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Cadillac Repair/will not start in park and sometimes nutrual

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Expert: - 11/28/2009


Question
95 concourse fails to start. You get a clicking sound from the
right side of the engine compartment.  This only happens on occasion. Maybe three weeks before it happens again or maybe the
next day. If you turn the key to start and back off it will start
eventually. For the last two weeks it will not start in park but
will in neutral. Any help PLEASE. My mechanic cannot fine the problem because he cannot recreate the problem.  

Answer
Hello,

Normally from your description the problem is because of the very tiny VATS wires that run through the column that commonly break. What is throwing me off though is that you hear a clicking, unless you are just hearing the starter interrupt relay clicking.

The only correction to this problem is to replace the ignition lock cylinder and harness. (Locksmith is much cheaper than dealer)or to bypass the security system altogether.

Unfortunately, since every model requires a different approach, I no longer offer consulting for bypassing this system. I have reached up to 15 requests per day and can no longer afford to charge $100.00 per car to talk a person through it.

Its not for security reasons because this system was never secure and very low tech. Its just a time/cost factor.

Your description sound like you are moving the wires to connect themn with different things you do to the ignition and column.

Rob

Cadillac Repair

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Rob Painter

Expertise

Alarm system questions cannot be answered on this forum. These systems are not what I can answer. Without being physically at the vehicle and not knowing what kind of electrical service has been done on the vehicle, there is no possible way to give an accurate answer over the internet. My expertise is in Ignition/key based anti-theft systems. These issues include GM VATS (resistor chip in key blade) PASSLOCK (MRD)-ignition lock rotation based, no special ignition key and the PKIII Transponder (computer chip in key) systems. These systems are not alarm based and are integral with the starting of the engine. This is why I cannot diagnose alarm problems without physically looking at the vehicle: Alarm systems are a completely different annimal than ignition key/lock based anti-theft system. Many alarm questions come from vehicles 10 years old, and since older, many hands that had been involved over the years.I am an expert in all GM factory (ignition/key based)systems. Alarm system questions pose to many situations beyond my knowledge as to what has been done to the vehicle over the years. Some guy may have actually wired the stereo into the alarm system. Who knows? Over my past 30 years in vehicle wiring repair, I have seen unbelievable wiring disaters done by guys that consider themselves "mechanics." I have seen stereos and alarms intalled using surgical tape. I have seen modules burn up, un-fused circuits, wiring jambed between the doors and even lamp cord used for a starter kill. To answer alarm questions over the internet without examining the vehicle is like asking; What does it take to remove a dent?

Experience

Education/Credentials-ASE certified. 11 years with a GM dealer and 17 years with a repair facility dealing with only the repair of theft recovered vehicles.

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