Hey all, I just purchased a 2001 Accent GL with a 1.6 engine yesterday. Today has been a complete nightmare I have No info on this model as of yet. I did order a Haynes manual for it yesterday but that wont arrive in the mail for at least 1 week. I have gone over the online manual at hmaservice but from what i have read through, it doesn't go into much detail as far as electrical goes.
I will try to explain in detail what has been going on from start to finish with hopes that someone can share some info they have already picked up.
Like I said, I purchased this car yesterday. it's a Accent GL with a 1.6 engine. This car has approx, original 64,500 miles. the car has been sitting in someones yard ( unused and off the road) for just under one year. When I went to pick up the car, the battery was completely dead with the key in the on position ( I never checked the battery before purchase because I know these people and more or less bought the car knowing it was taken care of). I tried jump starting the car but the battery was so dead, it wouldn't start. I went to a local WalMart and bought a new battery installed it and the car started right up. I put about 35 miles on the car the first day and parked it until morning.
I used the car to go to work this morning. We have had major rain storms all day. After driving approx. 8 miles, the dash lights started to dim, the air bag light came on, the car started acting hesitant and would not accelerate past 45 miles a hours. I pulled over and shut the car off. tried starting the car again but it wouldn't start, battery was dead. I had already loaded a spare battery in the trunk from my other car which is fairly new, strong and in great condition ( I put it there just in case on the first day I purchased the car). I installed that battery and the car started right up and ran great for about 10 miles. then the car started acting the same way, hesitant acceleration, dash lights dimming ect. I pulled over, shut of the car and tried restarting. That battery was now dead.
I phone a friend from work to pick me up and figure the alternator had sh*t the bed. I recharged my battery and purchased a new/remanufactured alternator ( for $150!!!...ouch). It was a bear installing the bugger but I finished the job and started and let run the car parked for awhile. I then drove back home. After about 1 hour of driving and about 35 miles, the same problem started again only this time it was night and the headlights were barely lit, I also smelled excessive heat and the cooling indicator was actually bottomed out on C. I pulled over once again, shut it off and tried to restart. The battery was dead again! I pulled the hood switch, lifted the hood and found the exhaust manifold where the sensor ( oxygen?) is mounted ( in the front to be cherry red!
I let the car cool for more than an hour. Asked a person near by for a jump start ( which took about 15 to 20 minutes for it to get enough juice to turn over). Thge car finally started and I had only about 3 miles to get home. the car barely made it into my driveway, where it sits right now.
Like I said, as of now I have NO info on the car. I have no idea if I can retrieve the fault codes without a meter (maybe with old style morse code and the check engine light?). I'm obviously looking at an electrical issue but could it be the main computer, a bad sensor, a short in the electrical system? I have no idea at this time.
If anyone stayed with this long write up and feel they may have some info to offer please do. it is all appreciated.
Have a good one!
I will try to explain in detail what has been going on from start to finish with hopes that someone can share some info they have already picked up.
Like I said, I purchased this car yesterday. it's a Accent GL with a 1.6 engine. This car has approx, original 64,500 miles. the car has been sitting in someones yard ( unused and off the road) for just under one year. When I went to pick up the car, the battery was completely dead with the key in the on position ( I never checked the battery before purchase because I know these people and more or less bought the car knowing it was taken care of). I tried jump starting the car but the battery was so dead, it wouldn't start. I went to a local WalMart and bought a new battery installed it and the car started right up. I put about 35 miles on the car the first day and parked it until morning.
I used the car to go to work this morning. We have had major rain storms all day. After driving approx. 8 miles, the dash lights started to dim, the air bag light came on, the car started acting hesitant and would not accelerate past 45 miles a hours. I pulled over and shut the car off. tried starting the car again but it wouldn't start, battery was dead. I had already loaded a spare battery in the trunk from my other car which is fairly new, strong and in great condition ( I put it there just in case on the first day I purchased the car). I installed that battery and the car started right up and ran great for about 10 miles. then the car started acting the same way, hesitant acceleration, dash lights dimming ect. I pulled over, shut of the car and tried restarting. That battery was now dead.
I phone a friend from work to pick me up and figure the alternator had sh*t the bed. I recharged my battery and purchased a new/remanufactured alternator ( for $150!!!...ouch). It was a bear installing the bugger but I finished the job and started and let run the car parked for awhile. I then drove back home. After about 1 hour of driving and about 35 miles, the same problem started again only this time it was night and the headlights were barely lit, I also smelled excessive heat and the cooling indicator was actually bottomed out on C. I pulled over once again, shut it off and tried to restart. The battery was dead again! I pulled the hood switch, lifted the hood and found the exhaust manifold where the sensor ( oxygen?) is mounted ( in the front to be cherry red!
I let the car cool for more than an hour. Asked a person near by for a jump start ( which took about 15 to 20 minutes for it to get enough juice to turn over). Thge car finally started and I had only about 3 miles to get home. the car barely made it into my driveway, where it sits right now.
Like I said, as of now I have NO info on the car. I have no idea if I can retrieve the fault codes without a meter (maybe with old style morse code and the check engine light?). I'm obviously looking at an electrical issue but could it be the main computer, a bad sensor, a short in the electrical system? I have no idea at this time.
If anyone stayed with this long write up and feel they may have some info to offer please do. it is all appreciated.
Have a good one!