Starting/Electrical problem?

I drove my 2000 Intrigue today and it ran fine. I was home for 5 minutes and went to start the car and it would not start at all. The engine did not turn and then all of the gauges started to move on their own. Speedometer, rpm gauge, temp, fuel etc. The lights would work, flashers would not. This vehicle has a 6mo. old battery. I did jump the car and it started fine. When I was driving it up the road all of the dash lights came on and then shut off. It happened a second time and the car almost felt like it shut off for a split second. Now the car won't start again. Has anyone ever seen or heard of such a strange thing?

It's the dreaded passlock issue! Many posts about it in this forum alone. You can disable the passlock system entirely.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=698861&highlight=disable+passlock

This may not be the easiest post to follow, but as I mentioned it's one of many. This is my guess.

Sounds more like an ignition switch issue than a Passlock issue.

The times that the car will not crank, do you have a Security light?


Have you tried cycling back to OFF and then trying to start it again? Then repeating this about a million times?

You can try the passlock stuff, but if that doesnt work, I vote it to be an ignition switch. My car would do that same shut off for a split second thing. I recently took my ignition switch out and cleaned everything really well and havent had any starting or driveability problems since. I was having starting issues as well.

check for a loose main fuse-box also (by the battery under the hood). Sometime the main connection gets loose.

Haha, thanks for havin my back on the battery cables panzer, thats usually the first thing I suggest, but I completely forgot this time!

But yes, check the battery cables for corrosion, remove the boots as well and clean it all, not just what you can see. The boots remove by pushing the screw portion out, and then they slide right off.

The most pain free way I have found to clean corrosion off cables is to find a small container of some sort (I used a topless soda can) and fill it up with a mix of water and baking soda(check your fridge). Then soak the ends of the cables in that solution and watch as the corrosion melts right off. Scrape or wire brush what little will be left.

Still really sounds like it could be an ignition switch issue to me, if you want a write up on how to remove the switch, search for a thread titled "Ignition Switch Removal?" by me. Its kinda of a pain, but if it solves your problems its worth it.