Help!

Help!
Here's what happened:
I stopped for gas, did not want to leave the tank empty for my husbands next trip,it's his car, forgot to replace the gas tank cap and did not close the fuel intake flap. Drove home 3 blocks parked the car, got out of the car, electronically locked the car. Saw that the gas tank flap was open and the cap was missing - swore - closed the fuel flap. Used the electronic remote to unlock the door - heard the fuel flap lock but the dorrs unlocked - got in the car, turned the key.....nothing but some clicks.
Took the other car to the gas station picked up the missing gas cap, came back. used the remote a few times and got the fuel flap open, replaced the cap....tried to start the car...nothing. Went to get my husband, feltl like an idiot, we checked every fuse in the front 2 fuse boxes and the rear fusebox - all are Ok - no idea what or where a relay is and didn't want to ask. Can anyone offer advice?

 

Janet, the fuel cap and the car not starting are completely unrelated things. The worst thing that will happen if you leave the fuel cap off is you will get a check engine light stating that it can't achieve the proper pressure (actually a slight vacuum) inside of the gas tank and you are failing your emissions. Just a light, that is it.

What I want you to try the next time the car is failing to start is to open the drivers door and leave it open. Now, while watching the dome light, attempt to start the car. Did the dome light dim some, not dim at all, or go completely out? Not dim at all, odds are your problem is a bad starter. If the light goes out completely, then you are more than likely looking at either a bad battery or one (maybe both) of your battery cables is failing and causing a high resistance, which is not allowing the starter to get enough current to turn over the car. If the light dimmed somewhat, then it appears the car is attempting to start, which would again lead me to think that the starter is on its way out.

If you are thinking that it is a starter, there are more checks that need to be done to prove a specific component. How are you or your husband at using a multimeter. If you can use one, let me know and I will give you a step by step walk through of how to narrow down the possibilities. If you don't, then I would recommend either taking the car to a shop to have them look at it or pulling the battery and starter out of the car and taking them both to a local auto parts store. They will normally test both for you for free and tell you if one is bad. If both test good, then your problem lies in the battery cables. Replace both and call it good.

 

Thank you, we will try this tomorrow and see what happens.

 

Hi Chris

Thank you for your advice and support.

We have solved the problem - bought a new battery and the car now works like a charm. It seems that the combination of the doors unlocking whilst the gas flap couldn't unlock or locked ( whatever it did!) sent some sort of shock to the whole system. Yesterday as we were working through this the seats kept changing postion, lights came on and off, windshield wipers just started independatly..the car was possessed!
So - to anyone out there who is having electronic problems.......it might be just the battery that has been asked to do too many things and just said ......NO WAY!

Again thanks for your help and support....good to know there are understanding friends out there,
Janet

 

Janet, odds are, you managed to hit a bump and that caused something inside the battery to move, leading to a bad cell. That is what kills most batteries. Yes, varying voltages from the battery can cause our cars to do some really, really strange things. Atleast you managed to figure it out and get it corrected.