Rep Power: 0

Well I'm stumped to what's going on here. Yesterday I was a genious and left my headlights on on my 98 Civic while at work. That night jumping it did no good so I went and bought a new battery. When I turn the key it acts like there's no battery there because nothing lights up on the dash and it won't try to turn over at all. Yet the horn, hazards, and brake lights work fine. I've kinda ruled out the starter because started or not you should be able to turn the headlights on and mine are dead. Only thing I can come up with is everything on the steering column except for the horn is not getting power. The headlights won't turn on and the ignition doesn't do anything, but things not on the steering column work fine. I'm pretty sure all the fuses are fine, at least the ones I checked were. But I can't really find any that would be causeing my problem. So all I can think of is a fuse or a connection somewhere took a crap. But before I go and start tearing the steering column apart do you guys have any ideas?

 
Rep Power: 189

I would be looking at the engine bay fuses sounds like you blew the main fuse also check all grounds loose battery cables can do some pretty funny stuff. There are some metal strips in the fuse panel held down with philips screws make sure these are tight.

 
Rep Power: 0

I've went through every single fuse under the hood and under the dash, going so far as to pull each one out to see if it was blown and they are all fine. I didn't take the big ones under the hood out but they have the clear top and they looked fine. And the strips in the fuse box you were talking about, I took those off and looked at them and they are still nice and shiney and tightened down. So I don't know what is going on.

 
Rep Power: 189

hmm well in that case get a 12 volt test light or multimeter and check on the back of the ignition switch see if you have power on the heavy guage white wire, the column cover comes off really easy, and the back of the switch is exposed to test. It sounds like there is no accessory power coming on when you turn on the key, do you happen to have a remote start or alarm installed by chance? There has to be a reason why you are not getting power there and if fuses are good the only thing I can think of is an immobiliser (alarm or remote start) and a blown fuse.

 
Rep Power: 235

Just looking at a fuse doesn't fully check it. There's a tiny metal test plate on the top of each side of the fuse. Touch a test light to that test plate on each side to make sure it works.

 
Rep Power: 189

that is not entirely true, for atm or atc fuses yes but for maxi fuses no, maxi fuses are in excess of 30 amps and will be fully covered with a clear cover, the only way to test them is to remove them and do a coninuity test or run power through it using a jumper wire.