Should I be worried about this?

yellowline · 07-20-2005, 06:29 PM

So I was trying to get my courtesy light to work, because it's very finicky. The light is fine when the passenger door is opened, so I thought it was the driver's side door switch. I took the switch out, and as the wires touched the car's frame, I could hear clicking noises from under the hood, and my radio turned on. (The key was out of the ignition). It was only like the "ACC" position, it didn't turn the idiot lights on or anything. Still, I got a little worried about the prospect of my car battery draining, or the car starting itself. I put everything back together, and the car seems fine. Is that something normal? I really don't think so.

livewirevoodoo · livewirevoodoo's Garage

i'm guessing b/c the courtesy light will come on without the key in the ignition you completed a circuit. havent a clue as to why the radio turned on. a look at haynes or workshop manual wiring diagrams might give more insight. radio would have a memory lead direct to the battery to keep time & radio station memory tho. dunno, sounds flukey.

As long as the wires are no longer touching

you should be fine. I wouldn't worry about the car starting itself.

If i'm doing anything electrical I pull the battery cable as a prevention. Last thing i'm looking to do is inadvertantly fry the DME or start a fire.

jonny944 · 08-05-2005, 12:17 AM

I had a freak electrical issue. I went to lock up and found my 1983 Porsche 944 about 8 feet forward from where I parked it. It had lurched forward, pushed my refrig in the garage and smashed a shelf unit.
Keys were in the house. No one else touched it. So what would cause a car to lurch forward, parking brake on, in gear (5 spd) and turned off? Earlier in the day I had an issue trying to get the key to unlock/ignition to turn on at the column.

mike944 · 08-05-2005, 04:53 AM

jonny -

your problem, while rare, is not unheard-of. It's got something to do with the electrical system, and starter motor. Something causes the starter to engage randomly, and that can move the car, even with the parking brake on.

Do a search, because it's not the first time that has come up.