I have a Mazda3. The car wouldn't open this morning (power locks) and the front door wouldn't even open with the key. After about 10 minutes of trying, the power lock opened. When I turned the key in the ignition, nothing happened; even the CD player and dash lights didn't come on. Borrowed a jump-start system in the evening and tried charging the battery with that. Some signs of life...the headlights and the dash lights came on but nothing more. None of my neighbours had jumper cables so I couldn't try that.

Any ideas/suggestions? I'm a car nOOb...only had one for about 3 months so I doubt I can diagnose anything further. If someone is in Greensboro and would consider giving me a jump from their car, PLEASE let me know and I will make it worth your while.

And if none of this works, how do I get it to a mechanic?

1/7/2008 7:30:49 PM

bttt...neighbour tried to help me jump start it...no go

any shops that do an emergency battery thing?

1/7/2008 8:01:59 PM

might wanna try leaving the cables hooked up for a few minutes. sounds to me like the battery is really dead. if that doesn't work then i'd go for a new battery.

1/7/2008 9:18:54 PM

Battery is dead. I can help you tomorrow after work if you still need it (Yeah I live in Gboro, up near cone blvd)

[Edited on January 7, 2008 at 9:42 PM. Reason : ^ is right. let me know ]

1/7/2008 9:41:50 PM

^ Thanks! PM sent.

1/7/2008 10:11:36 PM

g boro yo.

east cone.

ghetto on one side, suburbs on the other.

1/7/2008 11:51:06 PM

got it towed to autozone (insurance covered the towing ). battery was DEAD...only gave out about 7.5V. had it replaced. end of story (i hope).

1/8/2008 8:19:47 PM

If the same thing happens to this one after a while, it could be your alternator.

To test that, while your car is running, disconnect your positive battery terminal. If your car cuts off, your alternator is bad.

1/9/2008 1:12:10 PM

^ also a great way to destroy your computer and alternator dumbass


does slownig have a new name?

1/9/2008 3:05:06 PM

hmmm..i've heard this from several mechanics in my lifetime and have done this 3 times myself in the past.

My parents also own 2 car garages and have been in business for the last 13 years or so and I know my dad and every mechanic he has ever employed has used this as well.

Never had any problems. You're right though, I guess there is potential for damage.

[Edited on January 9, 2008 at 3:29 PM. Reason : .]

1/9/2008 3:26:59 PM

fuck that. have the alternator properly load tested.

1/9/2008 4:39:58 PM

^ yeah, definitely want to load test the alternator.

1/9/2008 4:47:19 PM

Quote :

"hmmm..i've heard this from several mechanics in my lifetime and have done this 3 times myself in the past. My parents also own 2 car garages and have been in business for the last 13 years or so and I know my dad and every mechanic he has ever employed has used this as well. Never had any problems. You're right though, I guess there is potential for damage."

You (or any of them) have any idea what an inductive "kick" or spike is? Great way to fry any engine/powertrain management electronics...I think all of you need to go do a little reading and/or take some courses. Any ASE-certified tech will know this is a horrible way to diagnose a charging problem.

1/9/2008 6:27:34 PM

Quote :

"hmmm..i've heard this from several mechanics in my lifetime and have done this 3 times myself in the past. My parents also own 2 car garages and have been in business for the last 13 years or so and I know my dad and every mechanic he has ever employed has used this as well. Never had any problems. You're right though, I guess there is potential for damage."

ugh. thats the most nigger'd shit ive ever heard from you. almost worthy of nomination to the banned thread.

1/9/2008 6:39:54 PM

maybe it wasn't as big of a deal to do this on older cars without EFI?

1/9/2008 7:11:09 PM

Yea that's what I was thinking but didn't want these guys to tear me a new asshole if I was wrong

At least on those you can only screw up an alternator and not computers

1/9/2008 7:16:47 PM

meh. i'll take note for the future. I guess i've been lucky

1/9/2008 8:24:26 PM

first of all, its not only a big risk, but a pain in the ass, its faster and easier to check it with a voltmeter, and if i ever saw someone doing that at any shop i've ever worked at, not that i know anyone that would do something that stupid, i'd slap em upside the head for being an idiot

1/9/2008 11:50:57 PM

thanks for the suggestions. i'm going to get the alternator tested on the weekend. so far so good but this would definitely relax me a bit rather than being on edge waiting for it to die on me again.

1/11/2008 8:25:46 PM

if it ain't died by now then you should be fine. a car with a shot alternator won't last more than 30 minutes of nighttime driving.

1/11/2008 9:25:06 PM

Quote :

"the front door wouldn't even open with the key"

wat

1/14/2008 8:41:36 AM

yeah - i turned the key in the lock and it refused to open

1/14/2008 11:16:40 PM

That has a whole hell of a lot of nothing to do with the battery being dead

1/15/2008 11:19:21 AM

^^spray some WD40 into the lock. it's frozen/dried out tight

1/17/2008 3:17:37 PM

wd40 gums up.

1/18/2008 2:49:00 AM