Check Engine Light, Impala not starting

I was browsing and did not find anything that quite matched my 2001 Impala LS symptoms. Every once in a while my Impala won't start up, it just has a check engine light come on. When I turn the key to try starting it up when it has the check engine light on and my brakes get progressively harder to push in, but my gauges and radio work just fine.Also when I turn the key the car is dead silent it makes no noise like it doesn't even start to turn over. By the way my car has NO security light that pops up when this is happening. Could this be linked to how my cars battery has been mysteriously losing its charge over the last year? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The reason your brake pedal gets hard is because theres no vacuum when the car's off, so you get 1 or 2 easy pushes, then youve lost your "power Brakes".

I was browsing and did not find anything that quite matched my 2001 Impala LS symptoms. Every once in a while my Impala won't start up, it just has a check engine light come on. When I turn the key to try starting it up when it has the check engine light on and my brakes get progressively harder to push in, but my gauges and radio work just fine.Also when I turn the key the car is dead silent it makes no noise like it doesn't even start to turn over. By the way my car has NO security light that pops up when this is happening. Could this be linked to how my cars battery has been mysteriously losing its charge over the last year? Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Hey OP... Just a couple of other questions...

Though I understand you've not been getting "security" lights coming up at all... Is there anything else that might be "funky" or strange that's happening... Like an airbag light intermittently turning on/off. Or for example your lights might flicker, or the inside lights don't turn on at all.... Anything weird like that (or others?). If there are are "little" weird things happening like that, there is a chance the possibly having a problem w/ your BCM...


If not.... then:


Initially to me, it sounds like you might actually be having probs. with your alternator... It is not to say that the problem is or isn't with the alternator, but just throwing something out there. Altie might be getting worse and worse and probably shorted out, sucking all of the battery's juice out.


I would take the alternator off first (which luckily is a fairly easy job on an Impala) and go and get it tested at a car-parts store... They should be able to test one for you to see if that is the problem or not. Although you could also be dealing with a bad grounding issue (which I've seen a bad ground suck the life out of a battery before...


And then I would possibly eye maybe a BCM or a PCM...

Hey was just thinking. If your Car's in the "ON" position, but not running the Check engine light just sits on until you start the engine, which yours is not doing. I'd start looking at the start, and the relays/fuses for the starting system. Listen for clicking from the starter Solenoid, will tell you if its even trying to start. Battery could be shot, not holding enough juice to start it anymore, but enough to run the lights and that.

sounds like an issue with your passkey. The ignition cylinder may not be reading it.

A Passlock problem would cause the security light to flash, which his is not doing.

Hey thanks, I think I will try looking into my BCM or PCM. My car has also had issues with my remote control not unlocking the doors/trunk in the past, and sometimes the lights where the thermostat is won't light up, where other times they will, so the BCM/PCM sounds like a probable cause for these things.

BCM has control of all of the things you mentioned. The PCM handles the engine and transmission systems.

Hey thanks, I think I will try looking into my BCM or PCM. My car has also had issues with my remote control not unlocking the doors/trunk in the past, and sometimes the lights where the thermostat is won't light up, where other times they will, so the BCM/PCM sounds like a probable cause for these things.

already got you covered...

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=922243