Expert: Sean Halliday - 1/3/2007

Question
My husband and his cousin tried to jump start my 1991 chevy passenger van. They hooked the cables up backwards and noticed a wire separate from the cable wire was turning red. We bought a new battery, and everything is working except when the van tries to start it won't turn all the way over kind of like when you are out of gas, it just doesn't kick over. The wire has the words fusable link on it and it is in a harness that goes to the left side of the engine and down to where I can not see it. If it is the fusable link can I just splice one on the wire that is there? or is there some reset for a computer or something? Thank you in advance for your help. Kathi

Answer
Its impossible to evaluate the damage as you have possibly burnt out more than one circuit.So best i can tell you is take the car to a electrician and have it looked at.Wire damge is extremely dangerous as it can go through the car loom even after you get it running.when a battery is hooked up wrong the positve wires go into melt down and the insulation may be burnt exposing the live wires so i would have it checked professionally.