# [SOLVED] 2000 Chevy Malibu Electrical & Engine Died



## jamesmk (Jul 27, 2007)

I have a 2000 Chevy Malibu.

The summery is that my electrical system AND engine died at the same time after I replaced the battery. Now not only can I not start the car, but nothing electrical works: lights, clock, radio, nothing. It's like there's no battery. Same results when trying to jump start the car. No lights, no clock, no clicking when I turn the key, nothing.

===

I tend to meander, so please forgive me, I’m trying to be as concise as possible, while including everything that may be pertinent.

The long version starts several days ago when after I went out of town to a family reunion, leaving my car sitting for several days.

When I returned, I noticed that it started as if the battery was weak, the engine having trouble turning over. This was not the case before I left town, and it just struck me as odd. (That’s been the hallmark of this whole event. The trouble that I’ve been having has been unlike any other weak or low battery experience I’ve ever had.)

That evening when I returned to my car I noticed the trunk was open. This concerned me because I didn't think I'd hit the button when I pulled out my keys, I assumed that I must have somehow opened the trunk from inside the building when I picked up my keys. (Something that's never happened before.) The engine turned over rather easily, requiring two or three tries. The battery power apparently *increasing* each time.

Later, I took the car to the store. It took several tries to start, again with each attempt the battery seemed more powerful. At the store the car started right up.

The next morning I was going to visit my grandmother in the nursing home, but I barely got the car started.


The first time I turned the key, the speakers clicked and the lights flickered, but that was all. I noticed the clock displayed 1:00 even though it was not 1:00.

The second time I turned the key, the starter turned slightly.

I lost track of how may more attempts to start it took (at least 5), again with each turn of the key the battery seemed to have more power.

After getting it started, I turned the car off, and was able to start it with two attempts.

I turned the car off again, and it started right away.

I shut it off one more time, and it started again, first try.
Since I was expected at the nursing home, and it seemed there was enough juice in the battery for at least one more start, I went ahead and drove over.

Once there I shut the car off, went inside for a while, but returned maybe 10 minutes later thinking I would run down to the store for something. But was unable to start the car. Unlike before, this time the battery was able to partially turn over the engine on the first try, just like every other low battery I’ve seen, it just didn’t have the oomph to start the car. This was the only time I the battery seemed to loose power with each try rather than gain power.

Two odd things happend while I tried to start the car


The trunk opened by itself at least twice.
I kept noticing a clicking (like a turn signal) that I eventually realized was really the panic alarm trying to go off, but without enough power to flash the lights and sound the horn. The only reason that I figured that out is that it managed to sound off once. And the clickng stopped when I turned the ignition to the OFF position.
Later that night was able to get a jump, got the car started, and made it home.

I charged the battery, and was able to start the car, but the next morning the battery was dead again, without even enough power for the clock.

So yesterday I bought a battery at Meijers, charged it up overnight, and put it in the car this morning. It started right away, and I drove around for a bit, but noticed that the dashboard brake light was on, and wouldn't go off. I tried moving in and out of park, pressed and released the emergency brake, but nothing helped. So I parked, and stomped on the brake petal (not the emergency brake), and the car died. Lights, clock, radio and all.

It's as if when I stomped on the brakes, I somehow disconnected the battery. Or by coincidence something decided to burn out at just the same time. The odd thing is that I didn't (couldn't, actually) stomp on it any harder than I would have if I'd been trying to avoid a collision.

I turned the ignition and didn't even hear the solenoid click.

I even got someone to give me a jump, but still couldn't even get the dome or dashboard lights lit. It's as if there wasn't ANY power at all.

My car is now stuck in a dark parking lot at night, but I still tried a few tests.


To make sure the battery hadn’t mysteriously completely discharged I took a small wire, attached it to the engine block, and brushed it past the hot terminal on the battery. I got nice bright sparks. Not surprisingly since a discharged battery would not explain why the engine shut off.

I tried tapping the battery terminals with a screwdriver in case there was a short inside the battery, to see if the dome light would flicker, but I’m told it did not.

I found a small light, so I checked the fuses next to the driver’s side door. As I suspected, none appeared bad, and the ones I actually tested were good.
So now I'm really stumped as to what’s happened. I'm wondering if the anti-theft system might have burned out, or... I don't know. I understand that the key has a chip that the car has to sense, or else it won't start. But doesn't that just disconnect the starter? Wouldn't the dome light still light?

I’ve disconnected the new battery so that whatever’s wrong won’t ruin another battery, but the car is still sitting the parking lot of my grandmothers nursing home, and I’m going to need to take care of it before they notice that it never moves.

Now there are two other things that may or may not be pertinent:


When I first put the new battery in, I tried to finger tighten the side battery terminals. But when I got into the car, none of the electronics were on, and I got only silence when I turned the key. I tightened the terminals with a wrench and the electrical system lit up and I got the car started, so I assumed that I hadn't actually gotten the terminal into the battery. (This is why I tried tapping the terminals.)

I got this car used in 2005, and what looks like electrical tape is ALL OVER the wires and wiring harnesses. It's so plentiful and so neat, that even though it looks like tape (not tubing, it’s sticky on one side, and wrapped around the wires / harnesses) I began to assume that the car actually came that way. This tape is inside the dash, in the engine compartment, and in the trunk. I've never seen so much electrical tape in my life, but even though it's every where, I never see any cut wires! (Though I haven't tried unwrapping it.)
Before this the ONLY problems I've had with the electrical system has been:


The rear speakers don't work (I assumed the original owners installed new ones, but replaced the original equipment when they sold it).

The drivers side window sometimes doesn't roll all the way down automatically, sometimes I just tap it once, sometimes I have to hold it down.

It WAS only giving me 18 MPG

After two years, the air compressor suddenly wouldn't shut off, probably causing for the 18MPG. Funnily this March or April I noticed I was finally able to turn off the air compressor, just as I was considering running a heavy duty wire and switch to the compressor so I could manually cut the power to the compressor.
Any help you could give is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

James


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## Midnight Tech (Dec 31, 2001)

*Re: 2000 Chevy Malibu Electrical & Engine Died*



> electrical tape is ALL OVER the wires and wiring harnesses. It's so plentiful and so neat, that even though it looks like tape (not tubing, it’s sticky on one side, and wrapped around the wires / harnesses) I began to assume that the car actually came that way. This tape is inside the dash, in the engine compartment, and in the trunk. I've never seen so much electrical tape in my life, but even though it's every where, I never see any cut wires! (Though I haven't tried unwrapping it.)


This is factory applied tape on the harnesses...dunno, but all GM's seem to be this way.
Have you ever had alternator trouble on this car? Sure sounds like a bad alternator.


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## Codeman0013 (May 8, 2007)

*Re: 2000 Chevy Malibu Electrical & Engine Died*

I must agree thats freaking identical to my fiancee's car when we first started dating. To bad it wont start or i would reccomend you take it to autozone and and they can test it for free. My guess is the alternator too. If you replace it and start it it should charge up the battary for you but you still should get a start from the car even with a bad alternator. Anything else strange happen recently while driving?


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## jamesmk (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: 2000 Chevy Malibu Electrical & Engine Died*



Midnight Tech said:


> This is factory applied tape on the harnesses...dunno, but all GM's seem to be this way.


Weird



Midnight Tech said:


> Have you ever had alternator trouble on this car? Sure sounds like a bad alternator.


You really think that a bad alternator would cause all the the electronics to fail as if there's no battery at all?

You think rapping on the alternator might get the thing to start??


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## jamesmk (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: 2000 Chevy Malibu Electrical & Engine Died*



Codeman0013 said:


> My guess is the alternator too. If you replace it and start it it should charge up the battary for you but you still should get a start from the car even with a bad alternator.


Unfortionatly there is no power at all. Even when I use jumper cables to hook to another running car.



Codeman0013 said:


> Anything else strange happen recently while driving?


Not that I recall.

Well, I can give it a shot. I hope it's just the alternator.

I've had a string of bad luck with the car recently.

Dented the door, cracked a $500 alloy rim, battery died, now the alternator (I hope).

Feeling seriously peed off...

What's worse is been my fault (up till now).

I've had no trouble until now (except for the few electrical problems I mentioned earlier), so at least it hasn't been a money pit.


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## jaggerwild (May 21, 2007)

*Re: 2000 Chevy Malibu Electrical & Engine Died*



jamesmk said:


> Weird
> 
> 
> You really think that a bad alternator would cause all the the electronics to fail as if there's no battery at all?
> ...


Hey JamesMK,
No hitting the alternator won't help it to start, If you can go to auto zone they have a load tester to test your systems charging capacity. the reason it keeps dieing is that your running the car off the battery power but the alternator isn't recharging the system eventually it will just shut off while your driving it.
Probably your battery was on its way out any ways too, more than three years is old for todays batteries.
New alternator and you should be good to go after you run it for a while to recharge the depleted battery.
Also make sure the terminals are clear of build up as this will decrease the power from the battery, if it is remove the terminal and use sand paper to clean the build up off the post, then spray the post with a little lube to stop the build up again.
Let us know how it goes.


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## jamesmk (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: 2000 Chevy Malibu Electrical & Engine Died*

I thought that I'd let you guys know that I tracked down the problem, just a faulty battery cable. I didn't realize this right away because the positive terminal has TWO cables converging in a 'Y' connecter right on the terminal, so when I tested for continutity, I found it.


I was wondering something though, at one point I found that part of the engine cover and alternator case sparked when connected to the negitive battery terminal. I can't immagine that this is normal.

Anyway, thanks for all the suggestions!
]


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## jaggerwild (May 21, 2007)

*Re: 2000 Chevy Malibu Electrical & Engine Died*

James,
Any time you hook the power, like when you jump it, it's going to spark. Glade you have the problem fixed and it wasn't the alternator.


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## Midnight Tech (Dec 31, 2001)

*Re: 2000 Chevy Malibu Electrical & Engine Died*

If all is good jamesmk, gonna mark as resolved...PM if this problem crops back up and I'll reopen this thread.


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