Electronics Need help wiring something up? Thinking of adding an electrical component to your car? Need help troubleshooting that wiring glitch?

As soon as I turn the key, all the power cuts out!

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Old Aug 6, 2004 | 07:30 PM
  #1  
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From: Barstow, CA
Car: 91 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: WC T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.73
As soon as I turn the key, all the power cuts out!

Whenever I go to start my car all the power cuts out as soon as I turn the key. Then the power will all the sudden come back on like 15 minuets later.

I checked the fuses, battery cables, and the ground on the engine block. They were all fine.

Can someone help me?

Edit: it was just the battery connection after all!

Last edited by johnjm22; Dec 19, 2011 at 07:58 PM.
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Old Aug 6, 2004 | 11:39 PM
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From: conway, s.c.
Car: 1989 Iroc-Z
Engine: 5.7L TPI
Transmission: 700R4
If you are losing all power the moment that you turn the key, you either have a very, very, large power drain or a battery that doesn't have the amperage to handle a load. Take it to an auto parts store and have them test it for you.
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Old Aug 7, 2004 | 04:22 PM
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From: Barstow, CA
Car: 91 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: WC T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.73
But I just put a new battery in it.

What kind of power drain could be that large?
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Old Aug 7, 2004 | 04:48 PM
  #4  
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From: conway, s.c.
Car: 1989 Iroc-Z
Engine: 5.7L TPI
Transmission: 700R4
I don't know exactly what kind of drain you are talking about. However you did say in your first post that you turn the key and lose all power and fifteen minutes later it is back. Now do you mean that you have no electrical power at all anywhere or just that the starter is getting no power?
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Old Aug 7, 2004 | 05:25 PM
  #5  
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From: Norfolk, VA. USA
Car: 86 Trans Am, 88 Formula
Engine: 95LT4, 305TPI
Transmission: T56, T5
My starter wire was loose, the main one from the battery and sometimes it would lose all power when starting the car.
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Old Aug 7, 2004 | 11:35 PM
  #6  
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If the whole thing drops dead then you're losing a connection.
If you replaced the battery and the connections are tight, check the other end of the cable(s). Also check block to chassis grounds.
Easy enough to check for a high draw. Have someone connect a volt meter ( dvm) to the battery while you turn the key. If the voltage stays high, it's not the battery.
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 03:05 AM
  #7  
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From: Christchurch, New Zealand
Car: 1989 Trans Am
Engine: 1989 305 TPI
Transmission: 700-R4
Axle/Gears: 2.77 10 bolt
I'm having a problem just like this myself.

In my case I think it's my immobiliser. It hooks into the 12V line that goes into the ignition switch, and at times when my car appears dead, I get 4V coming out of the ignition switch. 4V obviously isn't enough to run squat. It may be causing the large voltage drop.

The car isn't completely dead though, as the electric seats still work and the stereo still displays the time, except it won't actually turn on. My interior courtesy lights work too.

Do your headlights still work? When my car behaves oddly and I hit the headlight button, the lights all turn on, but the headlight doors don't open (I've a Trans Am). If I turn off the lights, and do it two more times, the headlights turn on fine and the doors open up. Then the rest of the car gets power back and the car will then start.

I haven't as yet confirmed that the immobiliser is the fault, but I'm working on it.

Last edited by blackbeauty; Aug 8, 2004 at 03:08 AM.
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 10:35 AM
  #8  
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From: Guelph, Ontario..where snow wrecks cars!
Car: 1986 Firebird
Engine: 305 V8 Currently being rebuilt
Transmission: 5 spd
I had the almost the same problem. I was going to go to work one morning, and I turned the key, the chime and choke light went on and as soon as I tried to start the car it went dead. Ended up the fusable link going to the starter solenoid was powder, along with my starter fried. I replaced it all and it worked fine. Then two weeks later the fuel pump went. Its been great ever since.
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 12:52 PM
  #9  
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From: Barstow, CA
Car: 91 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: WC T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Well whenever I turn the key everything goes out. I mean everything! No headlights, sterio, dome light, nothing. The car has no power anywhere.
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 01:00 PM
  #10  
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From: conway, s.c.
Car: 1989 Iroc-Z
Engine: 5.7L TPI
Transmission: 700R4
As mentioned earlier, check your fusible links down at the starter solenoid. They may be blown or grounding out. Also check your connectors for the battery and starter solenoid.
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 05:12 PM
  #11  
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From: Barstow, CA
Car: 91 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: WC T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.73
What do you mean at the starter soleniod? The fusible links aren't located where the rest of the fuses are?
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 05:33 PM
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From: conway, s.c.
Car: 1989 Iroc-Z
Engine: 5.7L TPI
Transmission: 700R4
No, they aren't located in the same area as the rest of the fuses. It is these wires that are marked in this picture. There is also a purple wire that goes on a small post on the solenoid that is marked "S".
Attached Thumbnails As soon as I turn the key, all the power cuts out!-q204.gif  
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 08:22 PM
  #13  
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From: Christchurch, New Zealand
Car: 1989 Trans Am
Engine: 1989 305 TPI
Transmission: 700-R4
Axle/Gears: 2.77 10 bolt
Where is the actual fuse in a fusable link, or it just an expression?
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 08:37 PM
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It's not an actual fuse.
It's basically an undersized piece of wire used as a fuse.
If overloaded, it melts off.
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 08:55 PM
  #15  
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From: conway, s.c.
Car: 1989 Iroc-Z
Engine: 5.7L TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Originally posted by AM Racer
It's not an actual fuse.
It's basically an undersized piece of wire used as a fuse.
If overloaded, it melts off.
Yes, a fusible link is four sizes smaller than the wire it protects.
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 09:41 PM
  #16  
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From: Barstow, CA
Car: 91 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: WC T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Thanks for the info. Good picture.
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 10:45 PM
  #17  
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From: Christchurch, New Zealand
Car: 1989 Trans Am
Engine: 1989 305 TPI
Transmission: 700-R4
Axle/Gears: 2.77 10 bolt
Originally posted by AM Racer
It's not an actual fuse.
It's basically an undersized piece of wire used as a fuse.
If overloaded, it melts off.
Ah, now I get it. Is the fusable link up by the starter as indicated by the arrows on Trickster's image? If a fusable link goes, what's the best method of fixing it? Do you need a third gen specific wire or what? What's the rating of the link?
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 10:54 PM
  #18  
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From: conway, s.c.
Car: 1989 Iroc-Z
Engine: 5.7L TPI
Transmission: 700R4
The best method of fixing a fusible link is cutting off the bad piece and splicing a new one in. As mentioned earlier, a fusible link is 4 sizes smaller than the wire it is protecting. Example: if wire size is 12 ga., then the fusible link size will be 16 ga. Yes the items with the areas pointing to them from the circled lettering are the fusible links and they go on the same post as the battery cable on the solenoid.
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Old Aug 8, 2004 | 11:34 PM
  #19  
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From: Christchurch, New Zealand
Car: 1989 Trans Am
Engine: 1989 305 TPI
Transmission: 700-R4
Axle/Gears: 2.77 10 bolt
Thanks!
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Old Aug 9, 2004 | 05:40 PM
  #20  
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The only thing that steers me away from a link is reconnecting itself again well enough to start the car.
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Old Nov 6, 2020 | 02:27 PM
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Re: As soon as I turn the key, all the power cuts out!

So I have a 2005 Hyundai Elektra with a switch... I Litterally lose all power as soon as I turn the key... If I unhook the battery and then hook it back up a reset so to speak then ecerything is working until I try to start again... Please help
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Old Nov 6, 2020 | 04:32 PM
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Re: As soon as I turn the key, all the power cuts out!

Originally Posted by Kit Hopper
So I have a 2005 Hyundai Elektra with a switch... I Litterally lose all power as soon as I turn the key... If I unhook the battery and then hook it back up a reset so to speak then ecerything is working until I try to start again... Please help
Hi Kit Hopper ,

First and foremost , the "Third Gen F body" terminology in our forum name represents the third generation of the GM F body platform , which are 1982 through 1992 Chevy Camaro and Pontiac Firebird cars . This forum is supposed to be exclusive of all other car discussions except for these two car models . Now with that said , and since your problem is not a specific "Hyundai problem" but instead a very generic problem that can happen to ANY car regardless of make & model , I'll tell you this ;

You have either a bad battery , or a bad connection somewhere in the battery's wiring .

Now since we have no info on Hyundai specifics , if it IS the wiring , the general failure point is at the wire ends , either the battery terminals themselves of on the other end where those big wires attach to the engine .

Good Luck .....
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Old Aug 5, 2021 | 10:10 PM
  #23  
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Re: As soon as I turn the key, all the power cuts out!

I have the same problem with huyndai santa fe 2007. sometimes when I turn the key, everything black out. if I open and close the hood, the electric went back on the display. I talked to some technician and it might be the ignition switch or the key. I'm not sure how likely it might be badground, bad battery connection or the ignition switch, please help!
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Old Aug 6, 2021 | 05:06 AM
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Re: As soon as I turn the key, all the power cuts out!

Originally Posted by phamhoad
I have the same problem with huyndai santa fe 2007. sometimes when I turn the key, everything black out. if I open and close the hood, the electric went back on the display. I talked to some technician and it might be the ignition switch or the key. I'm not sure how likely it might be badground, bad battery connection or the ignition switch, please help!
If post #22 in this thread doesn't help you, your two options are to either go find a Hyundai forum, or, dump that POS and buy a thirdgen Camaro or Firebird.

For all the members here, the best choice between the two is as obvious as a punch in the face.......
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Old Aug 6, 2021 | 08:22 AM
  #25  
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Car: 1986 IROC Z
Engine: 5.0 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23 Posi
Re: As soon as I turn the key, all the power cuts out!

Originally Posted by phamhoad
I have the same problem with huyndai santa fe 2007. sometimes when I turn the key, everything black out. if I open and close the hood, the electric went back on the display. I talked to some technician and it might be the ignition switch or the key. I'm not sure how likely it might be badground, bad battery connection or the ignition switch, please help!
Huyndai/Kia (same company, same poor-quality vehicles) cars have been plagued with multiple electrical and mechanical recalls for years now, the most recent of which warns owners not to park their cars inside garages or under carports due to the possibility of engine compartment fires after the car is parked.

You'd do well to get rid of that thing and buy anything else not made by that company.
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Old Aug 6, 2021 | 08:04 PM
  #26  
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Transmission: My own built/ design 4L80M
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Re: As soon as I turn the key, all the power cuts out!

As poorly as some Vehicles are produced today...

The assembly-lines for Third-Gens were still pretty bad.
There were some very unhappy GM Factory Employees back then.

LOL! I have an old photo (somewhere) of a Third-Gen at a Dealership with the Door-Panel removed...
Customer had just purchased a Camaro, and complained of a "crunching noise" when the Driver's power-window went completely down.
The Technician found an empty Pack of Cigarettes and a crushed Soda-Can inside the Doors Window-Cavity.
Those GM Factory Employees built our Third-Gens really well!


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Old Aug 11, 2021 | 09:31 PM
  #27  
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Re: As soon as I turn the key, all the power cuts out!

Originally Posted by OrangeBird
If post #22 in this thread doesn't help you, your two options are to either go find a Hyundai forum, or, dump that POS and buy a thirdgen Camaro or Firebird.

For all the members here, the best choice between the two is as obvious as a punch in the face.......
Problem solved. It's just bad ground and some corrosion on negative terminal
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Old Aug 13, 2021 | 05:04 AM
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Re: As soon as I turn the key, all the power cuts out!

Originally Posted by phamhoad
Problem solved. It's just bad ground and some corrosion on negative terminal
Well there ya go, now that it's running, sell it quick and go buy a third gen Camaro or Firebird and we'll be happy to answer all of your questions regarding it........
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