Need HELP NOW....my SS is stranded!
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 958
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From: Mentor, Ohio
Need HELP NOW....my SS is stranded! I just got dropped off at home by a friend. I pulled into an auto parts store with my SS to get some car wax. My car started perfectly fine when I left my house. The car ran ABSOLUTELY perfect all the way there, roughly 8 miles. I went in the store and came back out. I then got in the car to come home and the car wouldn't start at all, nothing....like the battery was dead as a doornail. I got out and popped the hood, checked the battery. There was no green light on the factory battery; so I figured the battery took a crap. Luckily the auto parts store where I was at had Delco batteries. I bought a new one and installed it right there in the lot. Jumped in the car and tried to start it but nothing; same as before. What the hell! Could it be the clutch switch? I reached down and pushed the switch in with the car in neutral; then tried to start it....NOTHING! My gauges all move: battery, temp, fuel...everything! Any ideas would be great! The car is stranded until I can get it started and back home!
What is the security light on the dash doing?
If you turn the key on the bulb should light & then go out.
It may have broke the VATS pellet harness from the lock cylinder.
If that is the problem you can either replace it w/a dealer supplied correct value cylinder & key set, or use an ohm meter & determain your resistance value of your key pellet.
Then by-pass the key w/a close as possible resistor from radio shack.
If you do a search here it will pop up, VATS by-pass lock cylinder replace etc.
If you turn the key on the bulb should light & then go out.
It may have broke the VATS pellet harness from the lock cylinder.
If that is the problem you can either replace it w/a dealer supplied correct value cylinder & key set, or use an ohm meter & determain your resistance value of your key pellet.
Then by-pass the key w/a close as possible resistor from radio shack.
If you do a search here it will pop up, VATS by-pass lock cylinder replace etc.
.
It wouldn't be the clutch switch ... i broke mine off, and the car just starts without pushing the clutch down now.
Could be the key as jimmy said ... but more likely it is probably a fuse. Does the car turn on into the ACC position, like will the radio and **** turn on, or is it completely dead?
.
It wouldn't be the clutch switch ... i broke mine off, and the car just starts without pushing the clutch down now.
Could be the key as jimmy said ... but more likely it is probably a fuse. Does the car turn on into the ACC position, like will the radio and **** turn on, or is it completely dead?
.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: "Tr"Asheville
From what your describing it's completely dead. Only 2 things could cause this... (1) A ground wire somewhere has come loose. Or (2) The wires to the starter/solenoid have come loose or the solenoid gone bad.
-Sly
-Sly
On The Tree
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 187
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From: Indiana
It wouldn't be the ground because his lights come on i would say it's that key fob thing or the starter went out. Would doing a push start be an idea? I used to do that to my friend's crx that the starter went out on. If it's that key fob thing then i think you might need to take it to a gm dealer to get it fixed.
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Thread Starter
TECH Resident
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 958
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From: Mentor, Ohio
I have full power accessories, like the radio and lights. When I get in, sit down, insert the key into the ignition, depress the clutch, thenturn the key to position one(accessory), up till this point everything is normal. If I leave the key in this position the "check gauges" light is on, and the "security" light stays on. Now, if I turn the key to position two(engine start), nothing happens, just like the battery was completely dead, no clicking no nothing. Which fuse would I be looking for? IF it is the VATS chip; do you mean just the chip in that particular ignition key is bad, or does the entire system have to be replaced?
Try your spare keys. The contacts on my keys wore out and caused the security light to trip. Eventually, it gave up, and the security light stays on all the time. I'm taking it to the shop this week to have that repaired.
Good luck!
-Mike
Good luck!
-Mike
I see you have long tube headers....check all the wiring that is going to the starter and make sure none of them are toast. If this is good, then drop the starter down and do a direct power jump to it. Be careful not to get anything caught in it though...it makes some mad torque. If the starter is good after doing this, I would aim towards the key as others have stated.
Originally Posted by 14u2nv
I have full power accessories, like the radio and lights. If I leave the key in this position the "check gauges" light is on, and the "security" light stays on.
If it is causing your no crank, push start wont work, PCM will deny injector pulse.
If you pull the lower panel you can test the harness of the vats system for continuity thru the cylinder.
If it doesn't come back as same as key,do the searches for the by-pass or replacement.
Had the same thing happen to me about 6 months ago. Turned out that my BCM (Body Control Module) went bad. Had it towed to Chevy since I didn't know what was wrong. Since it was already in their shop when it was determined that the BCM was bad, had them just replace it there...$$$. If your BCM goes bad, not sure if the VATS bypass resistor fix will work.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 958
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From: Mentor, Ohio
I tried my spare set of keys which have NEVER been used, not even once....nothing! I was wrong with my origianl decription of whats happening. When I turn the key to position 1 all the lights come on like normal, then when I turn the key to position 2 they all turn off except "check gauges", "service engine" and the "security" light flashes(not stays on, but it will continually flash). Also, when I turn the key and all the lights turn off, except the ones mentioned....I hear a loud click type noise coming from the cluster area or just in front of the dash...the noise is loud enough to be easily heard, sounds like a non-functioning relay or something. I will go back and check the fuses, but which ones should I check in particular?
im gonna have to lean torwards the vats system. probbly a broken wire on the cylinder or just plain bad 
vats sucks sometimes. your best bet is to like others have said get the resitence of your chip and just bypass the system, cheap and will never leave ya stranded again for that reason
vats sucks sometimes. your best bet is to like others have said get the resitence of your chip and just bypass the system, cheap and will never leave ya stranded again for that reason 
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,640
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From: Austin, Tx.
If it is VATS, it should start now. It resets itself about 5 minutes after you turn the key and it doesn't start. Try it a few times, when the SECURITY light goes out, turn the key and see if it starts.
