Hi, my son bought a 2006 GTO automatic last summer. It had a bad transmission but I paid to have that rebuilt because I didnt want a repeat of his 86 Fiero GT (story for another day) that still isnt running. Anyways, the glaciers in MN are finally receding and he needed the radiator replaced. Since he works at a former Pontiac dealership and gets discount I gave him $500 to have that replaced last week.. He drove the car to the service area, into the bay and went off to work. They then called him and said it wont start. Nothing. No crank, no clicking. Thinking this is relating to that troublesome anti-theft system I went on the to research but I really havent been able to track down a resolution. I was able to find a tuning company out of Ohio that does a VATS system delete or override. Considering it was only $125 I reached out to them and ultimately sent off the ECM last Friday. The dude advised me that this MAY not actually be the problem, but I felt it was worth a shot since all the labor it might take to track down the problem could pile up to well over $125 only to find out it was the problem.
Any one else have this problem and figure out the solution? When we get the ECM back, if that fixes it I will be sure to share. He loves this car and is really broke up about it and said he was just going to sell it but I wont let him. I will do whatever I can to help him get it going within reason. I just hope its not bricked. I appreciate any feedback.

 

Not sure it's related. But check the prone bcm wiring problem. The bcm (body control module) is located behind the glove box and the hire harness is prone to chaffing on the metal brace.

 

Thank you Tom for the reply! I have heard that there are wires prone to that behind the glove box so that will be the next thing checked if the VATS delete reflash doesnt do the trick. Also heard about a wire in the steering column too. The reflashed ECM should be here Thursday so I should know as soon as Friday if it worked. Fingers crossed so my son can enjoy his dream car.

 

Unfortunately the ECM flash to override the VATS system didnt seem to do the trick. We are off to the next line of culprits starting with blown ignition fuse which means a short in the steering column, then next the wiring behind the glovebox by the BCM.

 

This is getting bizarre... Update, not sure if the ECM flash worked or not. The service tech said it wouldnt start for him. I told him to give my son the keys and I would have him check ignition fuse and see if its blown. He calls me since he had a break and went to the car. I asked him if the gauges turned on when he turned the key he said they did. He turns the key to start and it fired right up! He turned it off, then it wouldnt crank again. Weird. I told him to sit in the car, lock the doors, unlock the doors (read this online) and then wait 30 seconds and try and crank it. FIRED RIGHT UP AGAIN!!!! Hes so happy but there is still some kind of gremlin here, but if that little technique with the lock/unlock works consistently he knows what to do.

 

Well back to the drawing board I guess. The car started got it into the service bay to have radiator replaced. Radiator replaced and now it will not start again. No crank, guages light up so I think that would mean the ignition fuse/wiring issue shouldnt be in play here. Sort of at a loss now. Its so weird that one minute it starts then it wont. Even the lock/unlock trick that seemed to work before wont work now. I sent a VM to Garrett tuning who I sent the ECM off for the reflash to delete the VATS system to see if they had other ideas since he seemed to have some experience with these issues. He told me from the start the reflash may not solve the problem so he was honest right from the beginning. Any other ideas? There has to be someone who has run into this issue and solved it. I see issues all the time on the web but I have yet to see a resolution.

 

 

Ha! Turns out they think its relating to the door plunger. The service advisor slammed the door and it started right up. My son went over there and did the same thing and he drove it around. Weird.

 

Thanks Camaro! I had watched that video before even sending in the ECM. When he would turn the key the gauges would light up so I knew that wasnt the problem. Somehow they got it to work today and my son drove it and all they had to do was slam the door shut hard.

 

We were able to drive the GTO home last night and he gave me a ride. That thing would get me in all sorts of trouble! Hopefully we have the little gremlins figured out but I have found a lot of tidbits with the help of you here and elsewhere that could lead to other potential culprits. Not sure how a door plunger would be the issue but its been starting fine now. Never heard of a car that wouldnt start with the door ajar, but its a Holden I guess and those Aussies are strange.

 

Well the saga continues. He seems to believe that whenever it is hot outside like it has been the last week is what is causing it. He drove it to work last Friday. Went to leave work and no crank, no start and had to have his roommate come pick him up. Went back the next morning (much cooler) and it fired right up. He has a new battery in it and the gauges and everything all light up when he turns the key on, but it will not crank or anything.
When he had the transmission fixed the tranny shop tried to replace the battery (instead of just using the key) in his keyfob which all of you here know that is not just a simple take out the bad and put in a new battery and its really been since then that it has acted up, but that was also in the late Fall early winter.
I have ordered him a new key and key fob which will be here Monday and I will have that cut at his dealer. You cannot even get a Pontiac fob anymore so it will be a Holden.