69gto96z

iTrader: (13)

This is a very odd problem, it just started yesterday. When I put the key in, everything works just fine, the car beeps with the key in and door open, and all dash lights came on. I turn it to start and the car loses all power. The lights won't work, power locks won't work, absolutely nothing.

Tonight it did it again, only now, I get no dash lights at all, and no power anything. I turn the key and nothing happens. If I put the key in with the door open, it will give a faint beep, and if I jiggle the key, and find the sweet spot the beep will be at its normal volume, and the alarm flasher on the dashpad starts flashing, and that is all power the car will get. I had the VATS tuned out years back, but the security light popped on about a year ago and has never gone away. Any ideas?

GreenBlood55

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like a dead battery or maybe a loose battery terminal connection.

69gto96z

iTrader: (13)

Battery cables are tight, first thing I checked. Grounds are good too, I added an extra 2 ga ground from motor to chassis about 2 months ago on it also. I would check the battery, but I don't have a voltmeter.

69gto96z

iTrader: (13)

Went down and yanked the battery so I will get it checked out tomorrow, hopefully that is all it is. I needed an excuse for an Optima anyway.

69gto96z

iTrader: (13)

Battery is good, tested at 80% charge and 12.5 volts. Stuck it back in the car and it started right up. However, my keyless remote is not working now. Could this be a BCM issue? I pulled my BCM a few months back because the radio was acting funny, but all of the connections inside of it looked good. I have gone out to start the car before though, and my radio stations have been wiped like it just randomly lost power over night.

stuart4185

when you disconnected the battery, the remotes lose their program, just gotta relink it, no BCM problems

69gto96z

iTrader: (13)

In the 7 years I have owned this car, disconnecting the battery has never caused the car to lose its program, but I will give it a try.

GreenBlood55

iTrader: (1)

If the the car lost power for more then an X amount of time, the alarm would need to be reset.

69gto96z

iTrader: (13)

Overnight shouldn't do it though. I have had the battery disconnected for weeks at a time and not had to reset it. Still haven't gotten around to trying yet, but i'll let ya know if it works.

69gto96z

iTrader: (13)

Well the car did it again. I stopped to get gas this morning, and now I'm sitting at a gas station with a car that has a good battery but is getting NO power to anything on the car.

93M6Formula

Ignition switch possibly??

warriorcustoms

iTrader: (10)

If you look at the dash bet the security light is on Sometimes itll do this without SO measure the resistance in your keys "chip" then go to radio shack & get a resistor that matches Then trace the VATS connector from your keyswitch & use heatshrink with solder to install the resistor Theres a VATS delete right up somewhere just google it My firebird done the same **** & my buddies trans am The wire are so small & get brittle plus each time your key is cycled those wires move Way easier than gettin a new keyswitch & havin to get a new key cut I feel ya mine used to do the same **** leave you stranded Delete that **** & dont look back

69gto96z

iTrader: (13)

I disconnected the battery for about 15 minutes, hooked it back up and all power came back, and the car started right up.

This was my thought too, but will a bad ignition switch cause the whole care to lose power?

VATS was tuned out when I put the motor in the car in 2007.

93M6Formula

I suppose the ignition switch wouldn't cause a loss of all power I wouldn't think, I had a similar problem with my car after it sat for the winter but it was because the security light was on and it wouldn't allow me to start my car. I can't remember what I did exactly to get it to clear the security light though and be able to start it.

shbox

When you say you have no power, do the headlights work? If not, you have a bad battery cable connection (seems every time you remove the battery and put it back, it fires up, right?). There are some little ears on the cable terminal ends that can get flattened out and not make good contact with the battery, even though the bolt is tight. Any corrosion can be a factor, too.

If your headlights DO work, and you seem to have no power (no dash lights coming on) and when you turn to START, the headlights don't dim, it's probably the ignition switch.

69gto96z

iTrader: (13)

Thanks shbox. There is zero power, nothing on the car will work at all. I will pick up some new terminals this afternoon and see if that fixes it. Also, I converted to a top post terminal style a few years back. And all corrosion has been cleaned off.

69gto96z

iTrader: (13)

Well since the battery was 4 years old, and I plan on moving it to the trunk, I said to hell with it and bought an Optima. Cleaned the inside of the terminals and haven't had any problems in the last 10 or so starts.

69gto96z

iTrader: (13)

I am not having the starting issue anymore. However, when the door is opened and the key is in the lock cylinder, it will only beep at me whenever I move and hold the key at a certain position, where 3 weeks ago it would beep exactly how it is supposed to. Could this be an indication of the key cylinder going bad?

GreenBlood55

iTrader: (1)

Could it be that your VAT's chip in the key, OR the sensor in the cylinder that the key contacts is worn out and not making a good connection?

69gto96z

iTrader: (13)

I know the chip on the key is worn out, which is why I had the VATS tuned out a few years back, but I have never had issues with the car not still beeping at me when the key is in and door open until now.