General Information and Precautions

4-Cylinder Engine Electrical Component Location in Engine Compartment

1 — Alternator
2 — High tension spark plug wires
3 — Ignition distributor
4 — Battery

V6 Engine Electrical Component Location in Engine Compartment

1 — Ignition distributor
2 — Battery
3 — High tension spark plug wires (front cylinder head)
4 — Alternator

The engine electrical system includes the ignition, charging and starting system components. Because these systems are directly related to engine operation, they are covered separately from other vehicle electrical equipment, such as signal and lighting lamps, instrument controls, etc., whose location, design and operating principles are described in the Body Electrical section.

When servicing electrical system components, observe special precautions to avoid damage to semiconductor components and to prevent electrical shock injury.

Before servicing electrical components, always remove wristwatches, rings and other metal jewelry. Even with the battery disconnected, discharge of capacitors through accidental grounding of their terminals can cause electrical shock or severe burns.

Do not reverse battery polarity. Components such as the alternator or electronic control units contain semiconductor elements that can be damaged by incorrect wire connections.

When starting the engine from an external power source or connecting a battery charger, also observe correct wire polarity.

Never disconnect electrical wiring from the battery, alternator or diagnostic equipment with the engine running.

Do not crank the engine with the alternator disconnected.

Never check alternator output voltage by grounding its terminals.

Do not use ohmmeters equipped with a hand-crank generator to check circuit continuity.

When performing any electrical service work, make sure the negative battery cable is disconnected.

Before using electric arc welding, always disconnect the battery, alternator and components such as the PCM of the power/ignition systems to prevent damage to them.