Automotive electrical gremlins are some of the most frustrating and difficult to track down problems that any car owner can face. Not only is it often difficult to locate an intermittent electrical issue, but a problem that you were sure was fixed can crop up time and time again. These problems sometimes have solutions that are surprisingly cheap and simple, however, some can be incredibly hard to zero in on. While it is impossible to know every possible electrical auto repair problem that a car might have, this article will provide some advice on hunting a few of the most common types of gremlins.
Blown Fuses
If an electrical system on your car stops working entirely, your first stop should always be the fuse box. This is located in the glove compartment on most cars and far too many owners overlook its importance. The fuse box will usually be labeled or include a slip of paper or cardboard that lists the location and amperage of each fuse. If this labeling isn't in the fuse box itself, check your owner's manual. Once you've located the appropriate fuse, check and replace it if necessary.
Note that most cars come with a few extra fuses from the factory for emergency replacements. Since it isn't always easy to tell if a vehicle's fuse has blown, it's a good idea to try swapping in a known good fuse just to be sure. If you are repeatedly blowing the same fuse, however, then it is likely that there is an electrical short or other problem with that affected piece of equipment.
Bad Engine Grounds
Bad engine grounds can cause a massive array of potential symptoms and lead you on a chase to every corner of your car. The more complicated electrical system that your car has, the more potential oddities you can see as a result of poor grounding. Often, ground issues are caused by an actual ground connection becoming corroded or insulation on a ground wire wearing away sufficiently that the wire itself becomes exposed to the elements.
Unfortunately, there is no one symptom that necessarily points to a bad ground. You may experience a variety of interior electrical problems, ranging from dimming lights to odd behavior of basic equipment like wiper blades or turn signals. In some cases, a bad ground can affect the operation of components, such as your fuel pump, leading to problems starting the car or even stalling. If you suspect a faulty ground connection, check and clean the negative terminal of the battery first. If this doesn't solve the problem, it's time to either fall back on a professional diagnosis or to pull out the multi-meter and begin checking each engine ground location.
Failing Batteries
Most people are familiar with the dreaded click of a dead battery and a car that won't turn over, but weak batteries can actually cause a wide range of electrical faults before they fail completely. As with a poor ground connection, you may find that your car is experiencing a number of mysterious and seemingly unrelated issues as the battery nears the end of its life.
Pay special attention to both your headlights and interior lights. If they are unusually dim and seem to change in intensity with engine speed, then there's a good chance your battery is on its way out. Note that this may also point to an alternator that is no longer fully charging the battery.
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