banditransam77

So, I'm driving down the road and all the instruments go to 0 except for the temp and oil pressure which stay where they were at. So, I drive for another five minutes and get where I'm going and shut it off. When I go to start it again, it won't start. Nothing clicks except for the power brake thing and something on top of the engine. The lights, radio, and remote lock still work. I try to jump it and nothing happens even when using the auxillery positive battery post on the drivers side. So, I go down to Advance Auto and they tell me that the AC Delco batteries were notorious for leaking acid from the positive cable and even though the battery "light" is still green, it's probably dead and causing the problem. So, I pull the old battery out and bring it in for them to "test" and they tell me it's "dead." So, I buy the $110 Red Top battery using this as an excuse to get a better battery. After installing it, nothing changed. Head lights still work, radio works, windows work. The lights on the dash come on, but the odometer doesn't and the temp and oil pressure are still where they were when everything went flat. None of the service or warning lights come on either. I have been able to buck start it twice and it runs fine, just none of the dash instruments work. It's a 2001 10th Anniv. model with approximately 16k miles, 6spd, and the other mods listed in the signature. Any help would be appreciated before I call the dealer tomorrow and they want to install a new engine or something. They also wanted to charge me $75 for the $7 turn signal socket that I replaced last weekend (don't think this is related). Thanks in advance. I also think a heat shield under the car is loose, but not enough room to really get under there here in the parking lot at school.

kungfuteabag

iTrader: (2)

Security light blinking when you try to start? Mine was doing that last week and I needed a new lock cylinder and ingnition key because the VATS chip thing inside wore out/broke.

snake charmer

iTrader: (118)

I just did the vats bypass by testing the resistance and buying the proper resistors. Before going to the dealer if it is still under warranty I would find every little thing I could and have the dealer hook it up. Sounds like a wire is loose somewhere that or the gauges went bad.

JEspinoza

Did you check all your fuses yet? It sounds like you may have a blown gauge fuse or another fuse. Check all the fuses under the hood too before you take it in to the dealer for $75/hour labor charges.

Like a previous member said, your VATS chip on your key could be dirty as well. If you have another key, try starting it with that key to make sure it works. I had this problem a couple of months ago and it was a dirty VATS chip that would only read when I would jiggle the keys and start the car.

Also, check the wires around your headers and next to the starter, one may be a little burnt from the heat or possibly grounded to the headers. This also happened to me a couple weeks ago and kept blowing my starter fuse.

So check all your fuses first!

99BLACKBIRD

iTrader: (1)

I had a similar problem with my '99 TA. Check your battery connections, and check the wires as far as you can see. On mine, battery acid ran down the wires and ate alot of the wire away. Went through two alternators and two batteries before I wised up and started looking at the simple things. Good luck.

Kenafin_02TA

I had the exact same thing happen a few days ago...driving home on Saturday gauges went dead. Went out to start the car on Monday, nothing. Had lights, horn, radio, etc. Check your fuse for the guages, it's probably blown. Also, when you did your turn signal socket, if you did anything involving the wiring check those wires. My fuse for the guage blew because I had a short in the wiring. (A tranny temp gauge had been installed, and it was wired into the dimmer control for the other lights. The short had been there since the gauge install, but I hadn't gotten around to fixing it yet. I'm guessing the short got worse and just caused havoc, starting with my gauges.)

So, check your fuses first, and then find what (most likely a short) caused the fuse to blow (if it did blow).

banditransam77

Yep, it was the guage fuse. Starts right up now, just need to see where the short is coming from. I rechecked the wiring for the turn signal, it's ok. Thanks for the info.

banditransam77

So it kept blowing fuses again and I couldn't find out where the short was. Turns out that Advance Auto sold me the wrong bulb. I always hate when they don't have the books out for you to look up your own stuff. So, the wrong turn signal bulb caused the guage fuse to blow which doesn't allow the car to start. The Pontiac dealer was nice enough to replace it with the correct bulb for only $95.

Wrong bulb from Advance- $3.95
Turn signal socket from Auto Zone- $8.38
Optima Red top battery and positive terminal bolt- $117.45
Side post terminal wrench-$6.28
10 Amp Fuses- $2.39
New bulb + labor at dealer- $94.72
$233.17 for a turn signal bulb- Priceless

02transhawk

That's Crazy...makes me what to shoot a ***** *%&^(*^