How to Fix Electrical Problems in Your Car (Ground Fault)

Electrical problems in car. How to fix electrical problems in your car DIY with Scotty Kilmer. How to find electrical problems. How to fix ground faults. How to use multimeter to find the source of strange electrical problems like a ground fault and fix it. Often bad ground wires cause weird electrical problems, like making the parking lights come on when you step on the brakes. DIY car repair with Scotty Kilmer, an auto mechanic for the last 45 years.
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[@scottykilmer]

Things I used in this video: 1. Voltmeter: amzn.to/2BQ0K2W 2. Common Sense 3. Full HD Camera: amzn.to/2AvoEk7 4. My computer for editing / uploading: amzn.to/2i2sKYz 5. Video editing software: amzn.to/2jv5Fhf 6. Thumbnail software: amzn.to/2k7tz6C 🛠Check out my Garage to see what I use every day and highly recommend: www.amazon.com/shop/scottykilmer ❗️Check out the Scotty store: goo.gl/RwhRGU 👉Follow me on Instagram for the latest news, funnies, and exclusive info / pics: goo.gl/ohy2cA

[@viciouskey2201]

Scotty Kilmer hello Scott I want to ask you a question what makes a 97 Dodge Caravan shut off when you put it in Drive

[@charlssmith7425]

Scotty Kilmer I put a new fuel pump on my 98 Ford WinstAR now it would not start it's not getting fire

[@macloc7108]

Scotty Kilmer I have a 99 Lincoln Town Car my interior lights won't go off

[@juanalmanzadiaz7996]

Scotty Kilmer had a question so I have a Acura TSX 05 so a couple days ago my battery was dead so I thought I had a bad battery and alternator so I changed both but I went to advanced so they could check my battery and alternator it should that alternator wasn’t getting any voltage so I installed a new alternator and it still shows no voltage could you help me out?

[@vincentpoppenberg3854]

Scotty Kilmer I have a 95 Nissan Pathfinder my negative terminal melted then I found bare wires underneath the car but they look like they're coming from the positive terminal they're burned out where would they go to put new battery in battery will not start car

[@NEMOJA]

Keep this man safe at all costs

[@HumbleMechanic]

Nice vid man. It was great meeting you at the Shell deal last week. Your videos are 100% you, and I dig that!

[@scottykilmer]

Yes, it was great meeting you, if I get any VW questions, I'll be sure to tap your brain. Yesterday I went back to shell and filmed a couple vids on gas to oil conversion and The Woman Who Knows Engines. And I found out how you guys probably got a better price on the premium oil, they aren't making much profit on dealership and maufacturer sales, it's a PR move. Figuring if OEMs use it, the public will follow using that very same oil. It's all about what the public will buy, just like my vids being for the general public. It's a VAST audience.

[@HumbleMechanic]

Heck yea man! That is awesome you got to shoot that video you wanted. That gal I think her name was Shanna or something. She is freaking smart and knows her stuff. If I can ever help ya out with anything VW, let me know. I'd be happy to help out. Cheers Charles

[@gilbertrodriguez452]

Thank you so much Scotty. love your channel you've taught me so much and just when Im about ready to throw the white flag you save the day every time. I'm watching from Midland, TX. I drive a 2004 Chevy trailblazer 4×4 with 304,000 miles. It was a ex police vehicle so my radio wire harness was not wired the correct way. I had to rearrange all the pins back to their original places to get my radio to power on. Before I found out the wiring issue I had installed a new transmission by myself with no experience at all which didn't do me any good because I still had the same problems, just to find out it was bad wiring contact. Once I fixed the harness the truck ran with no issues.

[@milkmancow5]

I hope to meet Scotty one day. He has taught me so much over these years.

[@abronxtale]

Ur famous now 🤪

[@alexanderhernandez9827]

Scotty, I must thank you for all the videos that you have religiously posted and taught me the basics of being a mechanically inclined. I would be nowhere with my project without these videos.

[@iainmeteorscan1555]

Wonderful. One of the best instructional videos on vehicle earth fault-finding. Well done.

[@scottykilmer]

yes, check your anti theft system if it has one and it needs resetting. If not, check the battery terminals and wires to see if they are not getting power from being loose or cracked

[@johnvandyk2592]

I keep coming back to your videos, Scotty. Great info. I just diagnosed a bad ground wire on the left high beam of my 2000 Nissan Maxima. I fixed it by running a jumper wire from the other light. I could not find the broken ground, but the guy I bought the car off of could not find it either. Lots of light now.

[@kramnull8962]

Scotty, This video was about staying grounded, no getting lit up... Awesome video, You deserve a couple good swigs...

[@takumibonsai]

Your awesome, thanks for giving up your time to help us, much appreciated,

[@scottykilmer]

weak connections, try unplugging them all , cleaning them, and snapping them back together. Pray it's not a computer circuit problem, they need replacing.

[@devon-ly8fg]

I have a ls400 98 it died and i change the battery no start alsoi changed the alternator about 3 months ago and it cuts on when it jumps but no lights on inside the car but car running but wont move and also will shut off after a while if i hook up battery charger soon as i cut it off the volts immediately goes back to zero and wont start back up unless i jump it but it just wont move even the gas pedal wont engage

[@treonner]

Still being used 10 years later

[@denigrator6399]

11 years 🫡

[@JohnBeBaked]

11 for me 🤣

[@BiologicalJenkinz]

I’m from 2075 and still watching

[@justinrrizzo]

I freaking LOVE your videos. So helpful and so direct and quick to the point. Thanks for all the info.

[@cfr8329]

Thanks for the information Scotty. I’m dealing with the dim lights on my 02 avalanche; I replaced dimmer switch and harness and they will work when they want to

[@scottykilmer]

I would start by checking the ground wires and the circuit boards back there, on MERCs the boards often warp with age and need replacing

[@scottykilmer]

could be bad wiring, check around the alternator wires first. More often a bad alternator. O2 sensors can go bad many ways, so you normally trust the computer on board to diagnose that and flag a code when bad

[@MrAhicks66]

I just went through a similar problem to the example shown here (parking lights come on when stepping on the brake). I followed the "start with the easy stuff" method, and was pleased to find out within minutes that the problem was an internal short IN THE BRAKE LIGHT BULB ITSELF. The brake filament had partially melted due to wear and tear and was touching the tail light filament, which every time I stepped on the brake would feed electricity through the tail light circuit (which illuminated parking lamps and dash/gauge lights, in addition to causing my aftermarket stereo to dim its display due to power on the illumination lead). This was definitely an odd electrical problem I have only seen once before, and I was glad to find it was not a problem with the wiring itself. Additionally, many Saab 900/9000s and Volvo 240/740s are known for tail lamp ground issues - putting on a turn signal would flash alternating between turn signal and backup lamp (one Saab I worked on, the turn signal would flash the brake and backup lamps when your foot was on the brake but act normally when not braking) or other weird reactions as the electrons flow through other circuits to find a better ground.

[@lkcampbell9795]

Well now we know why Scotty always seems to be so happy :-) Another good video, thank you.

[@frankmarchica5528]

Scott thank you for answering my question you are truly one of the good guys much appreciated

[@scottykilmer]

If you like my car help, be sure to watch my live car talk show every Saturday morning at 10 AM CST on KZbin. I answer your car questions LIVE there. Just check it out at How To Ask A Live Mechanic Car Questions Free On KZbin . And remember, every TUESDAY I upload a new video, so don’t miss them.

[@scottykilmer]

you can try the crank sensor, but if you've lost both spark and injector pulse, that's always a bad main computer on that model

[@justabigbaby]

Wow, simple test. Alas, something the simple solution guy, who may be slightly leaning towards the Mr. Magoo direction doesn't know the two other steps you so graciously provided. Thanks again Scotty.

[@357qw]

Great information Mr Scotty. You made this in its utmost simplicity

[@scottykilmer]

check the grounds and the switch itself. If all running lights don't work, normally the fuse or switch

[@scottykilmer]

could be a bad ground or wiring problem to the alternator. As that belt broke, MANY wires or sensors could have been damaged, check in that area first.

[@lisak1476]

You are great at what you do. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!

[@HITMAN-he9ws]

best explanation ever .. keep on bro

[@joseburgos5106]

Thanks Scotty; as always good tips, simplified and well edited. You are the man when it comes to make it simple to us, keep up the good work!

[@elflingskittensaunders6934]

Thank you so much for this. Seriously, both my father and my brother were/are master mechanics, and both have tried to explain things to me. Some things I understood but some I just couldn't grasp, because like many people they explained things as though they were talking to another mechanic. Your explanations are simple yet expansive, helpful without being condescending. Thank you again.

[@scottykilmer]

If you like my car help, be sure to watch my live car talk show every Saturday morning at 10 AM CST on KZbin. I answer your car questions LIVE there. Just check it out at kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKDKn52hjsaAoMk&feature=c4-overview . And remember, every TUESDAY I upload a new video on the scotty kilmer channel on KZbin, kzbin.info , so don’t miss them.

[@agustinvera4872]

I want to say thank you. For this video. And all others. You had been a great help the Las few years throughout my life as a home mechanic. God Bless You and Your Great Family

[@yoplait12345]

Hi Scotty, Just wanted to say, awesome videos and how you explain everything as you go is great. Ive learnt so much already and i have only watched a couple. Cheers mate., keep it up

[@VKSgtSLaughter]

6 years later and this video is still helpful. Thanks Scotty!

[@oliverrojas3185]

Second that

[@JonesyStayFly]

Is a multi-meter and a volt meter the same? I have a multi-meter. I'm having and intermittent battery drain issue. It was 3.50amps. I pulled the interior light fused and it dropped drastically to .50 amps. I pulled every fuse and I can't get that .50 amps down. So I'm guessing the draw might be in the wiring. Can I use my multi-meter to check volts on a wire. My meter does not have clamps it has pointy sticks only. Thanks.

[@ke5efr1]

it depends on who u talk to, I call it a DVOM (digital volt-ohm meter) or a fluke, which is the brand I use. if the car is off I'd say a half an amp .50 of draw is normal. when u pulled your done light fuse was it on? depending on the number and type of some lights 3 or so amps is normal for operation for a car that has multiple incandescent bulbs as some lights. I would suggest having your battery tested as a start as a weak battery loses charge quickly once the charging system stops charging the battery.

[@pnickerson]

Scotty you are an amazing resource. Thank you.

[@browill9]

I love the way you do your vids. you and Eric the car guy are my favorites. oh, I was with screaming too ! keep it up scotty!

[@scottykilmer]

you have a dead short. Do my video "fixing battery drain on your car"

[@gunner00745cal]

thank you

[@johnton5656]

Thanks Scotty!! You gave me my next task in troubleshooting my car - talk about weird? I was "just driving along" with headlights on, and suddenly the radio turned itself on! (started playing beautiful music) - - I already was aware of weird, fugitive electrical behaviors, so I tried turning the headlights off, and voila, radio went off. (but it did NOT go back on when i turned the lights back on) BTW I had already set its (the radio) fuse aside, so it shouldn't have been capable of turning on anyways - - also, the right parking lights (Mercedes) will NOT turn off when the car is off - - I appreciate your clue, to start checking for faulty grounding wires . . . . wish me luck . . . . now I am starting to see why this beautiful car was only $1000 Hahahahaha!!!

[@fernandomacias7594]

thanks a lot Scott you really know a lot about cars. I checked for corrosion in my cars computer and sure enough. corroded green tips. I cleaned it up and my 3 codes disappeared. thanks again you saved me in time of need.

[@chantelleventer4678]

love your shows :D think you are super cool :D

[@Fuzion180]

Can a bad ground cause an engine to run lumpy and rough? and even stall out when it's revved

[@kobeabobo966]

Thats what im trying to figure out in my Nissan Hardbody D21 Motor😫

[@darkseid3225]

Very enthusiastic, love it

[@touros69]

You are an incredible smart intelligent man and watching you for years yeah definitely developed my mental faculty in Automotive .Are sharp hip and straight to the point

[@scottykilmer]

check all the fuses in all the fuse boxes, pray you just blew one, you probably did. If not, start tracing the wiring from the dome back to everywhere to find shorts.

[@uber9673]

hey scotty i have a integra and im having trouble my headlights wont turn on at all after a few wires touched each other and something went wronb i changed fuses but still wont work pls help thnk u

[@joshpierce5377]

Hey Scotty I love your channel. You and your son make a great team!

[@tjburgoyne8909]

Good helpful video 👍 easy to understand and keep it entertaining! Nice stingray also. Once I'm done with this jetta I'll be troubleshooting the black Corvette starter issue 🤞

[@DesertCrystalRacing]

Man your way to hype I love it 😂

[@coochykilla]

Does a short just mean that there is not enough resistance (ohms) in a wire? And that now, to much current(amps) is flowing to a source(ex.lightbulb) and destroying said source(lightbulb) i honestly know nothing about electricity

[@johnnyz9927]

Thanks Scotty.. That helps a lot you never let me down..

[@kendtchileninjah5905]

Probably the most energetic and positive mechanic I’ve seen

[@mrbiggoggles314]

"You really don't care what its doing when it's sitting there resting" I heard: "You really don't care what it's doing when it's sitting there rusting"

[@scottykilmer]

there are many ground wires on that chevy, I'd advise getting a wiring diagram that shows them all

[@jamesromero4977]

Genius!!

[@goldwolf0606]

You only showed how to test for grounding problems. You didn’t show us or mention how to fix it.

[@bsmith1794]

Hi Scotty, I dont give advice anymore I just search for one of your videos and post that---like weird light problems caused by grounds :) Keep up the good work you are helping a lot of folks out

[@quintanachannel7019]

I didn't think I was going to like your videos, no lie haha. But I've been having problems with my car and I just go to your KZbin channel and see if there's anything here to help me out. And there is so I appreciate you making these videos. These are very helpful

[@TheRamone351]

my 1999 honda civic lights flickering when the engine is running also the engine stutters at a certain speed when im accerlerating, but as soon as the flickering stop the stuttering from the engine stop too, what could be causing that?

[@TheRamone351]

all the lights on the car flicker

[@scottykilmer]

often weak alternator, auto zones load test them and batteries free

[@leonspringsboystv2025]

Scotty Kilmer Don't forget to tip the guys.. especially if they install a battery,headlamps,diagnostic etc... they are underpaid for what they do... The kid at sonic gets more for barely walking 2 feet to ur car...too many Mercedes D bags try and come take advantage of us to get free labor cause they really can't afford their car or service

[@dygafabe1365]

Leon Springs Boys TV lol why u say that ?😭😭💢👏👏

[@jaidsalgado]

My 97 civic dashboard instruments don't work. Went to the gas station to pump gas and when I tried to turn it back on it wouldn't. 10 minutes later I try again and it finally turns on. BUT, the rpm meter acts fishy and when I break (even if I slighty tap the break) the rpm goes all the way down to zero. Also, when I turn on a turn signal, the rpm goes up and down at the same time as the turn signal flickers. Lastly, if I turn on my stereo, it also brings rpm down to zero and my stereo also just turns off out of nowhere. Idk what's wrong..

[@markieoliver]

Hi scotty im having a bad connection on my break lights we did put new bulbs but the thing is they're always on even im not stepping into the breaks

[@Towlyfe]

if the bulbs were working then why replace them? you need to see where they are getting the power TO work. Brake switch near the pedal may need to be replaced OR simply adjusted

[@ra777wow]

Not Always the case , it could easily be the bcm.

[@Bag81305]

mark oliver ancheta brake light switch

[@walterneese8419]

Sometimes the bump stop will dry rot and fall out allowing the brake switch to stay extended. I see that on Kia's and Hyundais a lot.

[@marye5335]

ra777 What does bcm stand for?

[@mrhubail9724]

Scott is the best.. I like his enthusiasm and quite exciting way of demonstration not like other few quite boring.. Keep it up Scotty

[@johnk608]

Your a life save Scotty kilmer thank you very much will support for sure!

[@XLpacman805]

nice moonshine

[@ken11six67]

What's about tail lights

[@Killerbandit926]

I have to give props to you Scotty! I find it impressive that you're so responsive to your viewers.

[@scottykilmer]

I try , but with 71 million viewers so far, it's getting a lot harder to do. And, If you like my car help, be sure to watch my live car talk show every Saturday morning at 10 AM CST on KZbin. I answer your car questions LIVE there. Just check it out at kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKDKn52hjsaAoMk&feature=c4-overview . And remember, every TUESDAY I upload a new video on the scotty kilmer channel on KZbin, kzbin.info , so don’t miss them.

[@carljenkins5092]

Such a great video. You made it sound easy. You are a good teacher. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@kamilkazmierczak2842]

Change the title from''How to Fix Electrical Problems in Your Car (Ground Fault)'' to'' How to check if your car has a ground fault''.

[@garcigarcia]

Keep the good work Scotty!

[@Mgaak]

This guy is amazing. Extra delivery.

[@henryp9600]

Thanks Scotty from 10 Years ago, still Helping me in 2023! God Bless you!

[@roadworthy6901]

Massive help, especially opened my eyes to the fact cars have grounding connections in the trunk! Any others I should know about? Water got in my car after a hard rain, basically a puddle in the passenger side of the car, now the seat belt fault light keeps flashing and beeping, even if no one is sitting in the seat, also turning on the headlights causes the beeping to stop or act up intermitently, any ideas? I did clean and use dilectric grease on the connector under the seat with no fix

[@PudgeeThaphatBastard]

Scotty Mannnn..YOUR VOICE IS EVERYTHING THE WORLD NEEDS

[@gorillafalife]

Scotty! You're my hero!

[@dave31764]

Thanks for giving an example about the 4/10ths of a volt difference, I always have problem with those things. 😊

[@ilickcarpet]

Ah-ha, MOONSHINE!! Scotty, we all now know why you're always so joyfully peppy in your videos! lol I love your personality--keep doin you bud!

[@lam116bro]

Dude! You freakin' ROCK! Thank you so much for this....

[@chevyzillav8monster870]

Dude is Always lite!!!! Great Energy

[@kermitefrog64]

Thanks for writing back about my 1990 Chevy Lumina. I agree that the idle screw should not be adjusted. Recently though I got my car out of a mechanics shop and when I got the car back the idle was up so high that the transmission was slamming every time I would stick it into gear. The original problem was still not taken care of because the car kept dying at stop lights and signs and it was blowing smoke. I took it back to them and one of the mechanics comes out and adjusts the idle set screw. The car would not slam into gear but it did not solve the problem of dying. I had to smog the car. The smog specialist could not even get the car started without problems and the black smoke was belching. He opened the hood looked to the back of the engine and cut part of the rubber hose going into the MAP sensor and all of the sudden the car ran and passed smog. But when I got it out on the street it still wanted to die at stop lights and stop signs and I had to feather the gas. I finally had an idea. I bet the first mechanic had turned the idle screw to low. So I adjusted the screw just a little at a time and then the engine kept running smoothly at the stop lights and stop signs without dying. So far the car is running like it should for a car that has 350,000 miles running on Amsoil.

[@shapeshifter67]

cheers, Scotty! 🍻

[@bowleggs2222]

you have good vid. keep up good thank very much

[@KadisSegad]

You are amazing bro; thank you for you wonderful videos that are so easy to understand

[@americantinker2433]

dude you are like the super nerd of cars, I always learn something

[@rossbennett5934]

you're a legend scotty cheers mate

[@UsamaAshrafLahore]

Great video. A concern coming to my mind is you taking off the negative cable while it's running. Fluctuation may cause damage to sensors or a module on a modern car.

[@billcarney829]

But when you remove the negative cable of the voltmeter everything is still grounded through the battery ground which is still connected to the negative terminal of the battery. Please feel free to correct me if I am mistaken. Thank you.

[@neef68]

Direct, and knowledgeable. Great video! Thanks for posting!

[@markakin8527]

Hey Scotty, Just installed a forward/rear camera on my F150. Problem is the rear wires are too short. What type or size wire should I extend it with? Thanks Mark FLA.

[@nadrojfan]

It's the last weeks of 2020 and Scotty is now living in Tennessee and still sipping that moonshine! 🤣🤣🤣

[@learnmorenyawo2143]

Really looking forward to you reply , im so convinced that you are the only one whos gonna get me out of the woods

[@abanashi]

Thanks for the video, @Scotty. Quick question, I just replaced my battery and alternator, but the battery voltage is still dropping when the car is on. I've also checked the alternator fuse and it is not blown. Any ideas on what this could be? I did notice in the vehicle that the radiator's metal housing is touching the alternator; would this cause a voltage drop issue? Or, is it more likely a grounding issue? Thanks for any insight!

[@michaelberg1361]

I have a question my headlight in my kia Optima 2013 are dim they are not bright at all been like this since about when they replaced my engine in a recall. Not sure what do.

[@funwithry1320]

Moonshine! My boy is OG!!!! 🔥🔥🔥

[@jimrojas62]

Hi Scotty. I have been watching your videos for years. I have a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee that has a minor electrical problem. When a certain fuse blows, it causes the check engine light to display 4 codes. Once I replace the fuse, the codes reset. The good news is that the cigarette lighter is on that fuse. I have a USB charger plugged into it. So when the light is out I know the fuse has blown again. I am going to try to disconnect the cigarette lighter to see if that is the issue. The power outlet on the opposite side also does not work. According to the manual, it gets power directly from the battery. I tested all those fuses in the front battery area and they seem ok. Going to try removing that and see if power is getting to the cigarette light. It might be just time to change the outlets.

[@billdowney6891]

Well beam me up Scotty, thanks for the info.

[@Sara_The_Feral_Housewife]

Why is this guy so easy to listen to? I love his videos!

[@champ8899]

Great job Scotty!!

[@robertwolfiii8711]

Thank you so much Scotty.

[@patriciamoraga2917]

Thank you And everybody else made it so difficult to learn how to test the vehicle grounds

[@melissairons506]

Dude I trust you more than damn near all my family! LoL you rock dude 🤘🏻✊🏻

[@drcutburth29]

Excellent advice. Thanks

[@oscarguevara4108]

Hello Mr. Scotty, This is Oscar and its my first time a skin you a question, My brother after installing a new cd player in his 96 Nissan Maxima hi realized that the dash lights are not working and the antenna is not going up not more. Would you please give me an idea why it is not working any more? Thank you so very much.

[@raczyk]

So are all metal parts on the car, engine, frame, engine mounts suppose to the have the same voltage reading, as across the battery? Any chance a bad ground can through off o2 sensors? Or would that simply be a bad sensor?

[@naeeminshan3689]

Hi scotty, got a question , can a deffective mirror( its either trying to close or open, you can hear the gear grinding ) affect any other part of the vehicle. e.g engine running but you are not moving as you should.

[@jasonbevell1390]

This guys cool and easy to watch..impressed

[@tioposer]

man you're simply great!! all the best for you and thank you very much from the end of the globe

[@mpaz48mo]

Scotty, your the man!