94 Corolla TOTALLY Dead ! - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

wild4stangs · 08-07-2006, 02:06 PM

Greetings folks, I just purchased a 94 Corolla for my daughter's first car. Nice car, high mileage, but it runs great and needs nothing, at least until an hour ago. My wife and daughter got stuck today at the local mall. Car ran fine, went shopping, and when they came out, the car would not start, as a matter of fact there is no power at all, locks, headlights, starter... No power at all.

Sounds like a fusible link to me. Anyone ever run across this issue ?

I have to leave soon to go look at this thing before I have it towed, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...

***REN69*** · 08-07-2006, 04:06 PM

dead battery maybe, OR dead alternator that didn't charge the battery. OR you have a loose cable, check the battery.

***toyomoho*** · 08-07-2006, 04:33 PM

Bring a voltmeter, jumper cables and some hand tools to work on the battery cables. Check the battery voltage with everything off. Approximately 12.6v is 100% state of charge (good), 12.2v 50% state of charge (OK), 11.9v dead.

Check the battery cables as these can become corroded, damaged, etc. If battery is OK, then it might be the fusible link.

If you get the engine started, connect the voltmeter again to the terminals. If the alternator is working, the voltage should jump up to say 13.5-14.1 volts. If no voltage increase beyond what you read with the engine off, the alternator or its wiring has a problem.

tech8 · 08-07-2006, 06:57 PM

I would say best guess would be alternator needs replacement.

wild4stangs · 08-08-2006, 11:16 AM

Well I checked all the fuses, the battery seems fine. I swapped in another battery, same thing. At least when I removed the battery cables and re-installed them, I had electrical power, so I don't think it is a fusable link. I turn the key, I hear a click, now no power again ??? This is weird. Had to have it towed to a shop. We will see....

cam76034 · 08-08-2006, 01:08 PM

I had a similar situation with a Ford Explorer. Between me and my neighbor, who is a mechanic, we replaced the alternator first, then new connections to the battery posts. Still nothing. Turns out that the wiring harness had corrosion down inside the outside cable insulation, couldn't see it, but once we took it off the car and cut the insulation off you could see all the rust and crap.

***REN69*** · 08-08-2006, 10:48 PM

Rust in Texas?? that's crazy! what from?? sand I would assume.