I have a 2002 Cavalier 4DR Automatic. Day before yesterday, it wouldn't start. I tried jumping it with cables to no avail. Headlights, dash lights, etc, all worked. Checked Battery and it was fully charged. After taking the battery terminals loose (side-post) and re-attaching them, it started right up. Last night, same problem...same solution, however, the guages stopped functioning, although dash lights and all other lights functioned properly. Today, just to see what would happen, I removed the battery cables and re-installed them and now the guages are working fine and the car starts as normal. Does anyone have any idea what would be the cause, as I'm sure it's going to happen again and I'd like to fix it permanently. I suspect it's in a ground somewhere, but where, I have no idea. Any suggestions or any other possible causes?

 

Has no one ever had this problem? Any ideas?

 

The first thing I would do is to eliminate the simple stuff - check for corrosion of the side-post as well as the battery itself. If the terminals are clean then have the battery tested under load. Remember, just because you see 12 volts or so with a volt meter does not mean the battery is good. If the battery test good check the continuity of your battery cables.


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Thanks. Battery putting out 650 amps. Alternator is good. Sideposts are clean as a whistle. Probably in the cables somewhere. Haven't had a problem with it in the past week. Really puzzling! I will probably have to wait until it fails again and then do the continuity test again while it's NOT working, LOL.