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Old 02-09-2016, 07:44 PM   #1
bluiewest1
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Turn key, nothing happens on first try

2001 Park Avenue has an issue that manifests itself every now and then. When I try to start engine nothing happens. Sometimes after turning key 3, 4 or 5 times it will start normally. I'm a little worried that one day it isn't going to start.... Using the original key, so I don't think that it's a problem with that.

Have read that a faulty BCM can be responsible for a no-start condition, but that wouldn't be an intermittent occurrence would it?

Ideas?

Last edited by bluiewest1; 02-09-2016 at 07:46 PM. Reason: clean up sentence and punctuation
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Old 02-10-2016, 10:12 PM   #2
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Re: Turn key, nothing happens on first try

When the car won't start, just release key from crank position to the on position and look at your SECURITY light......if it is on solid, you have a PassKey security problem......

Normally, that light will come on for 3 seconds and go out, when you turn your key to the on position.........but if it stays on, you have a problem.....

PassKey I and II, have a black resistor chip imbedded in the shaft of the key, that you can see......Passkey III, has a transponder imbedded in the head of the key, and the key usually has "PK3" stamped on the key......

I assume you have PK II, with a resistor on the key.....if the light is intermittently staying on, then the usual problem is the lock cylinder.....it has two wires running up the steering column, to the lock cylinder....these wires "flex" every time you rotate your ignition key, and over time, the wires can break inside the insulation, causing intermittent contact....when the wire breaks completely, the car will not start....

If this is the case, you have two options, pull the steering clumn apart and install a new lock cylinder, or,

cut the wires going up the steering column to the lock cylinder, and attach a resistor to the wires, equal to the resistance in your key....
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Old 02-11-2016, 09:04 AM   #3
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Re: Turn key, nothing happens on first try

My chart shows OP has a PK3 system (1997-2003 model year PA) which is radio frequency in the key fob (says pk3 stamped on end of key)- I'd try the spare key first- and definitely report back on the security light status.
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Old 02-11-2016, 10:44 AM   #4
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Re: Turn key, nothing happens on first try

The key is a PK3 and unfortunately I only have one.

I checked it just now and when I turn key to the on position the security light in the instrument cluster DOES NOT illuminate.

When the no-start problem occurs again I'll be looking at the security light to see what it is doing and will post results here. The last two instances have been when the temps are low and that makes me think that the ignition switch wires are going bad
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Old 02-12-2016, 09:35 AM   #5
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Re: Turn key, nothing happens on first try

OK, remember how to check the SECURITY light....

Don't turn the key to the crank position, just turn it to the "on" position, and watch the SECURITY LIGHT.....

It should come on for 3-5 seconds and then go out.....if it does, then turn the key to the crank position and see if it starts......it should......if it doesn't, one possibility is the starter enable relay.....try swapping with another relay of the same number......another possibility is the connections at the starter solenoid....

If you turn the key only to the on position, and the SECURITY light does not come on at all, or it comes on and stays on, then when you turn the key to crank, it shouldn't start.....if this happens, you need to scan for "P" and "B" codes......most scanners/code readers can't read "B" codes.......

I have encountered only two problems with the PK3 system....one, someone has installed a remote starter/security system, and their wiring is bad, and sometimes breaks the wiring to the exciter ring.......the other problem is the exciter ring....if it moves out of position over the lock cylinder, this can cause intermittent no starts(there was a TSB on this).....
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Old 02-12-2016, 12:06 PM   #6
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Re: Turn key, nothing happens on first try

I've been watching the security light over the last couple of days and when I first get in the car the security light flashes until I close the door. When I insert the key and turn the ignition to ON, the security light DOES NOT illuminate, but the car starts almost always. I may go several months without the problem occurring, but I'm a little worried that the problem will start happening more frequently or it may not start at all one day.

I did a Google search for "2001 Buick exciter ring TSB" and got links to a bunch of TSB's but nothing specific. Would you have a link to that particular one?

Thanks

Last edited by bluiewest1; 02-12-2016 at 03:25 PM. Reason: eliminating superflous sentence
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Old 02-12-2016, 07:36 PM   #7
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Re: Turn key, nothing happens on first try

There is something very wrong here....After you turn the key to on, that SECURITY light should come on for 3-5 seconds and then go out......something is amiss...

Found this on Youtube...advance to the 4:55 mark.......it explains the PKIII operation....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL2TsztF4us

Last edited by Tech II; 02-12-2016 at 08:08 PM.
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