Car Battery question

[RoJoHen]

I am having some car troubles. For whatever reason, my gear shift is stuck is will not communicate properly with my ignition. The car is parked, but the key does not recognize that it is parked. As a result, the key is stuck in the ignition. The engine is off, but the key won't turn all the way, so the electricity remains on. It's been like this all day, and now, as you might imagine, the battery is dead.

My question is this: is it safe to either a) jump start a car or b) replace a car battery while the power is still turned on? If I can jump the car and drive it to the shop, that would be awesome. Otherwise, I'll have to pay to get it towed, and I'd rather not do that if I don't have to.

 

[SeerSGB]

I am having some car troubles. For whatever reason, my gear shift is stuck is will not communicate properly with my ignition. The car is parked, but the key does not recognize that it is parked. As a result, the key is stuck in the ignition. The engine is off, but the key won't turn all the way, so the electricity remains on. It's been like this all day, and now, as you might imagine, the battery is dead.

My question is this: is it safe to either a) jump start a car or b) replace a car battery while the power is still turned on? If I can jump the car and drive it to the shop, that would be awesome. Otherwise, I'll have to pay to get it towed, and I'd rather not do that if I don't have to.

Might want to check our owner manual. If you don't jump it properly you might fry the ECC/ECM or otherwise damage something that'd make for more problems. You should be able to replace the battery okay if you can line up a charged battery; just disconnect and swap--it'll spark a little, don't be afraid.

Are you sure the fuel pump is disengaged? Cause if it's been running all day cause of the key it might be damaged or toast.

Honestly, where it me with the same issue I'd disconnected the "+" side of the battery, I wouldn't have let it "idle on" all day.

 

[RoJoHen]

Honestly, where it me with the same issue I'd disconnected the "+" side of the battery, I wouldn't have let it "idle on" all day.

When it comes to cars, I have a definite lack of knowledge. I can change a tire, and that's about where my expertise ends.

I actually didn't realize the battery had been on all day until I went to leave for work tonight and saw that my headlights were still on.

I think Automotive classes should be mandatory in high school. I hate dealing with car problems because I'm so uninformed.

 

[SeerSGB]

Honestly, where it me with the same issue I'd disconnected the "+" side of the battery, I wouldn't have let it "idle on" all day.

When it comes to cars, I have a definite lack of knowledge. I can change a tire, and that's about where my expertise ends.

I actually didn't realize the battery had been on all day until I went to leave for work tonight and saw that my headlights were still on.

I think Automotive classes should be mandatory in high school. I hate dealing with car problems because I'm so uninformed.

As a personal rule (and it isn't always true) I just assume that key in ignition = on. But it's a honest mistake to make.

Thing is it could be the shifter or it could be something jammed up in the switch. I had a car do this once, and tore the whole shift mechanism down only to find out a tooth had broke on the locking-gear of the column. I would be concerned about the fuel pump; cause if it didn't kick off it might either be damaged or the life of the pump cut down--a lesson learned the hard way about a pump "stuck on".

I'd be careful about boosting completely dead battery. Sometimes the strain of recharging a battery from dead can wearing on the alternator / voltage regulating system. if you're charging system is in good repair, once or twice shouldn't be a issue (depending on the car's model and the electronics). I'd say you'd be better off bumming a battery off a friend or seeing if you're shop has a "loaner"--not many do, but I've known it to happen. Or I'd see about bumming a ride and taking the battery (It's safe to handle while "on" just don't touch both terminals at the same time) to the shop and letting them charge it for you so you can take the car in to get it fixed.

 

[RoJoHen]

Well, I did a little bit of research and found that in my car the shifter doing this is a fairly common problem with a relatively easy fix, so hopefully that's all it is and not some other mystery problem.

Though honestly, if I take it to the dealership tomorrow and somehow leave with a new car, I might not be too upset about it.

 

[SeerSGB]

Well, I did a little bit of research and found that in my car the shifter doing this is a fairly common problem with a relatively easy fix, so hopefully that's all it is and not some other mystery problem.

Though honestly, if I take it to the dealership tomorrow and somehow leave with a new car, I might not be too upset about it.

Was it ever put on recall for the defect? Cause you might get a free repair out of it.

 

[RoJoHen]

Not that I was able to find out.