Friend borrowed the car last night & left the lights on thinking they would automatically turn off.

OFFICERGALE

MEMBER
2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER

My instrument gauges don't move but still light up. It's a chevy cavalier. Lights were left on last night & had to jump start it this AM. What is this & how much will it cost me? Car was dead this AM & had to be jumped. Car can be driven but none of the dials work although they do light up. I can't afford to take it to a garage right now, but it would help if you could tell me what you think it might be, & what it might cost. Is it anything that I could buy a part for & have a friend put it in? The weather is below freezing here, would that have anything to do with it? Thank you so much for any advice or info you can furnish.

4 Replies

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,004 POSTS

SEEN THIS BEFORE!

SOMETIMES YOUR GAUGES SORTA GO HAYWIRE

MOST LIKELY---BATTERY DYING/ THEN DEAD

ALTERNATOR/ BATTERY FAILURE/ SOMETHING IN THE SYSTEM FAILURE(IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR IN THE CASE I DEALT WITH)

(ONCE AGAIN RIVERMIKERAT!--SOUTHERN TERMINOLOGY)

UN-JEWG THE BATTERY COMPLETELY FROM YOUR RIG (REMOVE BOTH CABLES FOR ALL YA'LL YANKEE TYPES!)

(UN-JEWG = COMPLETELY DISCONNECT)

COMPUTER WILL RESET

CHARGE OLD BATTERY/ REPLACE OLD BATTERY, WHICH EVER WORKS BEST (OUT OF VEHICLE)

JUMP STARTING MAY MAKE YOU "GO", BUT THE PROBLEMS WILL PERSIST

. THE COMPUTER AIN'T BEEN RESET, TILL YOU UN-JEWG AND RE-INSTALL "FRESH" BATTERY (SOME 'ROUND HERE SAY, "BAT-STREE"!)

ONCE UNDERWAY---CHECK SYSTEM FOR, "NOT CHARGING" (FOR WHATEVER OF MANY REASONS!)

OR A DEAD OR BAD BATTERY

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO DO THIS, MANY POPULAR AUTO PARTS STORES WILL DO THIS LOAD TESTING, CHARGING SYSTEM TESTING FOR YOU FOR FREE!

KEEP US UPDATED

THE MEDIC

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Wednesday, January 4th, 2012 AT 2:49 AM

OFFICERGALE

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Thankyou so much for your help. You were dead on. My daughter followed your advice & the problem disapeared.

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Sunday, February 26th, 2012 AT 5:13 AM

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,004 POSTS

I'M GLAD THAT HELPED---DID YOU HAVE A BATTERY OR ALTERNATOR PROBLEM, THAT SORTA MADE YOU SPEND SOME $$$ TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEM?

OR DID SHE GET BY WITH WHAT SHE HAD?

SOMETIMES IT'S LIGHTS LEFT ON, OR THE DOOR NOT SHUT GOOD, THAT RUNS YOU DOWN. JUST THE "UN-JEWGING" AND CHARGING THE PRESENT BATTERY FIXES YOU UP, A LITTLE INCONVENIENCE, BUT WALLET STAYS IN YOUR POCKET!

NOW THAT IT'S RUNNING, YOU CAN CONVINCE HER TO TRADE IT IN ON A WRANGLER!

THE MEDIC

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