Car Won't Start! Weird Electrical Issue!

[Bruzman]

Issue:
Car won't start.

Recently:
I had a battery that kept dying. Every single time I when to start it, it was flat. I can jump-start it and roll-start it.
So, I decided to use the battery out of my dad's car that isn't being used for alittle while. Worked for around a week and a half, perfectly until problem.

Why is this issue different and confusing?:
1. Usually the dash lights and head lights will continue to work even tho the battery hasn't got the charge to kick over the starer motor. No lights or power of any kind.
2. We attempted to jump-start it! Usually this would work! This time there was no change! Not even the head-lights would work while the leads were on.

In theory, you can jump-start a vehicle without a battery. The car only needs the electricity running through the battery leads. Even if they car wouldn't start due to a bad Starter-motor, you'd still get power to the dash-lights and head-lights.

So, what is wrong?
I ruled out the battery as the problem, because it cannot be jump started.
I am ignoring the starter-motor as the problem, because it isn't an isolated problem, but a full systems problem.

Is it a relay or fuse?
is it the wiring harness or ECU?

[enthuzed]

You sure you didn't reverse the polarity of the battery or had the jumper leads around the wrong way?

Most likely you've blown the fusible link beside the positive lead to the battery. If you've got a multimeter you can test the link, if not run a thick wire from one battery terminal to one side of the fusible link, then touch another thick wire from the other side of the battery to the other side of the link.
It's not likely to do anything but if it does then there's something else wrong.
If you cannot find the fusible link then you don't know what you're looking for or you don't have one. And if you don't have one you then have real big problems!

[ProZac]

Also check all the fusible links over on the driver side, by the air-can. If they're blown your fuse-box wont get any power, so none of the interior stuff will either. Neither will your ignition switch.

[Bruzman]

You sure you didn't reverse the polarity of the battery or had the jumper leads around the wrong way?

Most likely you've blown the fusible link beside the positive lead to the battery. If you've got a multimeter you can test the link, if not run a thick wire from one battery terminal to one side of the fusible link, then touch another thick wire from the other side of the battery to the other side of the link.
It's not likely to do anything but if it does then there's something else wrong.
If you cannot find the fusible link then you don't know what you're looking for or you don't have one. And if you don't have one you then have real big problems!

This might be it.... I do remember making a connection mistake!
but that was a week before I had the power loss........

FML, where is the fusible link?
is it meant to be between the positive terminal and the starter-motor? Because I don't have a fuse there....

If I don't have a fuse, what does that mean? :S

[mizuno man]

There is also a fusable link situated from the positive terminal of the battery.

[1320ft]

As everyone above has said, fusable link.

And it sounds like you have an earth leak in the car. Thats why your batteries dont last.

[GasJA]

I had some grief with the corrosion at the white connector at the bottom of the relay box. Can't hurt to check there also.
Found a really good link on the starquest forum for electrical issues with the starion.

http://forums.austarion.com/viewtopic.php?t=14067

[enthuzed]

GasJA, a great link indeed, thanks.

Here it is:

http://starquest.i-x.net/viewtopic.php? ... highlight=[%2Furl][%2Furl]