Electrical Issue? - Subaru Enthusiasts Car Club of the Sierras

bluestreak · 2009-10-15, 07:54 AM

I have a 2003 WRX and recently it has not been starting on occasion - I would turn the key and hear a click and then nothing... after a few tries it would start right up. First I had the battery tested - it 's fine. Then about a week later I threw a CEL for my crankshaft sensor - I cleared it and replaced the sensor. It actually runs better now, but it still doesn't start occasionally. The other day I was driving on I-80 when the car started to kind of surge and seemed to die and come back rapidly - I looked down at my turbo timer and it was flashing all sorts of weird crap... so when I got home I unplugged it. Since then, the car has started first try every try; but there seems to be another problem now. I was driving on the freeway again, when the car surged (short momentary loss of engine power) and the stereo reset itself; when I got home I noticed that the trip meter had reset itself and so had my Defi gauges. It seems that I lost all electrical power momentarily. I checked the major grounds and positive leads in the engine bay and they all looked fine... What else could this be, maybe the ignition?

cody · 2009-10-15, 08:00 AM

No clue, but you cleaned the battery terminals and grounds to the motor/chassis right? Maybe hit the grounds with some dialectic grease or whatever it's called. Hope you find your gremlin.

sperry · 2009-10-15, 08:47 AM

Kind of a long shot, but it could be an issue with the ignition switch itself, since that was likely tampered with during the TT install/removal?

bluestreak · 2009-10-15, 08:57 AM

I was thinking the same thing for a bit, but I installed and removed the TT myself and only had to unplug one electrical harness/connection and plug in the HKS harness. Also, I dont know how the ignition would explain the radio and the defi gauges and the trip meter all losing power and resetting themselves.

sperry · 2009-10-15, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluestreak

I was thinking the same thing for a bit, but I installed and removed the TT myself and only had to unplug one electrical harness/connection and plug in the HKS harness. Also, I dont know how the ignition would explain the radio and the defi gauges and the trip meter all losing power and resetting themselves.

The accessory power for the car routes through the ignition switch.

100_Percent_Juice · 2009-10-15, 09:22 AM

^They should still have constant power supply right?

marleyjb · 2009-10-15, 09:26 AM

Double check your harness connection. It's a slight possiblity that it has worked it's way loose and it isn't making a full connection.

sperry · 2009-10-15, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 100_Percent_Juice

^They should still have constant power supply right?

Good point. I was thinking about the Defi gauges "resetting themselves" == doing their shutdown/startup sequence in response to a loss of ACC power.

Kevin M · 2009-10-15, 09:57 AM

They have constant power, but they're still relayed by acc power. No ACC= no gauges.

100_Percent_Juice · 2009-10-15, 10:45 AM

Acc. wouldn't reset his radio or gauges though.

Kevin M · 2009-10-15, 11:10 AM

Now that I've actually read rather than skimmed the OP, it sounds like a bum battery to me. And/or charging problem.

bluestreak · 2009-10-15, 01:39 PM

When I say reset, I mean back to factory defaults, so the constant battery supply power has been lost in the radio, gauges (wired through the clock power), and also the trip meter went to zero.

I will get the battery tested again and have someone else go over all the connections with me so that I don't skip or miss any...

100_Percent_Juice · 2009-10-15, 04:35 PM

One of your main battery cables has probably been rubbing against something and the has worn through the rubber sheath. It might be contacting something else and causing it to short out. Or knowing where you guys live, an animal could have jumped up in there and chewed up some stuff.

maybe.

kakarot09 · 2009-10-26, 05:15 PM

did you uninstall the battery and make sure the connections to the terminals are clean and tight? It sort of sounds like a problem we just had with a bmw that did the same thing. Turned out to be just the terminal ends at the battery.

100_Percent_Juice · 2009-10-26, 10:10 PM

^Hey Jeff! Welcome.

bluestreak · 2009-10-27, 07:44 AM

Yeah,

last week I re-checked the terminals. The positive connection was actually cracked - the bolt was tight and nothing was really loose so thats probably why I didn't notice it the first time.... $4 at Kragen for a crappy connection that I will probably have to end up replacing again, but it works for now

cody · 2009-10-27, 01:25 PM

Booya!

2009-10-15, 07:54 AM	#1
bluestreak EJ22 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NW Reno Posts: 111 Car: 2003 WRX Sedan - Blue	Electrical Issue? I have a 2003 WRX and recently it has not been starting on occasion - I would turn the key and hear a click and then nothing... after a few tries it would start right up. First I had the battery tested - it 's fine. Then about a week later I threw a CEL for my crankshaft sensor - I cleared it and replaced the sensor. It actually runs better now, but it still doesn't start occasionally. The other day I was driving on I-80 when the car started to kind of surge and seemed to die and come back rapidly - I looked down at my turbo timer and it was flashing all sorts of weird crap... so when I got home I unplugged it. Since then, the car has started first try every try; but there seems to be another problem now. I was driving on the freeway again, when the car surged (short momentary loss of engine power) and the stereo reset itself; when I got home I noticed that the trip meter had reset itself and so had my Defi gauges. It seems that I lost all electrical power momentarily. I checked the major grounds and positive leads in the engine bay and they all looked fine... What else could this be, maybe the ignition?

2009-10-15, 08:00 AM	#2
cody Candy Mountain Real Name: Cody Join Date: May 2005 Location: Californication Posts: 7,751 Car: 03 Pussy Wagon, now with more pink! Class: TESP OMG Internet!	No clue, but you cleaned the battery terminals and grounds to the motor/chassis right? Maybe hit the grounds with some dialectic grease or whatever it's called. Hope you find your gremlin. __________________ Slow and low, that is the tempo.

2009-10-15, 08:47 AM	#3
sperry The Doink Real Name: Scott Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 20,335 Car: '09 OBXT, '02 WRX, '96 Miata Class: PDX/TT-6 The way out is through	Kind of a long shot, but it could be an issue with the ignition switch itself, since that was likely tampered with during the TT install/removal? __________________ Is you is, or is you ain't, my con-stit-u-ints?

2009-10-15, 09:22 AM	#6
100_Percent_Juice (40 percent vodka) Real Name: Joel Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 4,446 Car: 2004WRX Class: Baby-Hauler/GroceryGetter	^They should still have constant power supply right? __________________ "A power nap is when you sleep on someone who is weaker than you." - Dimitri Martin

2009-10-15, 09:57 AM	#9
Kevin M EJ22T Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Reno Posts: 9,445 Car: '93/'01 GF6, mostly red Class: 19 FP	They have constant power, but they're still relayed by acc power. No ACC= no gauges. __________________ FWD is the new AWD

2009-10-15, 08:57 AM	#4
bluestreak EJ22 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NW Reno Posts: 111 Car: 2003 WRX Sedan - Blue	I was thinking the same thing for a bit, but I installed and removed the TT myself and only had to unplug one electrical harness/connection and plug in the HKS harness. Also, I dont know how the ignition would explain the radio and the defi gauges and the trip meter all losing power and resetting themselves.

2009-10-15, 09:26 AM	#7
marleyjb EJ18 Real Name: Bobby Marley Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 55 Car: 2011 WRX STi There is this thing called rain.	Double check your harness connection. It's a slight possiblity that it has worked it's way loose and it isn't making a full connection.

2009-10-15, 10:45 AM	#10
100_Percent_Juice (40 percent vodka) Real Name: Joel Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 4,446 Car: 2004WRX Class: Baby-Hauler/GroceryGetter	Acc. wouldn't reset his radio or gauges though. __________________ "A power nap is when you sleep on someone who is weaker than you." - Dimitri Martin

2009-10-15, 11:10 AM	#11
Kevin M EJ22T Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Reno Posts: 9,445 Car: '93/'01 GF6, mostly red Class: 19 FP	Now that I've actually read rather than skimmed the OP, it sounds like a bum battery to me. And/or charging problem. __________________ FWD is the new AWD

2009-10-15, 01:39 PM	#12
bluestreak EJ22 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NW Reno Posts: 111 Car: 2003 WRX Sedan - Blue	When I say reset, I mean back to factory defaults, so the constant battery supply power has been lost in the radio, gauges (wired through the clock power), and also the trip meter went to zero. I will get the battery tested again and have someone else go over all the connections with me so that I don't skip or miss any...

2009-10-15, 04:35 PM	#13
100_Percent_Juice (40 percent vodka) Real Name: Joel Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 4,446 Car: 2004WRX Class: Baby-Hauler/GroceryGetter	One of your main battery cables has probably been rubbing against something and the has worn through the rubber sheath. It might be contacting something else and causing it to short out. Or knowing where you guys live, an animal could have jumped up in there and chewed up some stuff. maybe. __________________ "A power nap is when you sleep on someone who is weaker than you." - Dimitri Martin

2009-10-26, 05:15 PM	#14
kakarot09 n00b Real Name: Jeff Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Reno Posts: 6 Car: 05 sti	did you uninstall the battery and make sure the connections to the terminals are clean and tight? It sort of sounds like a problem we just had with a bmw that did the same thing. Turned out to be just the terminal ends at the battery.

2009-10-26, 10:10 PM	#15
100_Percent_Juice (40 percent vodka) Real Name: Joel Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 4,446 Car: 2004WRX Class: Baby-Hauler/GroceryGetter	^Hey Jeff! Welcome. __________________ "A power nap is when you sleep on someone who is weaker than you." - Dimitri Martin

2009-10-27, 07:44 AM	#16
bluestreak EJ22 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NW Reno Posts: 111 Car: 2003 WRX Sedan - Blue	Yeah, last week I re-checked the terminals. The positive connection was actually cracked - the bolt was tight and nothing was really loose so thats probably why I didn't notice it the first time.... $4 at Kragen for a crappy connection that I will probably have to end up replacing again, but it works for now

2009-10-27, 01:25 PM	#17
cody Candy Mountain Real Name: Cody Join Date: May 2005 Location: Californication Posts: 7,751 Car: 03 Pussy Wagon, now with more pink! Class: TESP OMG Internet!	Booya! __________________ Slow and low, that is the tempo.

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