the things they tested before the call about the face plate in the first place was the battery, they where told the battery is fine only run down all it needs is a charge" whell when we sent the new face plate car was pulled out to change the face plate but this time it did not start at all, see it dyed all the way this time, and to me it sounds like what yours will do any day now. ITS your battery..........

05-07-2017, 02:05 PM	#13
Rainbow1616 Drives: 2011 Inferno Orange Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,372	You said you have a volt meter? Connect the battery and check the volts. If it's zero you caused a short with whatever you did!