I want to start out by saying that this site is awsome!! I have been reading for some time now and have learned alot.

Now to the problem. I have a 2000 SS, and alittle over a week ago I was in LA and was sitting at Del Taco waiting for my food. So I turn the car off while I wait. When I go to turn the car on nothing happens!! I took the key out of the ignition and looked puzzled at the insrument cluster. Then I tried it again. NOTHING! but this time when I take the key out all the needles in the dash start pegging out. did that about 3-4 times. and so I thought, well it might be the security system. so I waited about 3-5 minutes (the people behind me where pi$$ed <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> ) and tried starting the car again. this time it turns over with no problems. I park the car and leave it on and pop the hood to see if I can see any noticable problems, wires fraid/disconnected ect.. everything seemed fine.
So I go to my buds house to get my laptop and Autotap. Sure enough I got the security code. But just to be safe I took it out for a few runs. And I was and still am getting 3 cylinders missfiring. And I have never had that before. So I filled the tank up with some different gas and was still getting the missfires.
Well since the car was running I left LA for home (400 miles away). The car sounded fine and didn't act up. I was carefull not to work it too hard. Got home just fine. The next day I go to work and the car is fine. But when I get out of work and go to start the car same problem again, won't start. this time when I turn the ignition on all the cluster lights flicker on and off and it sounds like something shorting out in the dash. Well, to make the long story short I atap it with no codes shown, I take the battery out and let the computer reset, and after about an hour and a half I get it to start. But it just tries to die. I let it and then start it up again and it starts just fine. I take it home and could not get it to start at all any more. I turn the ignition on and nothing happends, no lights in the dash or anything. Just the sound of something shorting out in the dash. So I park it for about a week. then after checking fuses, relays, battery, alternator, ect. I take it to the dealer. The call me back and say that they noticed I had and aftermarket exaust (cutout) and reprogrammed the computer. And after they did that they said it runs fine. How in the heck could a cutout cause the car to have that many problems? And what could they "re-program" to adjust for a cutout? I don't believe them. And I am on my extended warrenty and they said that it is not covered and they are charging me $105 for the work! What do you guys think?

<small>[ September 04, 2002, 02:06 PM: Message edited by: bowtieSS ]</small>

 

Wow, the cutout didnt cause the problem. They just used that as an excuse to not find the real problem. Also they cant void your warrant because of a cutout. I dont see how they fixed the problem by just reprogramming your computer.

<small>[ September 04, 2002, 11:34 AM: Message edited by: Loco ]</small>

 

Ya I know that they can not void the warrenty based on aftermarket products unless they can prove that the product was the direct cause of the problem. even with that they can only void what it effected, not the whole car. But they did not say that they voided the warrenty, just that this was not covered because the cutout was what caused the problem. Which I do not believe them. And I am with you, I don't know how they can fix the problem (assuming it was the cutout) by reprogramming.