Problem starting car PLease help!!

While trying to start car the car will start and run for about 2 secs and shuts off. If I start it and give it some gas it revs up but still only stays on about 2 secs. I once left the battery unhooked for a while and it started but none of the gauges worked and then after driving around the block and back it will not start again. It's doing the same thing as before. Does anyone have any ideas?


2000 alero

Insert the key & turn it to the on position. Check for the security light. If the light remains on, leave it in the on position for 10 minutes. The light should then go off & the car should run. If the light went off pretty much right away, you'll need to see a mechanic.

I have to disagree with the last post. It's worth it to try but I doubt that's the problem. If it were a Passlock issue, the car wouldn't start in the first place. I had this issue once in my Malibu. I tried to start it four days in a row and the same thing...started then died. Finally on the fifth day, she started up but was running REALLY rough and none of the gauges worked. After a few trips around the town, everything was back to normal. I never did find out what was wrong, but I suspected and still suspect it to be an electrical gremlin. The 97 Malibus were plauged with electrical issues.

Back to the topic though, I really have no idea what it could be. Possibly a fuel pump issue. Make sure the fuel pump relay under the hood is properly plugged in and working. Possibly bad gas? I dunno...

Jeremy

My 99 Alero just wouldn't start back in January, thought it maybe just was too cold because it started the next day...but it would do it again sparatically and sometimes had the same rough starts you've reported. Took it into the shop and they replaced a faulty relay at the fuel pump.
1.5 months later I brought it back in as it would start and then stall after gas fill ups only...that ended up needing a computer updating/reprogramming. Since then it's been starting & running smooth. Fingers crossed!

If you disconnect the battery of this vehicle and leave it diconnected for a while, the computer will need to have a little drive time to "relearn" certain things. This can cause irratic running for a while.

BTW, I was messing with my car the other day and I noticed that when the key is left in the 'ON' position without the engine running, the 'SECURITY' light remains on until the vehicle is started. If the light flashes while the key is in the 'ON' positon, or comes on steady when she's running, then you have a problem.

Jeremy

Just got the car back from GM. It was premature failure of the Body Control Module (BCM). Approximately $550.00 CDN. Not a great experience.