weird problem

[hodgson316]

ok i was having what sounded like the passlock problem... i start my engine... it would turn over and start.. and then 4 seconds later cut off. My headlights would start to dim when i started it too. So i went and bought a new battery. Picked up an optima red top.

Now after i installed the new battery the car starts! but there are a few things wrong...

1) when i opened my car door, i thought that the battery wasn't connected b/c there was no door chime, my instrument cluster didn't light up(no door open light), and no dome light. but once I put the key in and turned it to on... the lights came on

2) after putting in my new battery my trunk pops itself open. at first, it popped open while the car was off. now it pops open while im driving.

3) doorlocks don't work.... the power windows work fine, but not the power locks. sometimes they unlock themselves too

4) and finally (and this one drives me crazy!) when i first got my car started w/ the new battery and test drove the car... the dome and maplights would not turn off. i could manually turn off the dome light, but the map would still be on. Now everytime the car is stopped the lights stay on. When i drive it goes off, but if i stop at a light it turns on.... like im a damn tourist, lol. and it goes on again if i slow down just enough


I know this is a long ass post, but can someone help me out? Thanks in advance

[4kQuad]

You dont say but from what is happening I'm going to guess you took the ends of the old battery, pull the old battery, put in new battery, put back on the battery wires. In that exact order.

I say that because what you describe sounds like what GAs do when the battery is dieing. Have low power to componets that start to do as they wish....so to speak.

If the above is what you did, pull the leads back off the battery, clean the end up where it meets the battery, then clean the battery were the end connects to it. Dull is dirty, shinny is clean.

Clean it up real good, put it back together, fire it up and drive.

Could also be the ALT dieing....Lots of parts store will do free eletrical checks....I would stop by one if cleaning the battery does not fix the problem.

[hodgson316]

thanks for the quick response! going to try that now