Complete Electrical Power Failure. Help, please!

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MigAZ
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Complete Electrical Power Failure. Help, please!

Post by MigAZ »

I posted this in the Lounge but thought I better post it here, too. http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=40957Any help you can provide would be appreciated. Thanks!
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joatmon
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Re: Complete Electrical Power Failure. Help, please! (MigAZ)

Post by joatmon »

Quote, originally posted by MigAZ »I posted this in the Lounge but thought I better post it here, too. http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=40957Any help you can provide would be appreciated. Thanks!Looks like a mod must have deleted the duplicate thread, but I guess the other one had more information in it than this one does.Anyway, we'll need some more info than just the thread title to go by.Is absolutely everything electrical dead? What happened to kill it? What year Vibe? How old is the battery? What steps have you taken to troubleshoot he problem so far, and what were the results?
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MigAZ
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Re: Complete Electrical Power Failure. Help, please! (joatmon)

Post by MigAZ »

I went to start it up first thing in the morning. It fired immediately, indicating full battery, and fast idled about 3 seconds before the abrupt shut down.I have no door chimes, no dash lights...NOTHING. I replaced the battery and used a booster cable to create another ground strap thinking it could be a cable. It didn't work. Any thoughts on a fusible link, other fuse not in the fuse box? I checked it and it appeared fine. I'll ohm it tonight w/ a digital meter.
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joatmon
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Re: Complete Electrical Power Failure. Help, please! (MigAZ)

Post by joatmon »

There is a fusible link in the positive battery cable somewhere, probably between the battery and the underhood fuse block.attached is a PDF form an 04 matrix, should be applicable to your 05 Vibe. Shows the fusible link, and the first bank of fuses. If your headlights, horn, emergency flashers, dome light all do not work, then it could very well be the fusible link. If any of those still work, then the fusible link is probably ok. The big question is what is shorted out so bad that you blew the fusible link? If that's the symptom, what's the cause?

Attached files 012ps.pdf (61.4 KB) 
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MigAZ
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Re: Complete Electrical Power Failure. Help, please! (joatmon)

Post by MigAZ »

Quote, originally posted by joatmon »The big question is what is shorted out so bad that you blew the fusible link? If that's the symptom, what's the cause?Good question. It is all stock ('05 Vibe) and has been in an accident before I took possession of it. I'll have to dig into this one and get back to you. Thanks for the schematic. I don't have dome lights or ANYTHING electrically related that works. It's dead. However, I didn't check the headlamps. I'll look at that tonight. I appreciate the help.
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millster
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Re: Complete Electrical Power Failure. Help, please! (MigAZ)

Post by millster »

Just experienced this wonderful little trick this morning with my Saab. Thankfully mine turned out to be a shoddily installed hot lead on the battery and thanks to Saab's inclusion of a small toolkit in the boot, I was able to get that resolved... for now.In any case, from the sounds of things, you're likely dealing with the fusible link, but I would look VERY strongly for the cause of the failure. Usual suspects would be an internally shorted alternator, failed starter or bad ignition switch. Myself, I would take a very close look at the alternator for some sort of internal failure.
-Millster-
2006 Toyota Matrix XR
1995 Saab 9000CSE 2.3T
1986 Jaguar XJ6 Vanden Plas (GM Drivetrain Conversion)
2007 Outback XT EJ257 2.6L Build
MigAZ
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Re: Complete Electrical Power Failure. Help, please! (millster)

Post by MigAZ »

Sure enough, I have NO headlamps, which supports your prelim diagnosis of it being the Fusible Link. It appears to have been rubbing on the battery and this "could be" the failure point. I will remove the wire and inspect it closely. I believe I'll replace it w/a new homemade cable w/ a replaceable fuse w/ soldered & heat shrink terminal ends. Do you know off hand what the Fusible Link amp rating is?Thanks, fellas!
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millster
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Re: Complete Electrical Power Failure. Help, please! (MigAZ)

Post by millster »

I would check for sure that this is the failure point by checking conductivity end-to-end. My recommendation would be to stick to a fusible link rather than putting in a fuse. They're there for a reason. IIRC, that link is 18ga, but I may well be wrong on that one. It SHOULD be marked on the side either with amperage or gauge.
-Millster-
2006 Toyota Matrix XR
1995 Saab 9000CSE 2.3T
1986 Jaguar XJ6 Vanden Plas (GM Drivetrain Conversion)
2007 Outback XT EJ257 2.6L Build
MigAZ
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Re: Complete Electrical Power Failure. Help, please! (millster)

Post by MigAZ »

I'll ohm it for continuity tonight and report what I found. If the dealer asks around $10 for the link, I'll go for it. Otherwise, I'll fabricate the replacement.
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millster
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Re: Complete Electrical Power Failure. Help, please! (MigAZ)

Post by millster »

You can buy splice-in (recommend solder) fusible links at any auto parts store. All they are is a wire with a lower melting point than the wire they connect into.
-Millster-
2006 Toyota Matrix XR
1995 Saab 9000CSE 2.3T
1986 Jaguar XJ6 Vanden Plas (GM Drivetrain Conversion)
2007 Outback XT EJ257 2.6L Build
MigAZ
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Re: Complete Electrical Power Failure. Help, please! (millster)

Post by MigAZ »

Problem solved! It was the Fusible Link at the battery. It was nice that I didn't have to go search for it in the harness. It was an easy fix. I went to the auto parts store, bought a spool similar in gauge, soldered the OEM terminal end and the (removed) splice. I finished it off w/ heat shrink. It's all good now! Thanks for the help, fellas!
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millster
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Re: Complete Electrical Power Failure. Help, please! (MigAZ)

Post by millster »

Any time! I hope that you did buy a spool of fusible wire to replace it with. I would still be concerned that there may be something further down the line that caused this problem and if you used regular wire, you may be setting yourself up for a nasty electrical fire. In any case, glad that it's working again. It's always nice when the problem is easy to find and even better when it's easy to fix!
-Millster-
2006 Toyota Matrix XR
1995 Saab 9000CSE 2.3T
1986 Jaguar XJ6 Vanden Plas (GM Drivetrain Conversion)
2007 Outback XT EJ257 2.6L Build
MigAZ
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Re: Complete Electrical Power Failure. Help, please! (millster)

Post by MigAZ »

Yes, i purchased fusible link. No doubt I wanted the same protection to avoid it becoming a car-buque. I believe the failure mode was attributed to fatigue in the wire due to a bend in the area. There was no indication of the wire burning due to over-current. I checked the alternator for shorted diodes and it tested fine. Regardless, I made up an extra fusible link just in case. BTW, the link is $15 dollars at the dealer. I bought the material for $7 and reused the original terminal end at the battery.I appreciate the help!
dous31958
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Re: Complete Electrical Power Failure. Help, please! (millster)

Post by dous31958 »

I have a 2006 Vibe with the same issue. Can I ask where did you locate the "Fusible Link"? And is this the same as an "in-line fuse"? Thanks.................Steve
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