No power no lights no nothing

Asked by Timothy is a mechani... Oct 04, 2019 at 10:21 AM about the 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GT1

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I have no power no lights no nothing my battery
has a charge of 12.6. I was driving home from
work in the rain and it shut off at the red light and it
hasnt started sense yesterday

2 Answers

30

If the battery is good, but there is no power to anything, (ANYTHING, not even a little light in the cabin), and the leads are properly seated and not corroded at all (any corrosion or rust could interfere with the leads ability to draw power, disconnect the entire battery and use sandpaper to clear them. Google first to ensure sandpaper won't damage anything), it could be a few things. You should take it to a mechanic for a diagnosis. It could be a fuse, but whenever I've had weird electrical issues on my used vehicles that had been the result of a blown or damaged fuse, I'd at least had one part of the car still get power, if not most areas. It could be a short, I have no personal experience with those, but I've heard a short affecting the main wires can have the symptoms you describe. Be careful, and unhook the battery when following the wires. Shorts can be due to a wire being frayed, or the protective coating on a wire being worn off and the core (what conveys the electricity) touching metal, such as the frame. This can mean that touching the metal that touches the wire's core has the ability to shock you. Finally, in my limited (note, I am not a mechanic nor do I fix cars regularly, my experience is limited to my 4 used cars I've owned) knowledge, if you attempt to turn the engine over (start the car) and don't even hear it try, just clicking or not even that, it could be the alternator. But from my understanding you'd still be able to draw power from the battery for some systems, even if the car didn't start. I'd suggest a mechanic unless you have the knowledge and ability to diagnose these issues yourself. Certain car models may do things differently than others. Some could have safety mechanisms that cut off all power if it detects a short or damage, which could mean your ability to diagnose the issue yourself is hindered unless you know about it.

3 people found this helpful.
20

If you didn't get it running try looking under the carpet in the back passenger seat and you will see a metal box under there with a red thing holding them together pull those wires out and see if it starts my 04 grand prix dis the same thing

2 people found this helpful.

Your Answer:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    munron
    Reputation
    8,220
  • #2
    James Sparrow
    Reputation
    7,520
  • #3
    Dorian Hendricks
    Reputation
    6,160
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Pontiac GTO
5 listings
Used Chevrolet Impala
9 Great Deals out of 109 listings starting at $4,995
Used Pontiac G6
20 listings
Used Chevrolet Corvette
23 Great Deals out of 1,038 listings starting at $14,900
Used Buick Regal
4 Great Deals out of 32 listings starting at $6,990
Used Chevrolet Monte Carlo
7 listings starting at $3,000
Used Chevrolet Tahoe
18 Great Deals out of 885 listings starting at $5,995
Used Cadillac CTS-V
1 listings starting at $38,850
Used Chevrolet Trailblazer
9 Great Deals out of 1,122 listings starting at $18,495
Used Ford Mustang
56 Great Deals out of 1,260 listings starting at $4,995

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.