HELP! Weird 1985 Pontiac Fiero Electrical Problems!

[wallacengineering]

I put this video up on youtube to see if anyone could give me any advice on what could be wrong with my car after a 10-foot fall when the engine died and the steering locked up at 30 MPH resulting in flying off a small cliff. Please read the youtube video description and watch the video closely for full details. Thank you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBpmo...GzKAMuatvyEWfV

[vgames33]

Check your ground connection, battery cables, etc. Also take a look at your ignition switch, as the steering lock should be mechanical.

The fan should run in self-diagnosis mode.

Every time you unhook the battery, the ECM is wiped of all trouble codes. Even so, a random shutdown likely won't show a trouble code on an OBD 1 car.

[wallacengineering]

Originally Posted by vgames33

Check your ground connection, battery cables, etc. Also take a look at your ignition switch, as the steering lock should be mechanical.

The fan should run in self-diagnosis mode.

Every time you unhook the battery, the ECM is wiped of all trouble codes. Even so, a random shutdown likely won't show a trouble code on an OBD 1 car.

Well the weird thing is (and I tested this) the steering unlock works fine unless the engine suddenly dies. In order for it to be unlocked after dying you have to turn the key completely off and then back on to just before "start". Its the only way the steering works while it isn't running. Also, the battery has to be grounded correctly or else the lights and fan wouldn't operate either, would they?

[billn2]

It may be as simple as a battery and maybe an altenator. Charge the battery and if it charges do a load test on it. Check your battery cables. Take the bolts out of the cables and check them for corrosion and clean the bolts and the cable ends as neccessary. The positive cables are bad about building up a lot of corrosion and interferring with the connection. After you're sure you have a good battery and good connections, start the car and check the voltage and see if the altenator is charging, the voltage with the car running should be around 14 volts. Sometimes if the battery is bad enough or if the connections are bad enough they can be almost impossible to jump start, which is what sounds like is going on when you have your jump box hooked up and turn the key and everything goes dead. You lost your powersteering when the engine died, which is why you couldn't steer it. So check your battery, connections at the battery, and the state of your altenator and post your results.

[billn2]

It can also be hard to make good enough connections with a jump box on side post batteries to make the engine start. It can be done, but there's not alot to clamp on to. It helps to have someone move the clamps around while some else turns the ignition.

[DeltaP]

Agreed the battery may be bad,(shorted), from the impact. Needs to be fully charged and load tested as mentioned above. Need to check engine to frame and body ground straps and all cables at the starter. Check to see if all sub framing is grounding together,front to rear and body grounding is OK. See if it can be remotely started at the starter. Possibility of a body to sub frame short.