Q: Car stalling when slowing down, speedometer broken, no indoor lights, car keys inoperable.

asked by on November 20, 2017

Hello, so story goes I was replacing my radio and was almost done until I had to wire up all the different colored wires together. I ended up leaving the car without a radio and everything unhooked in the dashboard. First while driving I noticed the speedometer not working. Then the keys wouldn’t do anything when clicking buttons. Next I noticed that I would stall when slowing down. And then now the lights don’t work at all. What is going on?

My car has 66100 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

You may have shorted out a fuse that goes to the radio wiring to the body computer. Try to disconnect all radio wires except to speakers and see if systems start working again. You may have wired into the computer data lines by accident.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Tire leak
Hi! The area that a tire can lose air is very limited. The air loss will come from either a damaged rim, leaking valve stems or tire puncture. Most punctures can be repaired but not all. I suggest that a...
Car audio is not working
Hi, other owners have had similar issues with their audio. On closer inspection, the amplifier had usually blown out and needed to be replaced. I would recommend taking this to the dealership as it may be covered by warranty.
Steering wheel shakes at speed over 80 mph, after tire replacement
There are several options you could try to test this issue. One option would be to have your tires checked for a possible manufacturer defect. This would be something like a slipped belt that would cause a bump in your...
My car overheated and was giving off white smoke, what's wrong?
Hello. The white smoke and overheating is usually a sign of a blown cylinder head gasket. When the car overheats for an extended period of time or is low on coolant (causing the temperature to rise), the severe heat can...
Smell of gas
Hi there: Anytime you smell gasoline, it should be taken very serious. You could have fuel leaks on the fuel rail or any of the fuel injectors. You could also have a fuel tank vapor line to the intake manifold...
2001 honda civic ex and was driving down the highway and the car went into limp mode.
One of these codes is for a faulted signal from the intake air temperature sensor. Many newer vehicle have this sensor integrated into the mass air flow sensor and this code trips when the sensor offers a vehicle to the...
to pass smog check P0420 catalyst system efficiency below threshold bank 1, what is the total cost of repair
Hi there. Typically the P0420 OBD II trouble code (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/p0420-obd-ii-trouble-code-catalyst-system-efficiency-below-threshold-bank-1-by-jamahl-walker) is caused by a faulty catalytic converter, however it can also be due to a worn out front bank O2 sensor, faulty rear O2 sensor or damage to wiring harnesses...
One strut mount we up with a dust cap on, one without. How big of a deal is it?
Hi Dan. Thanks for the question today. In regards to geometry, handling and "whether it's fine", a dust cap should not have that great of an impact. I'm curious as to why the mechanic did this - as to me,...
Brake Pulsation
You may have a bent rotor hub. This can be checked with a dial indicator gage and if hub is bent more than 10 thousands of an inch it will cause the rotor to move back and forth and cause...

Related articles

Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Ballast Resistor
Common signs are the vehicle not starting or starting but immediately dying. Only a professional mechanic should handle the ballast resistor.
Symptoms of Bad or Failing Battery Terminal Ends
If you experience problems starting and powering the car or find corrosion on the battery terminals, you may need to replace the terminal ends.
Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Electronic Ignition Pickup
If your car has an electronic distributor ignition system and the engine stalls or car does not start, you may have to replace the ignition pickup.