Strange Electrical Problem

gifs · Post by **gifs** » 08 Jul 2008, 11:27

I picked up a strange problem with my Honda Ballade. Everytime I press the brake, all electrical things goes off for a split second: i.e. the radio goes off, the gauges dip, the headlights dims momentarily.

Any ideas?

I will check the fuses later when I get a gap. Any other suggestions before I take it to an auto-electrician an probably spending alot of money.

psYChowIt · Post by **psYChowIt** » 08 Jul 2008, 11:37

8O whoa... that must be pretty scary!?!? I think it's haunted... get an exorcist or summin!

Good luck

gifs · Post by **gifs** » 08 Jul 2008, 11:41

Not really scary, at first I thought my radio was giving in, as that was all I noticed at first, but then I realised all the electrical things were going off.

Even more strange, is that it only happens while the car is moving, when I am stationary and press the brake pedal, nothing happens.

DJT · Post by **DJT** » 08 Jul 2008, 11:44

I blame the gremlins....

Prime · Post by **Prime** » 08 Jul 2008, 11:44

battery going flat? or a short would cause that.

po10cy · Post by **po10cy** » 08 Jul 2008, 11:45

thats damn strange man, only when your moving it does that, id check the wiring...my cars sound was working fine when its off, or standing still as soon as i move the frontloader just stops playing...opened the dash up and saw that wiring was ripped from when they tried to steal my frontloader, fixed that up and re-sealed wires and it worked again...

VoodooProphetII · Post by **VoodooProphetII** » 08 Jul 2008, 11:46

Hey gifs.

Did you check if your break lights are actually working / functioning when you press the breaks. If it happens only when you press the break, it sounds like there might be a short somewhere in the break lights wiring.

gifs · Post by **gifs** » 08 Jul 2008, 11:51

VoodooProphetII wrote:Hey gifs.

Did you check if your break lights are actually working / functioning when you press the breaks. If it happens only when you press the break, it sounds like there might be a short somewhere in the break lights wiring.

That's what I am thinking as well. I didn't have time this morning to check but will do so during lunch time.

da_ripper wrote:battery going flat? or a short would cause that.

Battery doesn't go flat, but the problem only started this morning, so it is hard to tell.

VoodooProphetII · Post by **VoodooProphetII** » 08 Jul 2008, 12:22

Oh gifs..... I had a similar problem a couple years ago and it started during winter. Take off your battery leads and clean your battery terminals with a steel brush or sand paper. Sometimes you get a build-up in between the terminal and the lead sockets/plugs and that creates some resistance after a while. Some people refer to this as a hot connection (well I call the really good looking girl at head office a hot connection but that's another story) as the heat is as a result of higher resistance and the higher resistance would mean higher current needed which could be a bit too much for a struggling battery...

Not too sure though, but it might be something to look at as well....

gifs · Post by **gifs** » 08 Jul 2008, 12:24

VoodooProphetII wrote:Oh gifs..... I had a similar problem a couple years ago and it started during winter. Take off your battery leads and clean your battery terminals with a steel brush or sand paper. Sometimes you get a build-up in between the terminal and the lead sockets/plugs and that creates some resistance after a while. Some people refer to this as a hot connection (well I call the really good looking girl at head office a hot connection but that's another story) as the heat is as a result of higher resistance and the higher resistance would mean higher current needed which could be a bit too much for a struggling battery...

Not too sure though, but it might be something to look at as well....

Thanks VPII, I'll try that.

Prime · Post by **Prime** » 08 Jul 2008, 14:36

Yes but your battery could still be going. If you measure the battery with a volt meter it will probably tell you its the correct voltage but as soon as you put any sort of current draw on, it will just die. It might not be charging properly either. But i also agree with wat the other guys have said

gifs · Post by **gifs** » 08 Jul 2008, 15:27

I checked during lunch and the brake lights are working and the fuses seem fine. The battery poles are looking good, it was probably cleaned during its recent service.

I took a drive around the block and the problem is gone, for now. But the problem was intermittant so it might be back this afternoon, I'll have to see.

SykomantiS · Post by **SykomantiS** » 08 Jul 2008, 15:42

I have a Ballade, but I've never heard of anything like this. You say morning, so I'm thinking temperature related, as well as electrical? Sounds stupid I know, but that's the strangest thing I've heard a car do in a long time. When the car isn't moving, is it in neutral, with the motor idling or off?

Edit: Did you use your heater this morning? (As opposed to not using it at lunch)

TheMartyr · Post by **TheMartyr** » 08 Jul 2008, 16:15

**I AM A N00B WHEN IT COMES TO CARS**
i had an UNO once that did the same thing:

the problem may be your break booster or whatever its called - or somewhere there is an air leak in some pipe down by your breaks.

my uno would literally switch off everytime i pressed the break
my radio would switch off completely and the entire car would just switch off

i know your car is not an uno but maybe its a similar problem to what i had.
it didnt cost me alot to fix though so if you have the same thing its not a HUGE problem.

or it could be a ghost... im not sure

gifs · Post by **gifs** » 09 Jul 2008, 07:32

SykomantiS wrote:I have a Ballade, but I've never heard of anything like this. You say morning, so I'm thinking temperature related, as well as electrical? Sounds stupid I know, but that's the strangest thing I've heard a car do in a long time. When the car isn't moving, is it in neutral, with the motor idling or off?

Edit: Did you use your heater this morning? (As opposed to not using it at lunch)

Last night on the way back home the problem also didn't happen and I was using the heater then as well, I have also tested if the heater has an impact but it doesn't. This morning for the first 10kms the problem was still gone but then started again.

What I realised is that it happens every time i press the brakes, but sometimes the short is not long enough (if that makes sense) so the radio and gauges don't go off, but you can see the headlights dipping.

Richard_ · Post by **Richard_** » 09 Jul 2008, 09:29

VoodooProphetII wrote:the heat is as a result of higher resistance and the higher resistance would mean higher current needed which could be a bit too much for a struggling battery...

Actually a higher potential difference would be needed across the terminals.

A car battery can give quite a large current, but the voltage across its terminals is fixed.

Good suggestion nevertheless.

Batteries should be kept clean and free of oxidation at all times. Though it's unlikely that the battery is at fault, since your problem only occurs whilst driving, in which case I would put blame on the alternator rather than the battery. Also, if the battery were at fault, you'd have problems starting your car.