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Old 04-17-2015, 12:23 AM   #1
Rob2849
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96 grand am battery not holding charge/car won't start

Hello, I have a 96 grand am that will turn on fine at first but after it warms up, it will not start and just keeps trying to turn over. I've also tested the battery with a light test and there is a constant drain on the battery, it will be completely dead overnight and when I charge my battery after starting it once, it will fully charge in about 30 minutes from red so I'm wondering if it's just not holding a charge. I'm not sure if it won't start when it's warm or if the battery just doesn't have a charge??? I took the car to autozone and the alternator passed all tests and the battery is new, the starter is 8 months old. Also the brake light stays on. I am no car expert, I just fix my car as I have problems so any help would be useful
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Old 04-17-2015, 09:53 AM   #2
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Re: 96 grand am battery not holding charge/car won't start

Ok, let's answer a few questions:

First thing in the morning, does the car start, or does it have to be jumped?

If it starts first thing in the morning, gets warm(runs for awhile), then you shut it off.....will it restart right away? If it does, after it's warmed up, will it start, say, half and hour after you shut the vehicle off?

Did you do a parasitic draw by disconnecting the neg battery cable(no key in ignition, nothing on, doors closed, underhood light off) and attaching your test light between the neg terminal of the battery and and the neg able? Was the light on? Now you have to add a jumper in parallel to the test light, and leave it there for about 5 minutes....then remove the jumper(test light still connected)....if the light is still on, you have a draw, if it is out, you don't....

How are you charging your battery? With a charger, or just by running the car? Running the car is not a good way to recharge a battery....

Which engine do you have?

Checked for codes?
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Old 04-17-2015, 12:41 PM   #3
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Re: 96 grand am battery not holding charge/car won't start

First thing in the morning it does start and it will run unless I accelerate and it heats up and the anti theft light comes on and all the needles drop all the way then back where they were and all the dash lights come on for a second at the same time the gauges drop but it doesn't seem to affect the performance, other times the check engine light comes on and I lose acceleration for a second and the lights dim. I have to wait until the thermostat needle drops below the first line to start it again or it just turns but never fires. It will not restart at all after the initial start if the car is above the first needle. I can start it as many times as I want before it warms up. I solved the drain, it was interior lights and the ignition switch and I was charging it with a home charger. It's a 2.4 engine and I didn't check for codes, I don't have a code reader
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Old 04-18-2015, 09:19 PM   #4
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Re: 96 grand am battery not holding charge/car won't start

Autozone will check for codes for free......

Is only the RED brake light on, or is the ABS on too?

If just the RED brake light, check the fluid level in the M/C reservoir.....if low, it will cause the light to come on......also make sure the E-brake is fully released...also check the rear center stop light, to see that it functions......

If all look ok, disconnect the level sensor in the M/C reservoir, and see if the light goes out.....or disconnect the single wire connector at the E-brake switch, and see if the light goes out....if the light is still on, check for ABS codes...

As for the starting problem, one thing to check is the f/p regulator....pull the vac line off it.....if you smell fuel or see fuel dripping from it, the regulator needs to be replaced....The car will start with a rich condition....as the car warms, the PCM leans the fuel mixture.....but if the f/p regulator is leaking, this will create a rich condition, and a hard start...
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Old 04-18-2015, 10:11 PM   #5
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Re: 96 grand am battery not holding charge/car won't start

The red brake light, abs and airbag light stay on and I will check the fuel pressure regulator when I get home and fluids. Would the fuel pressure regulator cause the engine light and/or anti theft system light to come on while driving and make all the needles drop and lights come on for a second? This happens over and over. The needles will drop and go to there current levels and drop again etc..
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Old 04-18-2015, 11:40 PM   #6
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Re: 96 grand am battery not holding charge/car won't start

I forgot to mention that I used a OBD II code reader and it says no codes found with the check engine light or theft system light or no lights, always says no codes found. There is a aftermarket stereo installed but the fuse is removed, as I heard aftermarket stereos can interfere with the code readers and I remove the fuse (interior lights) because there is a parasitic drain, also with the fuse in it says no codes found
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Old 04-19-2015, 07:16 AM   #7
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Re: 96 grand am battery not holding charge/car won't start

Your code reader will only read PCM or "P" codes....it will not read ABS(C), Security/Air Bag(B), or Communication(U) codes....

The good thing is, the Security light came on after the car was started.....this is kind of a default mode and won't affect starting....however, if you disconnect the battery or clear codes, and the Security fault is there when cranking, the car won't start.....

The gauges acting like that seem to be a bad connection somewhere.....
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Old 04-20-2015, 11:46 AM   #8
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Re: 96 grand am battery not holding charge/car won't start

There is no fuel coming from the fuel pressure regulator. The engine is sounding more and more irregular like it's going to stall but doesn't, this doesn't happen until the theft system light comes on. When I go to start the car again after it warms up and cranks but doesn't start, the check engine, theft system, fuel and battery light come on. The fuel light doesn't always come on but the other 3 do
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Old 05-02-2015, 06:01 PM   #9
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Re: 96 grand am battery not holding charge/car won't start

Welcome to AF Rob2849!

Really sounds like your ignition switch is going bad.
Though you get the warning light on on the instrument panel. which could also be crappin out, its very common with these models. bad solder joints = bad/no connections

But the no start hot sounds like a bad coil/boot/icm issue, unless its your security is having problems.

when your battery was dying it prob was messing with your security issue resetting not letting it start. Since you found the drain, does it still have the no start issues?
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Old 05-03-2015, 03:43 AM   #10
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Re: 96 grand am battery not holding charge/car won't start

I replaced the ignition switch and that was not the problem and then I replaced the fuel pump relay and it was running fine and starting every time, even when hot and now its not starting when warm but its different now. It will start then turn off right after, no sputter and all the lights are on, it just turns off right away. I'm assuming the fuel pump may be going bad?
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Old 05-03-2015, 02:02 PM   #11
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Re: 96 grand am battery not holding charge/car won't start

I think if you get the codes read with a good scan tool, you will find a B2958 or B2960 set....this is your Security system....

When the car starts and dies, have someone with a can of carb cleaner, spray into your intake while cranking....if it starts and runs as long as you spray, but dies as soon as you stop, then you have a fuel delivery problem......if fuel pressure is ok(check with a gage), then the injectors are being shut down by the Security system....the usual culprit is the PassLock sensor....
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Old 07-17-2015, 03:22 AM   #12
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Re: 96 grand am battery not holding charge/car won't start

did you say you replaced the fuel filter or not??

if not and its not been replaced in the last year, it could be clogged. most people never replace them as scheduled maintenance suggests. Ive seen them 14 yrs old and they wonder why it wasnt getting fuel, can burn up your pump too.
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