Car won't start all of a sudden...

Ok well I bought a 90 buick regal limited last week. It was running perfectly. The car however was lacking a cd player so I installed one. I was working fast and when I was done connected the negative terminal, the cd player wasn't working, so instead of disconnecting the negative terminal from the battery and checking my work I forgot to and continued to work on it. Long story short, I ended up touching power and ground together and blew a fuse. The cd player works but the car won't start now. I put in a new battery and nothing, the alternator was changed a month ago. The car trys to turnover but the engine fails to connect it seems. The car started instantaneously before so I'm assuming something occured during my screw up. I don't know much about cars so any assistance would be great. I'm also in college so I can barely afford to pay the insurance and gas, nevermind taking it to a mechanic :(.

Check the master large fuses under the hood also.

Check the master large fuses under the hood also.

Great, thanks for the tip, I'm gonna go check that out right now.

Check the master large fuses under the hood also.

Well the good news is I think you helped find the problem. I checked under the hood and there are 2 ign fuses. If you're standing perpendicular to the vehicle lengthwise, the fuse is the bottom right one. I replaced the fuse with a 10 amp just like the original one, I tried to jump the car and bam nothing. So I got out and checked the same fuse and it's blown again! I know absolutely nothing about cars so I'm not sure what to do now. Any ideas guys? Hopefully it's a quick solve so I can get to my classes tomorrow :).

Still at a loss here guys, any ideas? I picked up a repair manual from my school library and checked the troubleshooting section but had no luck...

backtrack and undo what you did....stereo u can live without

I did that the same day it didn't start. First thing I did was disonnect cd player and take out the radio fuse just to be safe but nothing :(.

I did that the same day it didn't start. First thing I did was disonnect cd player and take out the radio fuse just to be safe but nothing :(.
scan for codes. i believe its free at autozone or pepboys. check posts for same DIY, if u cant get to them. the "module" is under dash at ur right knee

Checked everything I could. I'm beginning to thin kit's not a result of my installing the cd player. Nothing seems to add up here, I've checked everything. It just doesn't make sense. The fuse only blows when I try to start the vehicle. I can turn the ignition on and the fuse won't blow, however if I try to turn it over the fuse blows. I'm at a complete loss here guys, any ideas?

You need a good wiring diagram to track down the circuit for that fuse, try autozone.com/repairinfo, you may well need to have a good mechanic get involved here, probably a pinched harness some where in that circuit. I believe that powers up the icm or the injectors, not sure myself. Just look around under the hood at the wires to the injectors and the harness to the ign module.

You need a good wiring diagram to track down the circuit for that fuse, try autozone.com/repairinfo, you may well need to have a good mechanic get involved here, probably a pinched harness some where in that circuit. I believe that powers up the icm or the injectors, not sure myself. Just look around under the hood at the wires to the injectors and the harness to the ign module.

Yeah I've tried a lot I still got nothing. I'm just confused on what to do. I may have to take the insurance off as I can't afford to pay a mechanic. I might be able to borrow money off my girlfriend when she gets her paycheque so that may work. I really hate to keep posting as I don't want to irritate anyone, nonetheless does anyone know for sure that it's a short in the fuse? I know I'm never supposed to replace the fuse with a higher amp fuse but I used a 25 and it still blew, which means there is way too much current coming through the ignition fuse. If anyone could help me out and let me know what to do I'd be very greatful I'll even pay what I can afford when I get my grant mid february for school :). Thanks again for everyone's help.

Was any work done recently like an intake repair or a trans replacement, a part of the harness could have been frayed or pinched in the process, but realistically someone has to look at this on site, no magic bullet here.

Was any work done recently like an intake repair or a trans replacement, a part of the harness could have been frayed or pinched in the process, but realistically someone has to look at this on site, no magic bullet here.

Alternator was replaced, I did it myself but only because it was very simple.

Well the good news is I think you helped find the problem. I checked under the hood and there are 2 ign fuses. If you're standing perpendicular to the vehicle lengthwise, the fuse is the bottom right one. I replaced the fuse with a 10 amp just like the original one, I tried to jump the car and bam nothing. So I got out and checked the same fuse and it's blown again! I know absolutely nothing about cars so I'm not sure what to do now. Any ideas guys? Hopefully it's a quick solve so I can get to my classes tomorrow :).

Looks like you have a short somewhere where you wired the CD. I would remove the CD and start cleaning up the wiring, because that is the last wiring change you made. You said the car was working before you put the CD in, so it points to the change you made. Are there any lose wires still touching to ground? What is the 10 amp fuse for any description on the fuse box? Are they what you describe as ignition fuses?

I believe those had the cube stereos, correct? i knwo my 91 did until i changed that. how did you go about reaplacing the stereo? and for $hits and giggles, did you try leaving the ignition on and jumping the starter solienoid to see if it will start that way? you could possibly figrue it out that way, with hopes of not poping a fuse. I dunno, just my 2 cents. (and by jumping the starter solienoid, you run a wire from the positive termnial to the starter solienoid)(that is dangourous, be careful)(forgive me if im not using the right name for it)
Bill

You have a hot wire that is grounded some where in your sterio install.

Remove any wire harness or parts that you may have installed. I once used small screws to fasten the sterio mounting bracket to a car and the tip of the screw just penitrated the sheath on a hot wire causing a fuse to blow.

After you remove everything you added then make sure you put electrical tape over any bare wire.

Replace your fuses and try to start.

good luck.

You have a hot wire that is grounded some where in your sterio install.

Remove any wire harness or parts that you may have installed. I once used small screws to fasten the sterio mounting bracket to a car and the tip of the screw just penitrated the sheath on a hot wire causing a fuse to blow.

After you remove everything you added then make sure you put electrical tape over any bare wire.

Replace your fuses and try to start.

good luck.

Yes I was thinking the same, but he says his CD/radio works fine in the accessory position, so if there is a short in the CD/stereo then it should also blow a fuse...the fuse blows when he turns to ignition position...so there is some short some where else...

My question would be, when the car does not start... does the CD/radio still work in the accessory position?

Yes I was thinking the same, but he says his CD/radio works fine in the accessory position, so if there is a short in the CD/stereo then it should also blow a fuse...the fuse blows when he turns to ignition position...so there is some short some where else...

My question would be, when the car does not start... does the CD/radio still work in the accessory position?

I agree, but like I experienced before, my wiring for the sterio was perfect but a screw that I put in to hold the frame that the sterio locks into, just pierced a wire unrelated to the sterio enough to short out a fuse, mine was the climate control on a jeep that I own'd.

Definately knowing if the cd/radio still works after the car doesn't start would tell you if it is related to the radio wiring harness.

I agree, but like I experienced before, my wiring for the sterio was perfect but a screw that I put in to hold the frame that the sterio locks into, just pierced a wire unrelated to the sterio enough to short out a fuse, mine was the climate control on a jeep that I own'd.

Definately knowing if the cd/radio still works after the car doesn't start would tell you if it is related to the radio wiring harness.


Guru98,

yes the piercing into wires is a strong possibility, you are right it may have pierced some other wire in the harness which is grounding something and blowing the fuse of that circuit...so removing the CD player completely with all the other hardware including the mounting screws and then checking to see if some wires are pierced and taping should fix the problem...

And on the regals, i believe all the wiring is run through the passengers side of the firewall. If he installed the cd player in the tape slot, there is a possibilty he didnt peirce a wire, he could of had the cd player possibly catching a postive wire, (and not showing stress marks on the case) and it just sheared itslef on the idside, (like kinking a garden hose if you will) or just cut a large majority of the positive wire to weres its not sending the correct amperage through, causing a fuse to possibily pop ( i think it could happen....)
and to get rid of the whole stereo thing. Remove the radio fuse in the glovebox, i believe its only a 10 amp fuse. then the radio idea can be shot or worked on..... (maybe)
Bill