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Cadillac Repair/1998 Cadillac STS dying and starting issue

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Expert: - 12/29/2011


Question
I have a relatively low mileage (123,000) 1998 Cadillac.  I have had it for 8 years. First, it started dying sometimes when I come to a stop.  I had my auto repair shop look at it twice for a total of over $600 and they finally told me that where they "thought" the problem was was hard to get at and would be very expensive.  I decided to live with it for a while.  Last week I tried to start the car and it wouldn't start, not even turn over.  My son came to help me jump start it and before he could even do it, it started right up.  It has done that twice since. The second time it wouldn't start they said it needed a new battery because it wouldn't start upon being jumped so I paid $174 for a new battery. The problem still exists.

I'm not sure if the two issues are related but I definitely need help.

Answer
Hello,

Without seeing the car, I am very limited on my answers. As far as the stalling, no clue--

As far as the cranking, these cars are notorious for not cranking because of the flawed anti theft system and you should bypass it no matter what.

Fortunately for you, please read my recent answers in the last day or two on the VATS and the answer is there. Thus could give you a no crank-crank situation and unfortunately there are too many idiots that think the answer is`a battery without knowing anything about the junk GM stuck the consumer with which will cause a no crank situation. If you bypass it, it is one less thing you have ti worry about the next time you are given the wrng diagnoses.

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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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