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So i recently bought this car for 300 off a friend, it still needs a little work, but the biggest issue i cant figure out how to fix is there are wires cut located to the bottom left of the drivers seat, hidden under the plastics. it's cut right near where it bolts into the frame, i believe it's a ground, but just reattaching the wires together doesnt work. I reattached all but the larger one, and the electricals work somewhat, but you have to turn the key halfway touch the wires together while starting the car, then pull them apart when the engine fires up, otherwise the gauges don't work, and also the radiator fans do not kick on, which i also think is due to this. Any help would be greatly appreciated, I will add some pictures tomorrow as well so its easier to see what im talking about, thanks!

Welcome!

Sounds like a hacked remote start install to me, waiting for pics.

Thanks, I know exactly how the wires got cut, was a friends car he bought off some guy for like 350 or so, guy had wrecked it before and wanted to get rid of it, friend had it at his place, moved out of that place, ex-roomates decided since they werent getting rent money they'd trash his car, so cut wiring, busted the latch on the door, punched in the trunk lock, shot out lights, etc. Car still runs though and i needed a vehicle, so now im just trying to get this wiring thing sorted out. Soon as its bright enough so my phone can actually see anything i'll get pics up, dont have flash or a light =/

You can get a continuity tester to check individual wires. I think your best bet will be to inspect the car, look for entry points where other wires may have been accessed. If these people went to the trouble of pulling up the plastic trim to access wires, there is no telling just how far you will have to search.

But it sounds to me like pulling the interior will likely be necessary. A place to start is pulling up the rear seat (no bolts, just pull up where it clips in 2 places at the front) where your battery and some wiring raceways are.

Heres wiring that is cut, and the ghetto fix-up job my friend did. There are no other wires cut anywhere else, tore up all the trim and followed all the wires. Where the wires attach is simply bolted onto the frame and has nothing else coming out of it so i believe it is a ground, but im not 100% certain. You guys certainly know much more about these things than I do. Again, thanks for all the input, and any further help is greatly appreciated.

Yep, that's a ground. There's definitely something deeper going on...

00Beast wrote:Yep, that's a ground. There's definitely something deeper going on...

Okay, do you think it would work if i just ripped out the wiring going into the box bolted to the frame and just drill another hole and move it closer so that the cut ends just go into it like normal, or is there some reason why that shouldnt happen? This is my first vehicle so sorry for any "stupid" questions, i just really want to get the issue resolved without having to take it to a shop.

Ok yea, that isn't where the seat mounts that is the factory ground location in the drivers side kick panel. I would pull all of those connections and make sure they are clean and tight. There is also another on the passenger side that might be worth checking out.

you can unbolt the connector from the body also and take that apart to make sure it is clean and corrosion free.

Electricity needs a complete circuit. That is the ground part of the circuit, where the excess goes back to the source, IE, the battery. Since you have to disconnect some of the wires there to get it to work, something is grounding elsewhere, or something else is messed up. I don't know what's wrong, but you have found is a symptom, not the problem itself.

00Beast wrote:Electricity needs a complete circuit. That is the ground part of the circuit, where the excess goes back to the source, IE, the battery. Since you have to disconnect some of the wires there to get it to work, something is grounding elsewhere, or something else is messed up. I don't know what's wrong, but you have found is a symptom, not the problem itself.

it worked perfectly before those wires were cut, it does not work with all of them reattached, that big one needs to be off otherwise the gauges dont read. Thanks for all the help though, looks like im either going to need to rewire the whole *dang* thing, or take it to a shop.

Your radiator fans might not be kicking on if that ground you cannot leave connected is used by them.

I hope this isn't your daily driver, because it sounds like you are getting too much or too little power somewhere, which can damage all sorts of things. If you can get a service station to run diagnostics on it they could point you to the problem or at least help in some way; many will do so for free.

@dean - This currently is my only vehicle. I got it for free, working on fixing it up so I don't have to find rides around anymore. Has outside damage due to previous crash and door latch is broken, all shocks and struts need replaced, front ones aren't too bad, but the rear are both snapped in half, was going to replace with Monroe Load Assist and get rid of the air, since the compressor doesn't work due to the wiring as well. Possibly brake lines and calipers need replaced as well, because the brakes only feel like working when they want to, and it needs new front tires. All of that but the wiring I know how to fix, and already priced the parts. This wiring thing is just giving me a headache.

Okay so i went to autozone and got some female connectors, tore apart the black box that was bolted on and now i have it set up like this - - and now hopefully everything works properly. Gauges are working so far, not sure about other electricals but i didnt have to start it a goofy way.

Nice, clean job! Did the fans start working again too?

If you continue to have other problems, pull the trim off on the passenger side. There is a similar ground connector there. When I unscrew these. I use a dremel to grind off the paint to bare metal around the terminal and bolt to make a better connection., There are several others on the floor pan but you would have to pull the seats and carpet. If there is any sign of dampness in the rugs, you should remove them and check the wiring and ground connectors on the floor pan and fix the cause of the leaks. You can always drive the car with only the passenger seat in and the interior stripped.