HELP!!! 96 FIREBIRD starting/not starting!

[KENNY GUIDO]

Ok, this is really weird. I would get into my car and put the key in the ignition. I would leave the door ajar and the lights would "flicker" and the chime would flicker along with the light. then I would turn the ignition and "nothing". I would wait a minute, maybe longer then i would turn it and then it turns on. what is wrong? I also noticed that the door locks would not operate during this time, either. but when the engine finally cranks over, the light/chime would flicker for a quik second. theres no rhyme or reason as to why its doing this. please help!! thanks!!

I checked all grounds (most of them) battery and posts and new starter.

[KENNY GUIDO]

Anyone?

[brcidd]

If security light is on- it takes 4 minutes for it to go out, then engine will crank- if Passkey system lets it. Security light should come on at key on, then go off after about 4 seconds- if it stays on, then the resistor pellet in the key is not being read properly- clean it, or try second key.

[j cAT]

so your problem is the vehicle would not start. then you replaced the starter with no improvement .


as mentioned , could be a bad key . the resistor does over time wear causing a poor connection to the ignition lock cylinder. then there is the relay that would cause the vehicle to start if the resistance of the key is correct.

to do this you will need a wiring diagram for troubleshooting. you will need an oem manual , or online subscription to access this info.

[Tech II]

Could be a bad ignition switch or bad connection at the battery, causing the flicker......

As for nothing happening when the key is turned to the crank position, check when the key is turned to "on", that the SECURITY light goes out after 5 seconds.....if it stays on, you have a PassKey problem....

[KENNY GUIDO]

the problem is random. one second, i can put the key in, crank it and it starts. then i can shut the car off, then try to crank it and nothing. thats when the problem with the lights "flickering", the door chime going "beep-beep-beep-beep-beep" instead of the normal "beeeeeeeeep", the door locks not working and the car not starting happens. I repeat the steps several times then it starts. theres ny ryme or reason why its doing this. I had a spare key but it does the same thing with the spare too.


the only thing i remember doing prior to this was purchasing a used firebird remote that allows me to unlock the doors without using the key. I punched in the code and it worked. it seems that after that is when my problems occurred. it didnt happen the next day but months after i programmed the keyless entry is when it started. I dont know if theyre related and I hope not. if it is, then im destined to be without a remote i guess but right now, the remote doesnt work (dead battery in remote?)

[KENNY GUIDO]

ok, heres a quik video. the problem is not happening but you can hear the chime in the background "breaking up" (beep-beep-bee-beep". the door is open when i do this, and the interior lights flicker when i do this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FULSC...ature=youtu.be

[KENNY GUIDO]

ok, my mechanic mentioned something about a "immobilizer" but he doubts it that. does anyone know about it?

[Tech II]

Your car doesn't have an "immobilzer" per say......when i think of an immobilizer, especially the one's used in modern GM cars is, there is no ignition key.....your key fob has to be on you or in the center console of the car...then you must step on the brake, and push a button to start the vehicle....


What your vehicle has is called PasKey.....there is a black resistor pellet on the ignition key.....the key cylinder makes contact with the resistor pellet, completing a circuit back to the Passkey module, so that the module can read the resistance of the key........


We have asked you to look at the SECURITY light.....when you turn the key to "on", wait 5 seconds to see if the light goes out......if it does, then try to start the car....does it crank? If it doesn't and the light goes out, there are other possibilities......if it doesn't go out, the car won't crank, and the usual problem is the wiring to the ignition cylinder....

[KENNY GUIDO]

Originally Posted by Tech II

Your car doesn't have an "immobilzer" per say......when i think of an immobilizer, especially the one's used in modern GM cars is, there is no ignition key.....your key fob has to be on you or in the center console of the car...then you must step on the brake, and push a button to start the vehicle....


What your vehicle has is called PasKey.....there is a black resistor pellet on the ignition key.....the key cylinder makes contact with the resistor pellet, completing a circuit back to the Passkey module, so that the module can read the resistance of the key........


We have asked you to look at the SECURITY light.....when you turn the key to "on", wait 5 seconds to see if the light goes out......if it does, then try to start the car....does it crank? If it doesn't and the light goes out, there are other possibilities......if it doesn't go out, the car won't crank, and the usual problem is the wiring to the ignition cylinder....

there is nothing wrong with the key. we cleaned it and we even used the spare and they both have the same results. right now, its not doing it (its random) but in the video, you can see part of the problem where it goes "beep-beep-beep-beep". until it does it again, i cant tell if the security light stays on but i keep checking to c if it does stay on.


my mechanic said its called "vehicle immobilizer" and he said he found it on the internet (the diagram) and it is in my car year/model, under the dashboard.

[Tech II]

If you are not going to do what I ask you to do, I can't help you....I have asked you twice to follow my directions......

[KENNY GUIDO]

Originally Posted by Tech II

If you are not going to do what I ask you to do, I can't help you....I have asked you twice to follow my directions......

Ive done that. turned the key, watched the security light go off and turn the ignition and it starts. but like i said, its random when the car does not start. Ive been starting the car 20 times in a row and it has no problems. you hear the slight "beep beep beep beep" break up and them it disappears and theres a normal, steady "beeeeeeeeeep".



but i think i do believe i have seen the security light stay on while turning the ignition a few weeks ago and it wouldnt go off normally. im going to spend part of saturday looking at it.

[KENNY GUIDO]

**UPDATE**

OK, spent some time on the firebird yesterday and after repeated attempts, the car DID NOT START. I then turned the ignition again, did not crank, waited 4 seconds and then cranked and still nothing.

the thing is the SECURITY light DID NOT TURN ON AT ALL each and everytime I tried to crank the engine.

finally, after about 5 attempts, the SECURITY light came on and it cranked over.

[oldblu65]

My Impala recently went through a similar sounding problem to what you say your car is doing . Majority of the time , it started just fine but occasionally when you turned the key , it would do nothing - I mean absolutely nothing ! No clicks , no lights , nothing ! I was afraid I had a major problem of some kind and feared it would be expensive ! Turned out the fairly new battery had a bad cell and after replacing it , the problem ceased and it runs and starts just fine now ! Don't know if this applies to your situation but even if your battery is new , I'd have it checked to be sure ! Good luck !

[KENNY GUIDO]

Originally Posted by oldblu65

My Impala recently went through a similar sounding problem to what you say your car is doing . Majority of the time , it started just fine but occasionally when you turned the key , it would do nothing - I mean absolutely nothing ! No clicks , no lights , nothing ! I was afraid I had a major problem of some kind and feared it would be expensive ! Turned out the fairly new battery had a bad cell and after replacing it , the problem ceased and it runs and starts just fine now ! Don't know if this applies to your situation but even if your battery is new , I'd have it checked to be sure ! Good luck !

no, i wish it was the battery. we even swapped it out, too. new battery, new starter, new keys and key solinoid?

while it sat in the shop, the brake lines bursted and one of my tranny lines bursted, too. i knew the break lines were going, my mechanic told me the day i bought the car.