With car hot, battery won't crank engine

Ken92SVX · #1 08-13-2007, 05:12 PM

Has anybody had this same problem?

When I have been driving my car and it is hot, after I make a brief stop to run into a store, my car will not crank over. It seems to be related to if the fans were running when I shut the car off. Then a few minutes later I get back in and its like the battery is dead and won't crank over the engine.

The battery is only about a year and a half old (84 month battery).

If I wait a few minutes and shut off the radio, and let the seat belts finish their cycle then it may then crank over.

I do not believe this problem is related to an electrical problem, just a weak battery because the car requires a higher load than the battery can delivery.

I checked the acid level in the battery and all cells are full.

Does anyone else have a similar problem?

Thanks, Ken

ensteele · #2 08-13-2007, 05:41 PM

Have you checked the posts for proper contact?

Ken92SVX · #3 08-13-2007, 06:37 PM

That was my first thought, so I checked and tighten the post and it still does it occasionally, were the car won't crank over.

stallion · #4 08-13-2007, 08:01 PM

Hey

I had this same problem...

until I changed the Fusible Link. (under the hood). It's a very cheap part (think under $3). Prior to that, I got it to start by taking out the fusible link, waiting a little, then putting it back on and/or taking the negative terminal off the car, then putting it back on. No clue why but it worked.

But yeah fusible link, its a cheap (potential) fix.

Nomake Wan · #5 08-13-2007, 08:56 PM

I had the same problem where it would sometimes just click and not do anything, but then if I waited a bit it would start okay (or if I just really went at it).

Turned out to be my ignition switch going bad, as per this thread:

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/showthread.php?t=27339

Trevor · #6 08-14-2007, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken92SVX

Has anybody had this same problem?

When I have been driving my car and it is hot, after I make a brief stop to run into a store, my car will not crank over. It seems to be related to if the fans were running when I shut the car off. Then a few minutes later I get back in and its like the battery is dead and won't crank over the engine.

The battery is only about a year and a half old (84 month battery).

If I wait a few minutes and shut off the radio, and let the seat belts finish their cycle then it may then crank over.

I do not believe this problem is related to an electrical problem, just a weak battery because the car requires a higher load than the battery can delivery.

I checked the acid level in the battery and all cells are full.

Does anyone else have a similar problem?

Thanks, Ken

Ken, you need to be a little more specific in describing exactly what takes place.

(1) Is it that the starter motor does not appear to have enough power to crank the engine properly? Or ---

(2) Does the starter not operate at all, and if so is there a click noise at the starter, indicating that the solenoid is attempting to engage?

(3) Is there never a problem when the engine is cold ?

Ken92SVX · #7 08-14-2007, 05:54 PM

Trevor,

Thanks for your reply and questions.

To me it seems that the car will not crank because there is not enough juice to crank the motor over. I do not think it is the starter solenoid because I have not heard just a click and nothing else. It simply will not crank over at all and dash lights dim when it won't crank over.

Also I have never had the problem when the engine is cold as of yet.

Thanks, Ken

Trevor · #8 08-14-2007, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken92SVX

Trevor,

Thanks for your reply and questions.

To me it seems that the car will not crank because there is not enough juice to crank the motor over. I do not think it is the starter solenoid because I have not heard just a click and nothing else. It simply will not crank over at all and dash lights dim when it won't crank over.

Also I have never had the problem when the engine is cold as of yet.

Thanks, Ken

Ken, this is all very strange.

One would think that the engine would crank over easier when hot and been running, and also so that the battery would have received a charge from when first started from cold. What is more it starts after only a short waiting time. Surely during this short time there could be no useful heat dissipation.

I think you must assume that you have an intermittent problem, not in fact related to engine temperature but more to the luck of circumstance.
The ignition start switch must be suspect on the basis of problems reported by others.

Can you verify that the starter actually engages and that there is a slight turning of the engine? If so this would rule out the switch and solenoid and indicates low voltage at the starter motor as could the dimming of lights. But why does it start after a short delay?

Taking all into account, try to diagnose the problem further. The battery can not be ruled out on the basis of the short length of use and must be a prime suspect.

Cheers, Trevor.

Nomake Wan · #9 08-15-2007, 12:09 AM

Just as a note--

With my problem (which was ignition switch), turning the key to the start position would dim the lights, and a "click" sound would come from the engine. It would do that until it finally started. There was no progression of it. That is...

If you turned the key, it wouldn't go from "nothing" to "click" to "turns over a little" to "almost starts" to "starts." It would either "click" or "start," nothing in between. Which is why I didn't suspect my charging system.

Ken92SVX · #10 08-15-2007, 06:12 PM

I had the same problem twice today.

It would not start if the coolant fans were running. I had to either wait till the fans cycled off, which took a few minutes or more or cycle the ignition switch a few times and hope that the fans did not come on again. If they did not, then the car would start.

From what I have learned heat is harder on a battery than cold and will cause a battery to decay quicker.

Thanks again for all the replies.

Ken

kwren · #11 08-25-2007, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevor

Ken, you need to be a little more specific in describing exactly what takes place.

(1) Is it that the starter motor does not appear to have enough power to crank the engine properly? Or ---

(2) Does the starter not operate at all, and if so is there a click noise at the starter, indicating that the solenoid is attempting to engage?

(3) Is there never a problem when the engine is cold ?

all the rest of us understood it!!

longassname · #12 08-25-2007, 11:11 PM

Ken,

One of the other posters in this thread is likely to have serious emotional distress over my posting this...

but in my own effort to make sure that members get correct information...

In my experience your problem is internal to the starter and getting a new starter will fix your problem.

but then i hear i'm an idiot that's mystified by electricity (despite my many a+'s in university physics and years of successful circuit design)

Trevor · #13 08-26-2007, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by longassname

Ken,

One of the other posters in this thread is likely to have serious emotional distress over my posting this...

but in my own effort to make sure that members get correct information...

In my experience your problem is internal to the starter and getting a new starter will fix your problem.

but then i hear i'm an idiot that's mystified by electricity (despite my many a+'s in university physics and years of successful circuit design)

Michael, riddles and sarcasm do nothing towards helping Ken. Furthermore I am in no emotional distress, as I exactly understand all that has been recorded within this thread.

The outstanding important unanswered factor was, as to whether the starter is in fact receiving current. My query in this respect has now been understood and we have a situation whereby it is established that at this point, nothing can be decided, because the fault does not persist long enough to be properly analysed.

Unless it can be shown that the starter is in fact being properly energised, your to suggestion towards replacing the starter, is a shot in the dark and as such could prove a waste of money.

It could be that your ears are not deceiving you. My experience whereby I have dealt with, as well as employed, many with extensive university training, confirms that such does not establish an ability to apply sound logic, or even common sense.

longassname · #14 08-26-2007, 12:51 AM

yes I know, I'm an idiot. I already admitted that I had been told so (by you) (did i mention my a+'s in honors university philosophy--that's where people study logic for those who don't know) (actually trevor, it's pretty rare that someone presumes they are smarter than me--you are most definitely exceptional)

ken,

here's a fact about electrical components...many can not be diagnosed in circuit. There comes a point where you have to pull something out, isolate it and test it. The problem is it is not really practical to remove your starter and put it on a similar load as turning over your engine produces.

I'm not going to sit here and tell you you aren't telling me what I think I need to know to be able to diagnose your problem from thousands of miles away. I'm telling you straight out..my bet is it's your starter. It could also be your ignition switch. It could also be your inhibitor switch. But my "shot in the dark" is it's your starter. I have a few inhibitor switches laying around. I have a starter switch too if you want to give it a try. If you think that's what it is I'm happy to lend them to you if you pay the shipping.