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Question
hey rob
I have a 99 cadillac seville sts , some times when i turn the key nothin will happen, sometiem the dash will flicker and go on or just stay off adn when im driving sometimes the car will just shut off, the battery is good , sometimes i hear clicks coming frm behind the dash, like i said everything will be good then the car will jsut shut off and refuse to start? i will turn th key back n forth and the odd time it might catch ? any hlp would be appreciated
Hello,
First I will tell you this is not a VATS problem from your description so if you think it is stalling and not starting because of the anti-theft system, its not.
It sounds like a connection problem somewhere. The clicking is being caused most likely from a relay.
This may be very difficult to find because it is intermittant.
When it stalls and you lose all power, do you lose the radio presets? This would mean battery power to the vehicle is being shut down. I am not saying it is a battery problem, but a power problem.
If you go under the dash on the driver's side, at the firewall you will find a bulk head connector with many wires attached. There is a 7/16 head bolt that holds the bulkhead together. Disconnect the negative battery cable. Unbolt the bulkhead connector and pull the passenger compartment side under the dash off. Look at the connectors and make sure there is no green from moisture. Spray with electrical contact cleaner and reattach.
That is the first place I would look. Replace negative cable on battery and take the car down the road. If that doesn't do it, check the positive cable at alternator for being tight as well as body feeds at starter.
I am just guessing and without being at the vehicle I have no way of diagnosing, but I hope my suggestions help.
Good Luck!
Rob
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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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