I have been having intermittant problems starting my car. I first thought it was my key, but it clears security. Then I thought it was something in my shifter because after moving it from park to nuetral and then back to park, it started right up. Well today I tried to start it and it clicked a few times, then nothing. Then waited 3 minutes to clear the VATS tried again, click, click, click, nothing. Waited again, turned the key and now the whole car went completely dead, nothing - no lights, fan, nothing. Switched to a fresh battery, still nothing. HELP!!!
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Completely Dead
- Thread starter hhofman
- Start date
Latest update: the car went completely dead (suddenly) after trying to start it a few times this morning with a fresh charge on the battery and getting only a few "clicks". I put in a fresh battery tonight to see if that made any difference - nothing the car was still completely dead. Just went out and tried again, opened the door and the interior lights were now working. I turned the key everything sounded normal - fan, fuel pump, buzzer, security light went on for 2 seconds then off, etc - hooray! Turned the key to start it and again click, click, click then once again everything went completely dead. This car is super clean bone stock with 8,900 miles on it. Never any problems like this before - Help!
Latest Update (2) : I checked on the car this morning, opened the driver's side door and no interior lights, nothing - just like last night. Took off the positive side battery cable connection and then reattached - opened the door, still nothing - dead. Opened and slammed the door shut, reopened - interior lights now are on! Tried to start it (after clearing security), "click", "click", "click" - interior lights, fan, etc all go off - completely dead again - any ideas out there?
WS6
Stay thirsty my friends
It's hard to diagnose a "no start" issue,especially on a forum. But it reads like a basic electrical issue and certainly not common to the TTA.
I guess I would check the ground cable that connects to the RF of the block. Then I'd check the cables period to see if they are burnt through/pinched somewhere.
I'd also probably throw some new cables on it too. It's so intermittent that it has to be something simple, like a loose connection.
I guess I would check the ground cable that connects to the RF of the block. Then I'd check the cables period to see if they are burnt through/pinched somewhere.
I'd also probably throw some new cables on it too. It's so intermittent that it has to be something simple, like a loose connection.
Fuse-able links are also known to show these signs when going bad. Do some searching around on the forum for them and you might find a thread with your symptoms.
Rodimus_Prime
Well-Known Member
check battery voltage while cranking to see if there is a too much of a load on it, i would say start from there and then you would have to go on to removing the starter and testing it.
WS6
Stay thirsty my friends
Unfortunately I got the following message from helminc:
No items found. Helm does not carry any products that match the criteria you have searched (1989 firebird wiring diagram). Possible reasons may include the following: your manufacturer has discontinued this product or such a product does not exist. Please check the criteria to ensure that you entered in all information accurately. If you need further assistance, please contact your vehicle manufacturer.
The new battery tests fine (in fact we even put a booster charger on it just to make sure. We then tried a shortcut to rule out VATS by hotwiring the car from the area in the back of the driver's side engine compartment and still just got just a "click" from the starter - any more suggestions out there?
No items found. Helm does not carry any products that match the criteria you have searched (1989 firebird wiring diagram). Possible reasons may include the following: your manufacturer has discontinued this product or such a product does not exist. Please check the criteria to ensure that you entered in all information accurately. If you need further assistance, please contact your vehicle manufacturer.
The new battery tests fine (in fact we even put a booster charger on it just to make sure. We then tried a shortcut to rule out VATS by hotwiring the car from the area in the back of the driver's side engine compartment and still just got just a "click" from the starter - any more suggestions out there?
WS6
Stay thirsty my friends
http://www.helminc.com/helm/product...ype=B&mscsid=4KP5ANLT5V7N8P6BC6RANLAFNEU9F5S9
It's the service manual that you want and if available the supplement manual for the turbo T/A.
It contains wiring diagrams.
It's the service manual that you want and if available the supplement manual for the turbo T/A.
It contains wiring diagrams.
gatorlance
Well-Known Member
I found that the terminals on my battery were shot. You should replace those if you have not already.
The terminals are like new as is the whole car (garage kept, no winters, 8,900 miles. Other info as follows:
Battery - the brand new one tests fine as well as the 2 year old one. We even tried to jump the car with my running truck and still no difference - so we are going to rule out the battery as the culprit.
Cables - the car is almost like new inside and out condition - we checked them up and down and things look in great shape.
The key does get pass security because the security light goes out as it should.
The car suddenly going completely dead after trying to start it - we believe this has something to do with the poor wiring job of the alarm guys (I cannot take it back to them because it was done in NY and I now live in MI). I desperately need a wiring diagram (cannot get one from helms) to determine what should be there and what should not - it is difficult to tell - we need to put things back to stock because it was a poor job. I will check the link posted above but if anyone can scan and email to me that would be greatly appreciated!
We even tried to hotwire the car from inside the engine compartment back of driver's side and still got just get a "click" from the starter - car does not go dead when trying to hotwire it even after repeated attempts - it does go completely dead otherwise on this first start attempt using normal starting procedures. Where is this fusible link that people refer to and does my "hotwire" attempt rule this out?
We are going to drop the starter tonight and get it tested but it is hard for me to believe such a clean car now suddenly has a bad starter. Any suggestions on removal would be greatly appreciated.
Any other ideas, steps, suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Battery - the brand new one tests fine as well as the 2 year old one. We even tried to jump the car with my running truck and still no difference - so we are going to rule out the battery as the culprit.
Cables - the car is almost like new inside and out condition - we checked them up and down and things look in great shape.
The key does get pass security because the security light goes out as it should.
The car suddenly going completely dead after trying to start it - we believe this has something to do with the poor wiring job of the alarm guys (I cannot take it back to them because it was done in NY and I now live in MI). I desperately need a wiring diagram (cannot get one from helms) to determine what should be there and what should not - it is difficult to tell - we need to put things back to stock because it was a poor job. I will check the link posted above but if anyone can scan and email to me that would be greatly appreciated!
We even tried to hotwire the car from inside the engine compartment back of driver's side and still got just get a "click" from the starter - car does not go dead when trying to hotwire it even after repeated attempts - it does go completely dead otherwise on this first start attempt using normal starting procedures. Where is this fusible link that people refer to and does my "hotwire" attempt rule this out?
We are going to drop the starter tonight and get it tested but it is hard for me to believe such a clean car now suddenly has a bad starter. Any suggestions on removal would be greatly appreciated.
Any other ideas, steps, suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Rodimus_Prime
Well-Known Member
The fuseable link should be between the starter and the alternator
