Auto Parts: 1995 chevy lumina car 3.1 anti theft, 1995 chevy lumina, chevy lumina


Question
QUESTION:  I would turn the key and the car would not turn over   (nothing) just dash lights. Battery is good. Turn the key again and it will start. It happened about twice maybe three times. It happened again, now it wont start at all. So I figured the solenoid was bad because I jumped it and it turned over but did not start. I was by myself, so I had no one to turn the key to start. Well I replaced only the solenoid and now I still have the same problem just dash lights wont turn over. I have power comming out to the neutral safety switch, but there is no power on the purple wire on the soleoid. I have a Haynes book on my car but the electrical blue print on the back does not show the anti theft device in the circuit. Is it the ignition switch itself? Does that also contain the antiteft? because the one under the dash is black unlike any other i am use to seeing (off white) ones. I also followed the purple wire from the solenoid and lost it under the dash. Every time I jump the solenoid with someone holding the key on start the car will start for about two seconds and then shut off. All fuses under the hood on both sides of the compartment and in the car are good. Nothing blown.

ANSWER: Hi Jaime,

Your ignition switch has two power leads if you have the ATS. One of them is bad or broken or disconnected. I would assume it is the switch if everything else is operating as it should.

Remove the connector at the switch and probe the solenoid lead as well as the ign-ON and PCM power leads.

Looking for a reputable service technician? My advice on finding a good technician is: Steer clear of the dealership and 'chain' stores like Firestone, Sears, Pep Boys, Monro Muffler/Brake, Midas, etc. as they usually only employ ONE ASE Certified Tech just so they can say they do and chances are, that guy is the asst. manager or manager and is not in the store to diagnose/repair vehicles anyway. Find a service location in the link below or get some names out of the yellow-pages and do a drive-by. Garages that employ ASE Certified Technicians will be marked with the 'Blue-Seal' insignia. If unsure about whether a place employs Certified Techs, just ask to see their credentials. ALL ASE Certified Technicians will be PROUD to show and display their certificate(s).

Thanks for the question, I hope this information was helpful to you.
Fred
Knucklebusters Used Auto & Truck Parts, Inc.
www.knucklebusters.us
570-453-0910
"Re-use is the best form of recycling" Help us recycle by purchasing used parts from us!
Looking for an ASE Certified shop near you? ASE Certified Technicians are the BEST of the BEST!
Click here: http://www.ase.com/bluesealsearch/locator.php

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi, thanks for answering my question. I went ahead and bought a new switch and the problem is the same (doesn't turn over just dash lights, interior lishts, radio, etc.) I also know that the neutral safety switch is good because I changed that also. So, I am asking if you can think of anything else that might be wrong. I also checked the actuator that operates the gear shit on the column to see if it was going into gear, it is.  I also found the purple wire on the solenoid. I traced it back to the ignition switch.
Thanks,
  Jaime

ANSWER: Hi Jaime,

When I mentioned probing the ignition wires, I figured you'd be able to handle it from there. I was  'pushing' you toward hot-wiring the car to insure all of the functionality of the separate components, ie. wires and switches.

Normally I wouldn't tell someone to hot-wire their car but short of looking at it myself, I can barely hazard a guess as to what can be wrong with a wiring/module error so as far as I'm concerned, this is your only option.

Probe the ignition switch harness WITH a power lead and START the engine using the 'ON' wire (powered-up) an the 'S' terminal for the starter and make sure the engine runs on it's own. If it does, you need to find out where the power is being lost going TOWARD the switch and if it does NOT start and run, you need to find out where the power is being lost on the OUTPUT side.

That is your starting point. Start with the basics.

Looking for a reputable service technician? My advice on finding a good technician is: Steer clear of the dealership and 'chain' stores like Firestone, Sears, Pep Boys, Monro Muffler/Brake, Midas, etc. as they usually only employ ONE ASE Certified Tech just so they can say they do and chances are, that guy is the asst. manager or manager and is not in the store to diagnose/repair vehicles anyway. Find a service location in the link below or get some names out of the yellow-pages and do a drive-by. Garages that employ ASE Certified Technicians will be marked with the 'Blue-Seal' insignia. If unsure about whether a place employs Certified Techs, just ask to see their credentials. ALL ASE Certified Technicians will be PROUD to show and display their certificate(s).

Thanks for the question, I hope this information was helpful to you.
Fred
Knucklebusters Used Auto & Truck Parts, Inc.
www.knucklebusters.us
570-453-0910
"Re-use is the best form of recycling" Help us recycle by purchasing used parts from us!
Looking for an ASE Certified shop near you? ASE Certified Technicians are the BEST of the BEST!
Click here: http://www.ase.com/bluesealsearch/locator.php

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for getting back to me. I kinda thought you meant to hot wire it but didnt think really think that was the advice you were giving. But I failed to mention that that attemp was already tried. I took the pwr. from the neutral safety switch in, and spliced it to the starter solenoid (bendix) and I blew the anti theft fuse. So that attemp was leading me to believe that the anti theft device itself was bad. but I dont know where it is at  to check, or what it is.
Fred thank you so much for helping me out with this. I truly appreciate it. I understand you are getting aggrevated to. THANKS Jaime

Answer
Hi Jaime,

Not aggravated. Sorry if my reply seemed that way.

None of my notes direct me to the anti-theft controller either, in fact, two of the programs that I use for interchanging of parts don't even list that anti-theft was available in that year on that model.

I wish I could help you more. good luck.

Looking for a reputable service technician? My advice on finding a good technician is: Steer clear of the dealership and 'chain' stores like Firestone, Sears, Pep Boys, Monro Muffler/Brake, Midas, etc. as they usually only employ ONE ASE Certified Tech just so they can say they do and chances are, that guy is the asst. manager or manager and is not in the store to diagnose/repair vehicles anyway. Find a service location in the link below or get some names out of the yellow-pages and do a drive-by. Garages that employ ASE Certified Technicians will be marked with the 'Blue-Seal' insignia. If unsure about whether a place employs Certified Techs, just ask to see their credentials. ALL ASE Certified Technicians will be PROUD to show and display their certificate(s).

Thanks for the question, I hope this information was helpful to you.
Fred
Knucklebusters Used Auto & Truck Parts, Inc.
www.knucklebusters.us
570-453-0910
"Re-use is the best form of recycling" Help us recycle by purchasing used parts from us!
Looking for an ASE Certified shop near you? ASE Certified Technicians are the BEST of the BEST!
Click here: http://www.ase.com/bluesealsearch/locator.php