HELP: E300DT electrical problem
01-14-2012, 09:04 PM
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
HELP: E300DT electrical problem
Fellas,
I have a problem on my hands that is is leaving me scratching my head. I was hoping someone could read my description below and help me identify what the problem could be.
Description of problem
I have a major problem while attempting to start my vehicle. Everything is normal when I insert the smart key into the ignition. The vehicle recognizes the key and locks it in place. Upon turning the key to the first and then second positions for starting is where I run into a problem. After turning the key to the second position, the speedo display goes blank. This means the mileage, temp, etc all goes blank. Then the car starts to make a series of loud clicking sounds which sounds like solenoids clicking on and off. This noise comes from multiple locations both inside the car, and in the engine bay. My cabin HVAC fan turns on blows air. This is really strange to me especially since the fan controls are completely off. My windows will not roll down. Trying to fire the engine up only produces a loud click too, and the starter does not engage. I hooked up my car to my Snap-On scanner tool and the scanner does not recognize that it is hooked up to my car like it normally does.
What was I doing to the car right before this problem occurred?
I was preparing for a 350 mile trip back home. I did my usual inspection of tire pressure, checking the engine bay for any leaks, etc. Everything looked great. I got in the car and it started up without any problems. Upon startup, I received a message on my dash indicating "low coolant". I shut the engine off and popped the hood. I looked in the expansion tank and the coolant level was exactly where it should be so I was a little confused as to why I was getting an error message. I pulled out my Snap-On scanner and hooked it up to the car to read codes. There were no new codes in the system after checking. There was one stored code which was a "drive authorization" code. i cleared this code and removed the scanner. I got back in the car and while attempting to turn the ignition over, I got the symptoms that I've stated above.
Any help? Or links to similar problems and DIY? I'm stuck and I need to get back on the road. Thank you,
I have a problem on my hands that is is leaving me scratching my head. I was hoping someone could read my description below and help me identify what the problem could be.
Description of problem
I have a major problem while attempting to start my vehicle. Everything is normal when I insert the smart key into the ignition. The vehicle recognizes the key and locks it in place. Upon turning the key to the first and then second positions for starting is where I run into a problem. After turning the key to the second position, the speedo display goes blank. This means the mileage, temp, etc all goes blank. Then the car starts to make a series of loud clicking sounds which sounds like solenoids clicking on and off. This noise comes from multiple locations both inside the car, and in the engine bay. My cabin HVAC fan turns on blows air. This is really strange to me especially since the fan controls are completely off. My windows will not roll down. Trying to fire the engine up only produces a loud click too, and the starter does not engage. I hooked up my car to my Snap-On scanner tool and the scanner does not recognize that it is hooked up to my car like it normally does.
What was I doing to the car right before this problem occurred?
I was preparing for a 350 mile trip back home. I did my usual inspection of tire pressure, checking the engine bay for any leaks, etc. Everything looked great. I got in the car and it started up without any problems. Upon startup, I received a message on my dash indicating "low coolant". I shut the engine off and popped the hood. I looked in the expansion tank and the coolant level was exactly where it should be so I was a little confused as to why I was getting an error message. I pulled out my Snap-On scanner and hooked it up to the car to read codes. There were no new codes in the system after checking. There was one stored code which was a "drive authorization" code. i cleared this code and removed the scanner. I got back in the car and while attempting to turn the ignition over, I got the symptoms that I've stated above.
Any help? Or links to similar problems and DIY? I'm stuck and I need to get back on the road. Thank you,
01-15-2012, 01:32 PM
#2
Super Member
Thread Starter
Last night I decided to put the battery on a trickle charge just to try and cancel it out as the problem. I figured since it was so new that this wasn't it, but thought it was good to be sure to cancel it out.
It turns out that the battery was bad. Went to AutoZone today, got it replaced under warranty. Hooked up the battery and the car started right up. The weird stuff going on with the electronics and display, coupled with my battery being brand new made me think my initial problem was much more severe than this. Thank god I'm not replacing anything else now.
It turns out that the battery was bad. Went to AutoZone today, got it replaced under warranty. Hooked up the battery and the car started right up. The weird stuff going on with the electronics and display, coupled with my battery being brand new made me think my initial problem was much more severe than this. Thank god I'm not replacing anything else now.
