Cadillac Repair: ELECTRICAL, cadillac dealer, cadillac deville

Question
HELLO BILL

I HAVE A 1998 CADILLAC DEVILLE D-ELAGANCE MY BATTERY WENT DEAD SO I DECIDED TO CHECK THE ALTERNATOR WHICH WAS BAD ALSO I BOUGHT A NEW ALTERNATOR AND A EXCELLENT BATTERY, BUT THE CAR DID NOT START SO I DECIDED TO ASK QUESTION AT THE CADILLAC DEALER THE MECHANIC STATED I MAY NEED TO CHANGE THE CYLINDER WITH A NEW KEY . WHICH I DOUGHT IT THAT WAS THE CASE . SO WENT ON AND BOUGHT THE CYLINDER AND A NEW KEY AND INSTALLED IT MY SELF . FOR THE RECORD I AM VERY HANDY AND OPENED MINDED I HAD DONE MANY THING LIKE A HANDY MAN. ANY WAY GETTING BACK TO MY EXPLINATION THE RESULT AFTER PUTING ON THE CYLINDER AND A NEW KEY CAR FAIL TO START . THE ONLY THING I NOTICE THE INFORMATION CENTER REGISTER AUTO THEFT ENGAGE CAR MAY NOT START. IS IT POSSIBLE I MAY NEED TO BUY SOME KIND OF TOOL OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO DEACTIVATE THE THEFT PROGRAMING . I DONT KNOW WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP CAN YOU HELP ME . I DONT THRUST THE MECANIC AT THE CADILLAC DEALER . DEW TO BAD INFORMATION THAT DIDNT WARRENT ME TO BUY A CYLINDER AND A NEW KEY WHICH THE KEY WAS GOOD IN THE BEGINING AND I HAD ITS PROPER CODE (THE OLD KEY AND THE OLD CYLINDE WERE GOOD IN THE FIRST PLACE . THE SAD PART OF THIS IS THE MONEY AND THE TIME SPENT FIX THE CAR .



PS YOUR CALL  
SICERLY KEVIN VEGA  

Answer
Hi Kevin, There is a possability that you cut the wire from the ignition switch durring the installation and what I would do is take an ohmeter and measuse the resistance of the key pellet and then separate the wire connector at the base of the steering column and measure the resistance again several times, at least 5, and make sure that the resistance is close to the same reading as the first one you made while turning the key lock cylinder as if to start the car. The reading should stay constant if the wires are good. There is the possability that you got the wrong key resistance. Did you double check that? The last thing to do is undo the wire connector by the front of the rear valve cover, purple single wire, and when turning the key there should be battery voltage there or the test light should light. If it does then you have a starter problem. If no light then move the gear selector from park to drive with your foot on the brake while holding the key to start. If still no light then the computor system will need to be tested in which case you will need to get it towed to a shop. If the light flashes briefly or the voltmeter reads then the neutral safety swich is out of adjustment. Hope that helps. Bill