Problems with P5. Input needed

[k-train04rl]

First of all, if this is posted in the wrong section, mods please move it.

Now off to my story. Im helping my gf's brother try and get his p5 up and running. It was his dads car that has been parked for almost 4 years now. Before it was parked, the battery was taken out. That was it. It needs a bunch of things done to run properly, and thats not a big deal. Spark plugs, wires, drop the tank take out the bad gas, and flush the lines, along with all new fluids from oil to tranny flush to coolant. This is not my concern as the basics like this I can do/show him how to do it.

The major problem is a couple of days ago we started some work, and first thing was first, we plugged in the new battery. Right away the problems started! The headlights went on, while the switch was turned to off. none of the other lights on the car work either, not the interiors or brake lights or fogs. This is where I am stumped, I am mechanically inclined and actually in school to start my apprentice for auto tech. unfortunately i haven't gotten to the electronics portion yet, so diagnosing electrical problems are out of the question for now.

Has anyone ever heard of a sitation like this? if so what would be the common problems to check for? Any input would be great!

We did not even try and turn over the engine yet because we knew that the oil was crap, same with the plugs being fouled to hell. This is a 2002 protege 5 with about 220,000kms on it. When it was parked, the car ran fine and only needed brakes and a good tune up. now we cant even get the interior lights to turn on! or the headlights to turn off without disconnecting the battery!

Thank you for your time,
Collin M.

 

[k-train04rl]

39 views and no tips on what to look for? consider this a bump to the top.

still looking for help. Cleaned up all the gounds on the car. i dont understand why it does this. the battery should only be directly powering the starter. the fuse box and switches or the computer control the lights in most cars. They are not aftermarket and wired directly or anything like that.

opinions welome and needed. so long as it is helpful.
Collin M.

 

[PRO5.REL]

try checking the fuses?

simple problem but ill look into it more after im done with work

 

[Sport23]

If it were just the headlights I would say a stuck headlight relay.... with the other issues I would go over the wiring and fuse boxes to make sure that rodents didn't move in and chew things up. Let us know what you find.

 

[k-train04rl]

that was my next move. but it has been in a garage attached to a very clean house, so no redents, and no traces of em. it wont be a stuck relay due to nothing else working. if everything else worked that would be an issue. its the only thing that turns on, and wont turn off at the switch. almost like it is directly connected. either way, the wiring harness is going to get a very good look over this week to see if i see anything wrong.

well i hope i can figure it out this weekend, its a cool little car, ive always liked em. now i got the chance to work on one and toy with it a bit, so i gotta get it going

 

[localkineguy]

You gotta get in there with a multimeter and then post more to us. Did you ever check the fuses like the previous posters suggested?

 

[k-train04rl]

i havent had a chance to check it out since last weekend. Im going down to where the car is stored with my test light and multi meter this weekend.

I really hope this is just something stupid so i can get on to flushing the fluids and giving it a good tune up to start it up.

 

[PRO5.REL]

yeah..i hate it when we all think for the worst case then BAM! slaps in the face with some stupidness

 

[XJ^remy]

so, from what i understand, the car sat for 4 years w/o a battery....u put a NEW battery in & the headlights turned on by themselves?.....& u tried rotating the light switch on/off to see if the lights respond? did u try turnin the key to "on" to get some other electronic response throughout the car, or just seeing if any other electronics/lights work?

definitely get in there & inspect thoroughly physically & w/a multimeter.....sometimes it doesnt matter where the car is stored, rats/rodents will get in there & try to make a home....a shot in the dark for me, w/the info u provided, its a corroded connection (whether wire, RELAY, or fuse....i emphasize relay, cuz if a wire or fuse are inhibiting electrical flow, the circuit just wont work, a relay has multiple connections, it could be 1 internal malfunction thats diverting power to stay on)....worst case, the harness has been chewed