Calderone

Strange,i was cruising last saturday and parked the car with no problems.

Today i was storing something in the cargo area and i decided to start the car with the hatch open, it didn't start !
Tried again and nothing,disconnected the battery (i always kill the battery with a switch) and came back a couple of hours ...Nothing.

This happened out of nothing !
If this thing has a timer...its possible that this timer re-activates
when i connect the battery but was in pause all the time ?
I mean :
VATS ACTIVATED ...4 minutes ..then disconnect the battery...
came back hours later,connect it...and still 16 minutes left ?
if so,that's what happened ! But im not sure.

I will connect it tomorrow and see what happens
This happened out of the blue !

I will clean the key , clean the battery contacts and starter contacts
as well,but this is real strange,this is the first time this happens to me
No crank ,Good charged battery,power at LCD display and lights.
All systems go,i don't think the starter solenoid died suddenly !
At all, i have zero noise at the starter ! i checked all the fuses
and they are all good. Im out of ideas. Thanks !

1986coupe

Do you have a spare key? Sometimes the contacts will wear thin and prevent it from starting. I know this from experience.

If you try another key and it won't start then start troubleshooting the starting system. Check fuses first...sometimes the simplest thing is the problem. After fuses check the starter.

Post your findings and members of the forum can help.

Bill

Calderone

Sadly i don't have another key

i checked all the fuses (passenger side fuse box)
If there is more fuses, i have no idea where they are.
Yep,starter maybe got wet and its isolated but i doubt it. i will check this tomorrow.
are there more fuses apart of the ones in the box ? Thanks 1

1963SS

I would be tempted to get another key made from yours. You always need a second key. I suspect that yours may be worn and not making contact properly. A locksmith is usually cheaper than the dealer.

Calderone

problem is that i tried to get the spare but they don't know my kind of keys ...
i might ask another locksmith ...


I will check the "chip" 's resistance will buy a spare from USA and will get a locksmith to copy my shape on it

Amethyst643

I just had the same issue tonight. I used to have a intermittent problem with the car not wanting to start (thanks to the key pellet reciever in the ignition wearing out), but I got it fixed about 2 months ago. Since then, I had never had a problem.

Earlier tonight I decided to check all of the fuses because my car alarm wasn't setting right (it has always done this since I bought it, I just now decided to do something about it). I also checked the fuses behind the controls above the radio (because one was called "THEFT"), but all of my fuses were good. When I decided to start my car, it wouldn't. It was just like the problem I had before. The only difference is.. it's 4 hours later and it still won't start.

Just like yours, everything else acts normal, but it won't try to start. I've also waited 4 minutes and disconnected the battery - nothing makes it work. What could I have done to it?

Calderone

" I also checked the fuses behind the controls above the radio "

Woah ..where are those located ? behind the IP Panel ?
Months ago i saw smoke coming from that area,it was my blinker !

How can i test those fuses ?
Thanks !

Amethyst643

Okay. Basically you just talke of the center bezel that goes around your air vents, radio, ac, information panel, ect. Then, take out the three screws holding the information panel in. You can then pull it out enough to reach to the backside of it and unplug the gigantic plug going into the back of it. Then let the information panel dangle to the left of the hole where it was (There will be some wires behind it that you cannot unplug). You should then see 3 fuses. One says THEFT, one if for the rear hatch release, and I can't remember what the other one is for. Hope that helps!

Calderone

thanks,if any of you guys have pics of that fuse would be great !
is the auxiliary fuse block ????
im watching a diagram here at page 201 of the electrical FSM

Amethyst643

They are just like the ones in the main fuse box. Just three positioned vertically right behind the information panel (in the middle). Only problem for me is that all of my fuses looked great. :/

stoydido

Sammy, not sure about the 87. 91 owner's manual shows fuses up under glove box, one is THEFT, one is CRANK, a 3A.

It is a pain to access, but not like getting inside the dash.

jc

89vette

Follow the procedure in the FSM. http://members.shaw.ca/dankai/Vats%20Electrical.pdf

Mine was a faulty VATS module and I disabled VATS in the chip and jumped out the starter enable relay located behind the center IP.

JackDidley

My VATS is disabled in the bin. mseven did it for me several years ago and now that I do my own chips it stays that way. Around here nobody would steal a C4 anyway.

Calderone

I'm pulling the IP Bezel today, my bet is the fuse ...i can feel this happened because i started the car with the hatch opened. I've just cleaned the key very well.
I will go now and try to start it, well if it doesn't i will remove the bezel and IP center
that will take me 20 minutes. I will check the fuses (one day my flasher went away like that for no reason ! i had to pull that and it was that...)
If none of the above ...is the VATS Module or ... worn key (im buying spare keys as well)

i will check the procedure as well, i don't want to disable VATS at the chip.

Amethyst643

Here are some pics of those fuses in the '87. They are located behind here:

And here they are: HATCH, THEFT, CLU (which is a blank spot on my car), and CINJ:


I went to start my car this morning... and it started. What's up with that?!

Calderone

Thanks !!! Right by the flasher's side !!!
Look at those tiny hidden bandits !!!
How come they put them there !!!
I think something happened with my open hatch / starting it

Amethyst643

I'm not really sure why they put them there.. probably something to do with them being safer there (since they are the anti-theft system and the hatch release).

Calderone

Yep,totally.

Hey you know what,im not pissed.
I know i will have to remove the bezels and all but this are all new adventures
I've never experienced any VATS troubles before.This car gives me experiences.
Good ones,he is a good teacher !
Everytime i fix something , im able to focus on other areas and get them
perfected,i can't wait to get to the appareance areas.

Thanks Amethyst !

Amethyst643

No problem. Have you tried to start your car yet today?

Calderone

Not yet, i will do that later, its not parked here at home,i park it at a friend's house