action87

987 2008 Cayman S

So my battery died, I bought a new battery and installed it. The negative terminal first, then the positive terminal. The positive sparked more than I expected. The windows dropped. The ignition doesn’t turn the engine over. The starter is running constantly with the key in the off position while the battery is hooked up. Any ideas on where to start looking to fix this? Trying to stay out of the dealer if possible.

jscott82

When you say the ignition doesn't turn the motor over but the starter runs all the time..... So the starter is just spinning freely without engaging the motor?

If so it's the starter soliniod.

action87

So the second I connect the battery, the starter starts spinning. It’s actually gets hot to the touch. The key isn’t even in the ignition. I tried to start it but it just says Key 1 on the dash.

TMc993

Going back to when your battery died, did you have any symptoms or issues with the old battery other than it just going dead? Maybe intermittent problems with the ignition switch or starter or something like that? The reason I mention that is because the starter circuit has to be closed at the ignition switch for the starter to spin. It sounds like yours is definitely closed even with no key in it. Have you felt the ignition switch area to see if it is warm or hot when the battery is connected and starter is spinning? Or maybe pulling the fuse for the ignition switch to see if that stops the starter?

Terry

SteveG

Start and end with neg terminal, i.e., the first item you disconnect and the last item to connect is the neg.