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Cadillac Repair/Cadillac starter relay location

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Question
I have an 1999 Cadillac Deville Concours and need to know where the starter relay is located.

Answer
Hello,

May I ask the reason of your request? If the engine is not cranking it is quite common for the so-called anti theft system to cause problems cranking.
If this is the reason for your question, try some things first.

Tilt the column in different positions and try starting. If the engine starts you have a broken wire in the ignition lock assembly that Cadillac will charge you up to $500 to fix. Locksmith will replace the same identical lock for $250. If that turns out to be the problem you have not wasted the money on replacing a perfectly good starter.

Now another test if tilting the column does not work, you may want to put the ignition in the on position, shift the trans lever through the gears and put back into park and try starting.

I have never known the starter relay to fail, but the vats problem is notorious for issues.

Two small wires like phone lines were used running up and down the colmn. They break inside the plastic insulation.

If that is your problem, should cost you less than $100 to bypass and have a starter disable to protect it from being stolen. Old cars are stolen all the time and your column can be defeated in 30 seconds with a screwdriver.

Alarm stores stock the Gm vats bypass kit and they can install a kill switch.



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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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