Urgent help needed. Stranded at work.

Suddenly the car will not start. It feels like that the neutral safety switch is not on. As I turn the key I hear a faint click and nothing.
More detail: I parked right next to the building where I work (one of the prime 6am spots) this morning. I sneaked out during lunch time trying to fix my radio (connectivity problem somewhere in the back). Instead of move the car to a remote spot where I normally do some light work on my car during lunch break, I decided to just do it right there. I thought that I’ll be done in no time, just pulling the radio out and check the wiring in the back. I turned out the metal tab in the back of the radio stuck and I managed to get the radio out in over 30 min. It was hot out in the sun and I have to run the AC while I was struggling with the radio. After the radio is out, I tried to disconnect and re-connect the wiring in the back. Suddenly, the motor shaked hard for a few seconds and died. When I tried to re-start it, it won’t do anything.

I do have access to a multimeter here. However, I don’t have my green wiring book with me. And keep in mind, I would not want to keep the hood popped up too long there since all my colleagues will happens to walk by and you know what I mean.

The question is: if I put the key at position 2 (running position), can I start the car by using the test wire (the one you use to bump the motor)? This is to assume that car is “startable”. If the answer is yes, where is that pigtail? I just want to move the car far away from the building first. Or, am I better off just call AAA to tow it to my house? Sorry, I know it’s pretty embarrassing! Thanks

I have always driven older self maintained vehicles, usually the oldest one in the lot.
Here is what I have done over the years:
Installed new starter after work, very dirty job.
Complete brake job at the rear receiving dock.
Once was first to arrive at work and tried to ram through 3 or 4 ft of new snow thrown up by the city snow plow during the night. The snow was icy and hard, my car ended up with front wheels off the ground and stuck. Our company hired snow plow could not clear the lot because I had it blocked.
Numerous no starts, jumper cables, pushes etc.

The good part is I have had my own business now for 11 years and my driveway is where I park. But the best part is that I never ever had a car payment to make, never borrowed money for anything except a mortgage.

The test wire under the hood also needs the automatic's neutral safety switch to complete the circuit to the starter.

I can't think of anything up by the radio you could have done. Knocking the plug off the ignition switch is a stretch from there. Sounds like total electrical failure. I use the dome light as a "health check" when things like battery cables being loose are suspect. If it goes out when you turn the key, you've probably got a battery terminal problem. If it doesn't dim in the least, you're not completing the circuit to the starter solenoid.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Always keep several get well cards on the mantel. If unexpected guests arrive, they'll think you've been sick and unable to clean.

It looks that there is still power to every where except starter solonoid. As I turn the key, all dash lights come on and the chime. I'll try to do some electrical check in the car. Also, will try to find a piece of wire to jump the starter solonoid. Will report back soon. Thanks.

Eyyu,


What is there to be embarrased about? How many of these people can pull out their radio in 30 minutes?

Come on man- you know it, You're a badass! don't let it go to your head too much.


Goatman

When I got to the car (~30 minutes since I left it there), I turned the key and it did try to turn over. That tells me that It's either the battery is going bad or the charging circuit is not doing its job. The fact that it died while it's idling, it's probably the charging circuit. I'm going to call for a jump. If it's the battery, it will start and get me home. If it's the charging circuit, as soon as the jump cable is removed it might die a gain. I'll measure the voltage as soon as it start to see if it's anywhere near 14V(?). Thanks goatman and Art for you propmt reply.

Well, with the help from the site security staff, I was able to jump start the car. It measures 13.2V at the battery posts at idle. It is charging, but not to the full capacity. So, now I know what happened: As I was working inside the car with AC blowing in full force, the conbined current draw by the engine system, the blower, the AC clutch exceeded the current output from the altinator. When the battery get drained to a point that it can not provide the needed voltage to open the injectors, the motor sputters and died. Thanks all for your help, especially Art for you "list of comfort". Erwin

Yes, if the dome light goes out when you try to start it, you are likely correct about the charging system. Just be sure it isn't merely loose battery terminals.

I've had that happen at work too. I drove directly to the nearest place to buy a battery (Walmart). When I was able to start it one more time, I put the battery in the trunk and proceeded home on the back roads watching the voltmeter approach 10V, keeping an eye out for a safe pull-off place, with my insurance in the trunk.

I used to park in the 6AM spots next to the main entrance. I figure you trade car payments for adventure like this:

Strandings Volvo-wise--
83 AC compressor wire insulation vibration wear thru blows fuse 12 which also runs fuel pump relay. Roadside fix.
83 No start at end of our road - rotor resistor open wide. Walked back w/ rotor pulled from 84.
79 Dead battery alternator regulator 55 miles from home. Rescued by better half.
83 Ti Dead battery at work. lights on. Jump given by colleague.
83 Ti No start just blocks from work - turbo hose blew off.
92 940 lost crank pulley in front of church.
89 Died in rush hour traffic - Wired around fuel pump relay that had open coil (slight nick in winding)
89 Died on Beltway at speed - timing belt. Towed home.
91 Can't get out of park - college parking lot. Brake fuse had hairline crack.
91 Can't put into drive - at school apartment - two trips, broken transmission selector linkage.
91 Dead battery in city in front of church. Alternator field open circuit. Brought charged battery.
84 Overheat - limped home to find torn heater return pipe seal on recent waterpump job.
84 Loss of coolant 800 miles from home. Towed to brother's garage for failed waterpump gasket.
83 Ti Limp home with all warning lights on - found debris from shredding preheat tube inside alternator.
90 No start - selector was in drive.
83 No start at diner. Unplugged AMM to limp home.
89 No start at restaurant - Battery terminal to junction block wire bad in terminal. Wiggled.
83 Ti bogging at speed - low tank, noisy main pump. Wiggled fuse #5 to get tank pump working.
92 940 limp to daughter's from MIL. Regina fuel pump brush wire broken.
84 Dead alternator daughter's driveway - short brushes on alternator.
84 Died just short of church parking lot; fuse 13 fell apart.
83 Ti towed from 50 miles on hot day. Fuel pump sounds like stuck pig. Tank pump failed.
89 244 towed from side of road Thanksgiving. Tank sender internally wired backward to tank pump.
91 244 no start in daughter's driveway. Phone support led to fixing fuse #6 corrosion.
89 245 towed into Riverton, WY after phone support identified non-working tank pump.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Be careful of your thoughts, they may become words at any moment.

I've had that happen at work too. I drove directly to the nearest place to buy a battery (Walmart). When I was able to start it one more time, I put the battery in the trunk and proceeded home on the back roads watching the voltmeter approach 10V, keeping an eye out for a safe pull-off place, with my insurance in the trunk.

I've had the same thing happen, my alternator went on a road trip. For this reason (among many), instead of carrying jumper cables, I pony up the $ in every car to carry one of those booster packs. Once the car is started, you can use a 12V male to 12V male cigarette lighter adapter plugged into the cig lighter to power the car to the next destination, where you can then charge the cars battery, the booster pack, or both.

This is of course in addition to not needing someone around to give the car a jump.

When my alternator went on my road trip, I didn't have my booster pack, but I was lucky enough to coast into an Advance Auto Parts, where I charged the battery while purchasing a quick charger for $15. I got extremely lucky that day.

From that list I understand that the worst Volvo you had was the 1990... Sounds like you did not keep that one very long.


This is good history about the problems you met.

I like the idea of the red wine.

The 90 still lives as one daughter's second car, second to her 91. The list covers side-of-the-road fun we've had in a 79, three 83's, an 84, two 89's, a 90, two 91's, and the odd 92 940. Only two of them have passed on.

I do understand the pressure there'd be, caught outside the front door at work with the hood up. Especially after extolling the advantages of DIY maintenance to your Toyota-driving colleagues. I think I'd go back to my desk and find a report to write keeping me until everyone else left for home.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Don't find fault, find a remedy. (Henry Ford)

Art,

Ah, but the knowledge of how to fix things turns into love of our Volvos.

Fred,

It is not as exciting as drinking from the fire hose any more, but the trickle of secrets is still tasty.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

These are the good quotes I gathered from this string:

"It is not as exciting as drinking from the fire hose any more, but the trickle of secrets is still tasty." --- The great Art Benstein near Baltimore

Fredbyte: "Ah, but the knowledge of how to fix things turns into love of our Volvos. "

David Hunter: " Once was first to arrive at work and tried to ram through 3 or 4 ft of new snow thrown up by the city snow plow during the night. The snow was icy and hard, my car ended up with front wheels off the ground and stuck. Our company hired snow plow could not clear the lot because I had it blocked.
.....But the best part is that I never ever had a car payment to make, never borrowed money for anything except a mortgage."

This is what make the life of a Volvo nut interesting.

The most pregnant quip of them all has to be the subject of the post at the top: What I have done in the parking lot at work..

Glad to hear you extricated yourself. I believe a healthy charging system should have been able to keep up with all those accessories, even at idle, so you still have some questions left to investigate with a voltmeter.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Two boll weevils grew up in South Carolina. One went to Hollywood and became a famous actor. The other stayed behind in the cotton fields and never amounted to much. The second one, naturally, became known as the lesser of two weevils.

Hello,


Four minute response?

The car died because of the work you did, not a mechanical fault. You said that while you were yanking on the wiring harness, the car stalled.

You should begin cursory checks. Is there spark? Is the fuel pump running with the key in the start position? Check all the fuses. Applying voltage directly to the starter solenoid would allow a function check.

If you are worried about being embarrassed by your hood open, then pull it down. If you want to really be embarrassed in front of your coworkers, pull your pants down. You'll be bare-assed then!


Goatman

Once my brother n' law was convinced his car needed a new starter. He could put a wire from the battery to the starter solenoid and it would start. I cleaned the battery terminals which didn't seem that bad but with a dying battery where just dirty enough. Fixed the no start. Same sound as you, just a click and thats it. He was chasing the neutral safety switch at the same time too.