Cadillac Repair/1989 seville

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Expert: - 8/16/2010


Question
Hi
I have 89 seville 4.5 lately when I turn the key I just hear a faint click and the starter does not engage or run at all nothing, Could this be the starter relay if the starter checks out good, If so where is the starter relay ?
when the car sits a couple of days the batery wears down their is a electrical draw on the system when the key is off, Alarm light on dashboard blinks allways is this normal.
Any suggestions on the starter problem and maybe shed some light on the battery draw problem.
Thanks tom

Answer
Hello,

Relay is either bad or it isn't. You might have a bad starter solenoid attached to starter.

Battery draw test--disconnect pos cable from battery. Put test light between cable and bat terminal. If light is on, you have a draw. You need to pull out one fuse at a time and reinstall until the test light goes out. Once out, you found the circuit with the draw and you need to eliminate the items on that circuit. On these, antenna, cigarette lighter, trunk light are common problems.

as for the alarm light, don't remember anymore. I think it is supposed to flash when door is closed to scare would be thief. Very little draw from it.

If my answer assisted you please rate it.

Thanks,

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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