fried some electronics while **trying** to jumpstart

[LuccianoDuckman]

Hello All!!

This is my first post to this forum.

I have a 2000 TransAm WS6. I did something that is absolutely and completely detestable, sick and wrong. The car had a dead batter, and it was dark outside. So I parked one of my other cars next to it and hooked up the jumper cables. It was obvious there was a problem when the jumper cables started smoking and the insulation on the cables began to melt. I HOOKED UP THE CABLES WRONG!! I connected the positive battery terminal to the negative of the other, etc. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THAT!!

After disconnecting everything, I hooked up my battery charger (correctly this time) and the battery is now charged. Luckily the car starts.

Here's a list of the stuff that still works:
- The engine starts
- headlights work
- power windows work
- battery gauge works
- oil pressure gauge works
- horn and alarm work
- seatbelt warning light works


Here's a list of the stuff that's dead (probably not a complete list as I have not gone through everything in the car)

- all lights on the instrument cluster (except the seatbelt light)
- spedometer and tach
- odometer
- can't turn off traction control
- rear hatch remote release


I'm surprised the engine starts. I'm sure this is going to cost me upwards of $1,000 or more because I probably fried the computer. Is there any possiblity that it could be something easy??

I can't believe I did this. I've worked on cars my entire life and this one thing happens. I'm really feeling like an idiot right now.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Lucciano

[TraceZ]

Welcome to the forum. I'd start by checking the fuses.

The lights in the cluster should not had burned out by getting their polarity briefly switched. If the lights dont work, get out a test light, pull the cluster, test the bulbs and assuming they are good start backtracking the circuit.

Maybe other members will have more ideas. Good luck.

[Kevin - Blown 95 TA]

Check all the fusible links and fuses under the hood and on the left side of the instrument panel. If the car starts, it is running off the computer. I would see if you can drive it. I'm not saying you didnt blow some inputs, but it sounds like you're missing power to the interior.

[LuccianoDuckman]

I can drive the car. After starting it I drove it up the street. Brakes work ok thankfully. I had the thought to check the fuses as well. I'll start pulling them and testing.

Any other ideas?? Thanks a ton for the input so far!!

[DJ Taso]

Last summer, there were some loose wires in the back of my radio. One of them touched the metal inside the car and I lost my dim lights for my dashboard. Turned out I blew a fuse, so check your fuses before anything else!

[Mike71]

things are connected in ur car..if u put a penny in the sig lighter of a ford itl burn out the sig lighter and the horn..those 2 things are on the same fuse (not that i did that or anything )

so id get a chiltons or a FSM or something..even the book that comes with the car should have a fuse diagram...figure out which things are on the same fuse and hope that that will help u narrow down what wires/fuses could have taken the long sleep

btw i hooked up the batt on my sidekick backwards one time..all it did was fry the batt fuse so i dont get why a 91 sidekick would have a fuse for the batt itself but urs didnt kinda strange

[Black97]

As mentioned check the fuses.

On my wife's car once all the headlights didn't work anymore. I thought there was an electrical problem (not uncommon with Jaguars ) and started to check out everything, fuses, wiring and connectors.

Eventually I figured out that all the bulps had gone bad in one foul swoop?? Not sure what happened there?

[SS_CarGuy]

Other than checking fuses, there is probably little else that you can do on your own. You might try talking to a tech at your Pontiac dealer to see what needs to be done to diagnose the problem. I also think there is more than one "computer" in our cars, so maybe you fried one or more of the other electronic modules. Keep us posted and if you need me to do a little research, give a holler since I have the factory shop manuals.

[todd200]

Check Fusible link "E" located in the left front corner of the engine compartment. It is red and is one of two in that location. The diagram shows it powers part of the BCM and the power accy fuse. The power accy fuse feeds the I/P cluster and rear compartment release relay. I would also check every fuse inside and outside the car.

[LuccianoDuckman]

Wow this is great feedback guys. Thanks for all the input. I haven't had a chance to check the fuses yet...I'm going to do it tomorrow (sunday). I'll post back here as soon as I get it done.

Lucciano

[LuccianoDuckman]

Here's an update:

I checked all the the fuses in the two fuse blocks under the hood on the driver side of the car, and all the fuses in the fuse block located just inside the driver door. All fuses are good.

One funny thing is when I push the button to open the trunk, I can hear the relay click, but the trunk does not open.

Ug...

I think next I might buy the shop manuals andsee if there are any trouble shooting steps for debugging a problem like this.

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Thanks.