Help!! Security light flashing. No starter engage.
#1
Member
Posts like a V-Tak
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Help!! Security light flashing. No starter engage.
Hi all,
Went xmas shopping last night. Got into my car and tried to start it but nothing happened. All dash lights came on, guages did their sweep, turned key to start but all I hear is a click under the dash and a faint click from under the hood where the cowling and all the fuses and relays are located. Security light flashes when I try to start the car. Now I did a search on this problem and I tried to clean my key and I also used a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol to clean the VATS contacts that are visible just inside the ignition switch. They were dirty so I cleaned them until no dirt came off on th swab. Tried to satrt it but still no go. Any ideas? My car is stranded in a mall parking lot.
By the way The security light would flash intermittently the last few times I drove the car but would stop if I jiggled the key or turned off the car and started it again. It never affected the way the car ran or made it cut out. Could my ignition switch be the culprit? Are they a PITA to change?
Any help would be appreciated.
92 SSE
Went xmas shopping last night. Got into my car and tried to start it but nothing happened. All dash lights came on, guages did their sweep, turned key to start but all I hear is a click under the dash and a faint click from under the hood where the cowling and all the fuses and relays are located. Security light flashes when I try to start the car. Now I did a search on this problem and I tried to clean my key and I also used a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol to clean the VATS contacts that are visible just inside the ignition switch. They were dirty so I cleaned them until no dirt came off on th swab. Tried to satrt it but still no go. Any ideas? My car is stranded in a mall parking lot.
By the way The security light would flash intermittently the last few times I drove the car but would stop if I jiggled the key or turned off the car and started it again. It never affected the way the car ran or made it cut out. Could my ignition switch be the culprit? Are they a PITA to change?
Any help would be appreciated.
92 SSE
#2
If you are in fact getting a clicking when you try to start, then it'* not likely to be the VATS system. The VATS system will completely disallow the car to be started (i.e., when you turn the key to the "start" position, you'll get nothing). The clicking is an indication of a weak battery or a starter that has just gone bad.
How many volts is your battery putting out?
How many volts is your battery putting out?
#3
Member
Posts like a V-Tak
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The battery is only a few months old. I have never had a problem with the starter. Wouldn't the starter show signs of going before it gave out? The clicking is coming from relays under the passenger side kick panel and under the cowling below the wipers where all the maxi-fuses and relays are located, not from the starter. I use the tilt steering function a lot, could the VATS wire in the column have broken because of this?
#4
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Re: Help!! Security light flashing. No starter engage.
Originally Posted by bambam
By the way The security light would flash intermittently the last few times I drove the car but would stop if I jiggled the key or turned off the car and started it again. It never affected the way the car ran or made it cut out. Could my ignition switch be the culprit? Are they a PITA to change?
Any help would be appreciated.
92 SSE
Any help would be appreciated.
92 SSE
If you would like to check the starter and starter solenoid.. put car to on the next time it won't start.. use a booster cable and a long screw driver.. put one end to battery positive and the other end to screw driver.. CAREFULLY connect it to the starter solenoid wires. if it runs fine.. then it might be the solenoid.. if it starts then dies. then thats cause of the VATS.
#5
Senior Member
Posts like a Corvette
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Pittsburgh PA
Posts: 1,539
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I actually had the same exact problem tonight when a few of us were on our way out to dinner. After several failed attempts, I turned the key to the on position and let it sit there until it went through it'* "pre-flight" check.(Mostly out of frustration) Once it was done with that, I tried to start it up, and it took right off, no muss, no fuss.
Hope this helps at least a little
Hope this helps at least a little
#6
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Chicago,IL MWBF '04 SURVIVOR MWBF '05 SURVIVOR Napa Manager
Posts: 3,955
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i had the same problem i dsiconnected the battery cables and cleaned them and reconnected them and i am good to go
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Marquis2313
1992-1999
5
04-15-2013 09:40 AM