i was driving my car and i spun it a little, and ended up facing the opposite way in the end and my reaction was to throw it in reverse but i may have done it too soon and it might of been still in a forward motion and stuff. The car died right after and would not start without shutting down right away after maybe sketching out a little while the key is turned. i have no idea whats wrong with it… any thoughts?
Hard to tell from here. Tell us a little more about this spin. Did you hit anything? How many miles on it, how old what make and model.
Hint, driving like that is not a good idea.Are you saying your car currently will not start? Is “sketching out a little” teen speak for “cleaning out my shorts”?
its a 1996 pontiac grand am, i didnt not hit anything. i just spun out of control on a sharp corner and my way of not going off the cliff was to throw it in reverse to keep the car where i wanted it to go, which worked but then it stalled and i couldnt start it again. “Sketching out” as in the gauges all dim and it makes click noises and it tries to turn over then starts up sometimes and shuts down 1-3 seconds after.
its an automatic by the way
Just out of curiosity–Were you talking on the cell phone when this incident took place?
Find the reset button for your auto fuel pump shutdown. This would most likely be triggered if you hit something, but presumably this event was pretty abusive on the car all around.
no, in some places the temperature freezes rain.
so you think if i find this button it should be able to start up and keep running? because i am not too knowledgeable about cars so it would take me a while to find this most likely. i didnt hit anything tho. just put it in reverse while it was still in a forward motion probably too fast for the car to handle.
At first, I was thinking the same thing. But then the OP told us that the engine sometimes starts and runs for a few seconds. If the fuel pump impact switch had been activated, I don’t think that the engine would start and run at all.
so no ideas other then the fuel pump?
Good point - I missed that little part about “without shutting down right away”
braiden - what I gave was a suggestion. There is no way that anyone can tell you anything for certain with no ability to see or mess with the car.
Why don’t you describe a little better what the story is. What is “sketching out” anyway? How long ago was this? How many times have you tried to start it since then? What happened with the car - did you have it towed home? Or is it still sitting at the cliff or what? What exactly happens when you turn the key? If you turn the key to the start position without going all the way until it cranks do you hear something hum for a couple of seconds?
Sketching out" as in the gauges all dim and it makes click noises and it tries to turn over , i was going around 20 km/hr and the slid around the corner and started to go close to 180 degress around so i threw it in reverse and hit the gas so it would back up in the opposite way it was spinning so i wouldnt go off the edge. we pushed the car home because it could still turn and brake but none of with with power. and when i turn the key they gauges dim, they are wierd clicking noises like it would make if it had wierd electrical problems then tries to turn over, sometimes it does and sometimes it doesnt. when it does it shuts down 1-3 seconds after not being able to idle or antything. the battery starts to loose its power if i keep trying to start it up and stuff so it takes longer to turn over. im not sure if you can hear any humming really.
Why have you not directed any attention towards the battery? gauges dimm,click noises? thats the place I would start. Still don’t get the “sketchin out” lingo
It sounds like you have a battery and battery connection (cables) problem.
In the spin, the battery connections, at the battery posts and at the other end where the cables attach to the starter and the car engine/body, were strained and (possibly) loosened. Check out the battery cable connections, give the battery a charge, and see how she starts.
ok that could be a possibility… i didnt take note of the battery being anything at first because of how it was fully charged and everything was working properly at first but then the clicking started and stuff and the battery is close to dead now from trying to hear any special noises turning it over a bunch of times over the past night and day.
A fully charged battery still needs clean, tight & unbroken connections. For future reference, if you want help with a car problem a clear description does wonders.
Now that your description has improved, listen to oldschool & hellokit - you’re having a power problem. The simplest place to start is with the cables & grounds. If your battery is now worn down from trying to start it, pull it out and put it on a charger while you clean & check connections.