1991 cartier No dash lights no ignition.

[dukesoz]

1991 cartier No dash lights, no ignition, no airbags, interior and exterior lights are working, battery is charged.

Checked fuses I thought may be the problem, they were good.

Car has been sitting for 3 years, could it be the alternator? Can I test it if I can't start car?

I am on fixed income, and trying to save money, by dyi-ing most work.

Any advice/help will be greatly appreciated.

regards dukesoz.

 

[Action]

An alternator is not needed to operate anything you have listed above.
Your first sentence is not clear.

Will the starter crank the engine when the key is turned to start?

Regarding lights, please confirm - no instrument panel light however the head lights, all exterior lights and interior courtesy lights work?

Usually sitting for 3 years the battery will not get fully charged again.
How do you know the battery is charged?
If with a voltmeter, that is not the most accurate. Remove the battery and take to a parts store (Auto-zone, O'Reillys or ???) and have them charge it and LOAD test it. If you have a battery charger, then YOU charge it first. Then take for the load test..
You could test the alternator at the same store. However alternators rarely stop working because they sit unused. Alternators stop working because they are used and the heat gets to the alternator.

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[dukesoz]

battery is only 12 months old, I charged it myself to make sure it was ok.
" Confirm - no instrument panel light however the head lights, all exterior lights and interior courtesy lights work?" -that is right.
I turn the key and get nothing.
dukesoz.

 

[Action]

So the biggest concern is no crank and no start.
With the assumption the battery is good but has not been load tested.

Did the engine crank when the new battery was installed 12 months ago?

The starter circuit is not difficult.
The battery heavy red cable goes to the starter. You will have to verify there is 12v there all the time.
The battery will have a second red wire going to a fuse box under the hood. (Called a power distribution box) Two lager fuses in that box are important. One to the ignition switch and the other to the alternator/starter. The wires may be yellow leaving that box.

The wire that goes to the ignition switch will leave out the switch and to the neutral safety switch. (Transmission has to be in Park or Neutral)
Then to the starter relay. This is the control wire for the relay

Meanwhile the second wire out of the fuse box goes to the start relay as well. This is the power side of the relay.
When the control side of the relay is energized, the power side sends power to the starter solenoid which is on the starter. That wire will be smaller than the red wire at the starter from the battery. And may be colored as white/light blue.
With power in the wire from the relay it energizes the solenoid on the starter and the solenoid switches on the starter with the power from the heavy red cable from the battery.

I wish I had a diagram to attach. However everything seems to be protected on the internet

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[oktowncar]

Check all fuses

 

[dukesoz]

ACTION== Did the engine crank when the new battery was installed 12 months ago? ==NO.
Have been using battery in wife's car for approx. 8 months.
Will look for that diagram, also I have been told a faulty ignition switch could be the problem.
will look for how to test ignition switch also.
dukesoz

 

[Action]

The switches on the control side of the starter are:

Ignition switch
Neutral start switch
Starter relay

Then there is wiring and connectors

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[dukesoz]

The switches on the control side of the starter are:

Ignition switch
Neutral start switch
Starter relay

Then there is wiring and connectors

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Hi, finally worked on town car, replaced starter solenoid, car starts up good.
still no dash lights, can i test to see what the problem is?

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[Action]

Thanks for posting the result was the starter relay.

As far as instrument panel illumination, you might follow this thread.

HELP WITH INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING ON 1977 MARK V

INSTRUMENT PANEL ON MY MARK V DOES NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN I TURN THE LIGHTS ON. CHANGED THE 6 AMP FUSE UNDER THE DASH AS PER THE 1977 OWNER MANUAL. STILL DOES NOT ILLUMINATE. ANYONE DEALT WITH THIS ISSUE?? ANY GUIDANCE ON THIS??

lincolnforums.com

Even though the vehicle is older, the instrument panel illuminatio is the same. Likely uses the same red/blue wiring

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