One day about 6 months ago my car just wouldn't start. I had a friend of mine jump start it and it fired up right away. It went for months being perfectly ok and then just started acting up again. It went in waves being fine for weeks and then having to be jumped several times in a row. I had my Dad test the battery and started and both were fine, but the car continued to have it's problems. So I gave in and bought a new battery. It did great for a week or so and then I came out to my car to find it impossible to start yet again. I went into Kragen and talked to someone about buying a new starter relay for it. Thank goodness it wasn't in stock because that would have been another $15.00 out the window. He suggested I buy a $5.00 voltage meter and test current to the starter, which I did...and it was also fine. The starter is a pain to reach so the meter touched other objects as well on it's way out of the engine, including the positive battery cable. The light came on! It touched the coated portion of the cable which should not have been giving off current. I'm sure glad I didn't reach in to pull the cable up to inspect it because the cable had a sizable hole in it and was burnt in that area. It ran so hot that my starter has a permanent char mark on it from the heat. I discovered that this what not a new problem, a previous owner/possible dealer had fixed several holes and burnt areas of this cable with black electrical tape. #@!% I bought a few tools and a new positive battery cable (negative was in great condition) and replaced it with the help of my brother. Note: the battery cable looks a bit different than the stock ones. You will have to cut the original cable that runs to the computer at a length long enough to reach the battery area , strip the coating and crimp the exposed wires into a connector. So when doing this, don't be in a hurry to toss the old cable, you will need a portion of it. I'm thinking there must be some sort of heat issue in the engine that could be burning the wire. So if you're having problems starting your PT, check that cable! I'm just glad it didn't start a fire before I caught it. It freaks me out that for months I drove that car around with that cable in that bad of condition. This might be a good thing to check even if your PT isn't having issues starting. There were MANY areas along this cable that had been taped up for long long time, it was not a new issue. Once I had the cable out I was horrified at it's condition. I've saved the portion of the cable, maybe I will add some pictures if it's possible to amend this complaint. PLEASE CHECK THIS CABLE, you might save yourself from a car fire.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
One day about 6 months ago my car just wouldn't start. I had a friend of mine jump start it and it fired up right away. It went for months being perfectly ok and then just started acting up again. It went in waves being fine for weeks and then having to be jumped several times in a row. I had my Dad test the battery and started and both were fine, but the car continued to have it's problems. So I gave in and bought a new battery. It did great for a week or so and then I came out to my car to find it impossible to start yet again. I went into Kragen and talked to someone about buying a new starter relay for it. Thank goodness it wasn't in stock because that would have been another $15.00 out the window. He suggested I buy a $5.00 voltage meter and test current to the starter, which I did...and it was also fine. The starter is a pain to reach so the meter touched other objects as well on it's way out of the engine, including the positive battery cable. The light came on! It touched the coated portion of the cable which should not have been giving off current. I'm sure glad I didn't reach in to pull the cable up to inspect it because the cable had a sizable hole in it and was burnt in that area. It ran so hot that my starter has a permanent char mark on it from the heat. I discovered that this what not a new problem, a previous owner/possible dealer had fixed several holes and burnt areas of this cable with black electrical tape. #@!% I bought a few tools and a new positive battery cable (negative was in great condition) and replaced it with the help of my brother. Note: the battery cable looks a bit different than the stock ones. You will have to cut the original cable that runs to the computer at a length long enough to reach the battery area , strip the coating and crimp the exposed wires into a connector. So when doing this, don't be in a hurry to toss the old cable, you will need a portion of it. I'm thinking there must be some sort of heat issue in the engine that could be burning the wire. So if you're having problems starting your PT, check that cable! I'm just glad it didn't start a fire before I caught it. It freaks me out that for months I drove that car around with that cable in that bad of condition. This might be a good thing to check even if your PT isn't having issues starting. There were MANY areas along this cable that had been taped up for long long time, it was not a new issue. Once I had the cable out I was horrified at it's condition. I've saved the portion of the cable, maybe I will add some pictures if it's possible to amend this complaint. PLEASE CHECK THIS CABLE, you might save yourself from a car fire.
- rosaliec, Modesto, CA, US