How much damage did I do to my car?

[Stevenson927]

Pulled my '99 Boxster out of the garage for the summer. It was dead. Bought a new battery. Stupidly installed it backwards. It still would not start and so I tried to jump it. Spark!

Did I just short out a fuse, or could I have done major damage to the car? Argh!

Thanks.

[JFP in PA]

Probably at a minimum, you smoked the alternator, but the damage can extend further as the DME and several sensors do not like reversed polarity. .

[seningen]

Originally Posted by Stevenson927

Pulled my '99 Boxster out of the garage for the summer. It was dead. Bought a new battery. Stupidly installed it backwards. It still would not start and so I tried to jump it. Spark!

Did I just short out a fuse, or could I have done major damage to the car? Argh!

Thanks.

Install it correctly -- and see if it fires up -- and check electrical functions.

[Bush Pilot]

Agree. A reverse polarity of 12V isn't huge and it's probably OK. When you connected the two batteries together the way I think you did, I'm thinking that you applied 24V to the electrical system for a short time and I have no idea what the consequence of that is. Don't beat yourself up over it. This is how we learn.

[JillsPorsche]

Originally Posted by Bush Pilot

Agree. A reverse polarity of 12V isn't huge and it's probably OK. When you connected the two batteries together the way I think you did, I'm thinking that you applied 24V to the electrical system for a short time and I have no idea what the consequence of that is. Don't beat yourself up over it. This is how we learn.

Indeed. Look at like this...there is absolutely no way you will make that mistake again!