help mystery issue

thack03 · 02-23-2009, 03:08 PM

i have a couple questions obviously, so last wednesday i drove to school and when i got back in my car it started and i drove for about 15sec before it just stalled itself out, i proceeded to try and turn car back on but had no battery power so i thought either battery or alternator, through tests and what not i needed a new battery which i put in and same thing happened so i had the alternator tested and it read out just fine 14v about but the same thing happens every time the car is started. Also there is a slight smell of burning electronics coming from the dash and it idles about 400rpms higher then normal for the short time that it runs, does anyone have any idea as to what could be the issue? its kind of a mystery, its been at the shop since wednesday and there hasn't been any progress just looking for any help rather then sitting here blind, thanks

dumdum · 02-23-2009, 04:41 PM

Maybe a bad ignition switch.Electrical problems are the hardest to diagnose especially on the internet.If you plan on doing this yourself,purchase a digital multi meter and learn how to use it.

gunk007 · 02-23-2009, 04:43 PM

A friend of mine had a similar problem. It would only run for a few minutes. There was an electrical drain (short) coming from his radio and the security system. (The car had been crashed before he bought it). I am not sure why yours only runs for such a short time.

VD5505 · 02-23-2009, 05:41 PM

check all your engine grounds over and make sure they are all good. Have you been doing anything under the hood or anywhere else prior to this happening??

thack03 · 02-23-2009, 09:14 PM

okay well i checked all these things and its all good, while at the shop though we found the problem and that somehow water had gotten to the ecu cause when we opened it water came out, the thing that is still a mystery is how the water got up and in. It had been raining the last few days but rain shouldn't get in

VD5505 · 02-24-2009, 11:00 AM

check all your seals around the doors and check the drain tube on the passenger side firewall its a little rubber hose over by the downpipe make sure that is on and not plugged or anything like that