QuestionQUESTION: Hi rob I have a 97 sts that starts sometimes... I changed the fuel pump, and it only starts sometimes. I had a pressure test and it gets good pressure. I brought it to a mechanic and they said it was a bad wire going from fuel pump to relay.. car is still doing the same thing as when I brought it in.. sometimes it starts and sometimes it refuses to start like its out of gas.. then sometimes it will start with starting fluid and sometimes it wont.. please help also a few times the inst panel said something about theft and car may not restart.. but usually says service fuel system...
ANSWER: Hello,
NEVER, use starting fluid on gas engines, especially on an aluminum engine, because you can blow the heads right off the engine! Starting fluid is only meant for diesels in cold weather.
Most likely your problem is in the GM VATS junk in which the thin wires running up and down the steering column break inside the insulation in which when inserted the resistor on the key bridges when inserted into the ignition.
If you need to get the car started one last time before it strands you, you can tilt the column in different positions and try starting. The wires will go back together. Cadillac wants $700 for an ignition lock and harness installed. The locksmith is about $250.00. Contact a local alarm store that stocks the VATS bypass and et the car fixed for $60.
http://ww.autotheftexpert.com
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QUESTION: If its a wiring issue, why would it start sometimes,and sometimes even without fluid??? Also if the car sits sometimes for a day or so, and I go back to start sometimes it starts ...and if I move the column around, wont I make it worse???
AnswerHello,
You stated something about the theft warning. This means it is not reading your key and the engine will only crank at times.
This is not a normal wiring issue and it is so common I have written about hundreds of times here alone. That is why I call it GM junk. The wiring is designed to fail.
as I said there is a wire running up the column to the key way and another running down the column from the keyway. These wires are very thin similar to land line phone wiring. The wires break internally. Every time you turn the ignition, these wires move. You will never see the break because it is inside the insulation. You can use an ohm meter to find the wire is open, but as soon as the wiring is moved like in tilting the column, the wires go back together. good luck in finding the break!
I have been living with these intermittent no start problems since 1986 since the VATS (Vehicle Anti Theft System) came out and have bypassed thousands for this issue.
As for the starting fluid (never use it again!) could have been coincidental. All I know is that I am tired of living with GM's faulty designs.
You could bypass the system yourself, but it is just more economically feasible to have an alarm store do it.
Cost on the lock/wiring assembly is about $50, and GM gets $700 installed and you will have the problem again. Your best off just having this junk bypassed all together. It never stopped thieves, but always stranded the owner.
Good Luck!
http://www.autotheftexpert.com
