Electrical Probs

Here's one for ya!

I have an 02 Zuki. Two weeks ago I went to start it and the battery was almost dead. It turned over very slow and then started clicking like the battery was low enough to not push the starter. Thinking I might not have shut the door good and the dome light ran the battery down, I put the charger on it all day. That evening it turned over like a new battery and ran fine. Started great for 2 weeks and then this weekend it did the same thing.

So the battery is bad right? I took it in to replace it and they put the tester on it and said it was at 97%. I took it back home and hooked it up and it would not turn the starter. You could hear the electronics come on when I turned the key on and you can hear the click from the starter, but no turn. My dad once told me that you can turn on your headlights and then try starting and watch the headlights when you hit the starter. If they dim way down or go out you probably have a battery prob. If not it is probably something else.

I turned on the headlights (and they were bright). When I hit the starter the lights barely dimmed but the starter didn't turn. The second time the starter turned like a new one and the truck started. I have shut it off and started it about a dozen times since and can't reproduce the problem.

Any suggestions?

 

check all your battery cable connections and the ground strap from the engine to the chassis. something a lot of people don't know is that a loose battery terminal or battery cable will allow the battery to discharge but it won't allow it to charge... funny thing to think about but true.

and most electrical gremlins that are intermittent are from something that is loose and not completely disconnected.

but like i said check from the battery all the way to the started and mostimportantly check all your grounds.

 

OK, I have been through the connections and can't find any that are dirty or loose. Keep in mind that it is not draining my battery. It is also clicking the solenoid once each time the key is turned. Here is the thing that is really kicking me. I can tap, bang, bend, and pull on wires and components and nothing happens until I turn my lights on. It will then turn over and start like a new one. I can then shut it off and it will start every time until it sets there for a couple of days.

HELP ME, HELP ME, SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME!

 

Hi, I know it's a long time ago for you, but do you happen to remember the culprit of your electrical problem with the suzuki carry. I'm having the exact same #|$%$%&?% electrical problem since couple of months and I can tell you that it's putiing me on the nerves. I even replaced the starter, nothing works. Please help me if resolved that issue with your mini.
Thanks in advance!

 

I do remember it well. I chased everything and finally found out that when I was having the problem, I could turn on my headlights and it would start, but would suck the lights down severely. It was a grounding issue! When my lights were on it was probably finding additional ground through them. The braided ground strap that went from the block to the frame on the passenger's side of the engine was full of oil, dirt, mud, leaking antifreeze, etc. that had been thrown on it by the fan belt (poor location). I took it off and thoroughly cleaned it with brake cleaner. It fixed the prob! Apparently that strap relies on the braided parts touching each other and being saturated with crap kept it from having a proper ground. It was intermittent due to weather, moisture, etc. Here is another problem I have discovered. These little buggers are picky about operating temp. My tstat is stuck partially open so it will not reach normal temp during really cold weather. When that happens, my fuel economy suffers greatly and the engine revs intermittenly at idle. Good luck and let me know if this helps.

 

Hi Rickster,
Thanks for your quick response! You know what? After reading here and there about that kind of problem, I arrived to the same conclusion. Yesterday night I replaced the braided ground you're talking about and added 2 more ground wires (4 gauge wire) between the battery and the tranny and another to the body. It started like a charm!!!! Every bit of electrical related problem have been resolved. I can now stop worrying about that (geezzz that's about time), I was having this "intermittent" problem since last year.... I just can't live without my mini, I use it as my daily driver, and to tow my sled and my 4 wheeler. Well, thanks again and I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy new year!