Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

Hello everyone. I'm new to this forum, so I apologize in advance if I upset anyone with my first post!

I have a problem I've never encountered before in 40 years of motoring. My 2007 Crossfire Roadster is completely dead, but the (2-month old) battery is totally fine. Thinking this was a flat battery issue I tried charging it, but both of my chargers say it is in tip-top condition and fully charged. I then tried jump starting the Xfire, but still totally dead. FULL DISCLOSURE: I stupidly left the trunk lid open overnight, but never thought the small courtesy light on the trunk lid could cause this. And anyway, wouldn't that just deplete the battery?

Could it be the main fuse has failed? Or does the Xfire have some strange 'you-left-the-trunk-open-you-idiot' fail safe?

Any help with this would be most appreciated. Thanks!

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

A few more details would be helpful:
1. How many days since the car last ran?
2. Automatic or manual transmission?
3. Coupe or roadster?
4. Any recent maintenance issues?
5. Can you (have you) read any diagnostic codes?
6. Has your RCM been resoldered/repaired?

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

Welcome.
The battery terminals are clean and tight I hope?
Ground wires are lean and tight?
Are the battery cables are in good condition? As some have found their cables completely corroded under the insulation. Signs of this are possible terminal corrosion and a cable limp in one spot.
Is a new cargo you and how many miles on it?

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

When you say completely dead , what does that mean. Do any off the lights work , headlights ?

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

That was going to be my question.

IF the car is COMPLETELY Dead, no lights, no nothing - then check the 200amp fuse with a voltmeter. Do you have 12 volts on both sides? The small box next to the battery the size of a pack of cigarettes has three fuses. One 50A power the engine fan. One 50A powers the brake controller. The 200A powers the rest of the ENTIRE car.

I've never seen anyone blow that fuse.

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

Thanks for replying, ambidextrous. The car last ran about three days ago, with no problems; this is an automatic transmission; it's a roadster; no recent issues, except that I replaced the battery (it was old and not holding charge well); I have no means of reading diagnostic codes; I don't know what an 'RCM' is, but nothing on the car has ever been resoldered or repaired. I hope this info helps.

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

Thanks for your quick reply, onehundred80. The battery terminals are clean and tight; the grounding connection also is good; As far as I can tell, the cables are in good condition - though with the battery fully charged, wouldn't I see some sparking if one of the cables were broken?

My car is a 2007 roadster, with about 43,000 miles on the clock.

Thanks again.

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

Thanks for your reply, maggy55. The car is COMPLETELY dead - as if there were no battery connected. No lights at all, no dash or courtesy lights, no ominous clicking from the solenoid when I turn the key.

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

Thank you for your reply, pizzaguy. I, too, have never known a main fuse to blow on ANY car I've owned. If that is indeed the problem, I assume it means that something on the car drew more than 200 amps! If the main fuse has blown, I'm reluctant to replace that fuse without first finding what caused the fault. Is it common for those fuses to just fail in time? The car is 12 years old, after all.

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

first disconnect your batt for about 1/2 hour,, reconnect and try to start. your car does not sound like a rcm while waiting the 1/2 hour read this :

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...-no-start.html

does the remote work to unlock/lock the doors?

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

Okay, so my next question is where would I find the main fuse? I have a 2007 roadster automatic. I found the small fuse box in the side of the dash, and there’s another alongside the battery which contains 3 or 4 small fuses and one larger 40 amp fuse (so not the main). I can find no box in the trunk. Is the main fuse even located in a fuse box, or is it on a bulkhead somewhere? Again, any help would be gratefully received.

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

Main Fuse box Location

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cro...20b072a950.jpg

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

Thanks fr the advice, amx1397. I disconnected the battery for about an hour - no change, still dead. No, the remote does not work. It's as if the battery has been removed from the car. No courtesy lights, no dash lights, no remote door locks, nothing.

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

Thanks for the information. I found the main fuse.

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

What you found was the fuses on the Relay Control Module (RCM), the main fuse is just in front of it where the previous posts arrow points to.

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

I have a 2008 Roadster and have the same problem, Battery is only a year old but ran dead just by having the car sit for 14 days. The guy I bought it from told me to disconnect the battery when the car sits for a couple of days, that the Alarm system uses lots of current. Never had a car that did this. Also I'm going to buy a good battery charger and tickle charge it when it sits in my garage. Does any body know if I can disconnect the alarm by pulling a fuse.

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

Two months, so I guess we will never know how it all ended up.:(

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

The alarm does not use a lot of current in mine, nor in the previous two Roadsters I owned. My cars have always been able to sit for three weeks at a time with no charger on them.
Was he referring to an aftermarket alarm system (a crappy one, apparently)?
Does the car have an aftermarket sound system amplifier?

If not, and the battery is new, then it's time to get a meter out and find out what is sinking all that current.

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

No it has just the Xfire Alarm. How can I check whats using all that current.

Re: Car dead. Battery not dead. Owner stumped.
 

Open hood.
Take key out of ignition.
Close glove box door, trunk lid and both doors.
Take battery ground cable off.
1) Insert meter between battery post and ground cable, set to 10amp scale.
2) Observe current reading (it will be .1 to .3 amps, if it is zero, you don't have the meter connected or configured properly).
3) WAIT THREE MINUTES - the current reading will go down, as modules hibernate.
4) AFTER THREE MINUTES - any current reading over 55mA (.055 amp) is a problem.

If you have too much current, start pulling fuses until the current drops below .055 amp - Pulling some fuses will cause the current to go UP, this is due to 'waking' a module somewhere, wait three minutes and it should go back down.

If NO fuse causes the current to go down enough, in the little black box next to battery (size of a pack of cigarettes):
--- Remove one 50 amp fuse that goes to engine fan - it is labeled.
If that does not do it:
--- Remove other 50 amp fuse, that goes to brake controller - it is labeled.
If that does not do it:
--- Remove 200 amp fuse that feeds entire car - if that does it, you need real help. My rate is $100 per hour plus $1600 travel expenses.
If that does not do it:
--- Remove BIG red cable from back of battery - if that does it, you need a new alternator (or get the one you have rebuilt, but make sure the guy knows it has a bad diode(s) ).
If that does not do it:
You, again, need real help. My rate is $100 per hour plus $1600 travel expenses. (You should report the car stolen at this point.)