It's a long story I know, but I really need help!

I took a roadtrip to Iowa, clutch went out, replaced the clutch in Iowa. Everything fine for 3 days, on the way back the car refused to start, would not jump or push start. Some hillbilly guy decided to whack my starter while I turned the key and it started. Everything went fine until West Virginia, had to whack the starter again, but after driving on a dark winding road in the mountain the gauges began to flash repeatedly the speedometer and tachometer turned off then the car began to jerk back and forth as if it was stalling, turned off and turned back on by itself. After turning back on itself, the car began to accelerate on its own up to 110mph. After slamming on brakes and pulling over. Shut off the car for 15 minutes, started it back up by whacking the starter and had NO ISSUES for the next 5 days. Did not need to whack the starter ever again or anything. Then one night the gauges began to flash like crazy and stall again. Allowed it to rest for a little again, and I made it home. Autozone said my battery was dead so I replaced it. Went to my mechanic buddy who tested the new battery, alternator, and starter who said everything was pumping out the correct numbers. After that NO ISSUES for 2 weeks.

Then here comes that hurricane Irene. I parked my car in a higher area and waited out the storm, no flooding or anything. When I went to my car the next morning the car started fine but revved up to 5,000 RPMs and bobbed up and down around 2,000-3,000 RPMs idling. I began to drive the vehicle and it began to have flashing gauges and stalling issues AGAIN. I parked it in my driveway let it rest for a day, started it perfectly fine, and let it run for 20 minutes in the driveway, with no problems. I went to start it today and now the gauges are flashing, the car would start, rev up and then died. Now the car will not start. Tested the battery at Autozone, came out good and 100% charged....

What in the world is going on with my poor child? I've received a thousand ideas but none of them have helped. Thanks

 

Oops, forgot to mention... my car is a Manual Tranny 06 with 70,000 miles on it now. Stock everything.

 

Sounds like the car is haunted.

 

yea for a manual to speed up to 110 mph without you putting it into gear sounds haunted to me too. maybe i am wrong but your engine will just redline or just keep revving like crazy if you are in neutral.

and it sounded like your starter might have been dead since the hillbilly guy had to hit it with a hammer

 

until the speeding up portion i would almost say its a combo of starter/alternator. starter obviously but alternator i would say due to gauges going in and out

 

It went up to 110, while still in 5th gear after the car turned back on while rolling down the road. Got it to stop by going into neutral.

Yeah, see I was thinking it was starter/alternator also... but tests came back on the computer that it was fine. Could it possibly be an issue with computers or sensors? This is so confusing...

 

Or possibly wiring gone bad? But where to look?

 

^^^thats what i was about to say, start with the battery,the alternator and the starter, and just follow the wires checking for loose connections or other problems....this is long shot but bad ecu perhaps

 

I don't think the Alternator would really be the issue. Just because the gauges going in and out wouldn't point directly to an alternator. If the alternator was going out, you would lose all power not just some gauges.

I would point to faults in the ECU somewhere. Especially with the acceleration and gauge issues.

 

This sounds like a bad ground on the tranny from when they put in the clutch for you. The car is shorting itself out and giving bad info to the ECU. You may have already damaged the unit but I am hopeful that if you pay a tranny shop to tow it and go back through it they can find the problem and no more Amityville tC.

 

^^ I think rickbreitenfeldt is wright . make sure all your grounds are bolted down tight.

 

I'm no rocket scientist but if a car accelerates on its own then you need to put the keys away until a professional looks at your car and Scion knows about it.

 

sounds like there is water leaking into the fuse box under the dash. do you have an after market winshield or a new one . also this started after the clutch could be a pinched wire or a loose ground from the clutch job.

 

I would love to know how you came upon this as a logical conclusion.

 

im master tech for acura. i see it all the time.

 

I wiggled the ground wire on the tranny and it actually does feel very loose, however, it is behind the starter so I think I have to remove the starter to tighten it down?. I'll see what I can do when I get home...