2002 Sunfire wont start on occasion

[roger_eddy]

I have a 2002 Pontiac Sunfire and two times this past week it wouldn't start. It would turn over, it just wouldn't start. I tried again 15 minutes later on each occasion and it started immediately.

Today the car started fine but the theft security and the system lights remained on the entire ride home. When I got home, I restarted the car and the lights went off.

Any ideas?

Thanks for any help,
Jamie

[matt09524]

Because your dash lights all came on, I would suspect your computer.

[roger_eddy]

thanks matt, but not all of the lights came on, just those 2 ("theft security" and "system", where "system" is an actual light). I have been doing reading and I think it may have something to do with the security system. I purchased the car and it had an after market keyless entry/started installed. Although, the keyless entry has never worked, the remote starter does work. My fear is that the bypass unit is either faulty or was not installed correctly, and the security system is not allowing the car to start sometimes. My question now is how does this anti theft thing work on Sunfires? A logical person would design it so the engine would not even crank when the system is in anti theft mode, but I wonder if this is the case. How does the anti theft actually work on Sunfires and would this cause the issue I am having?

thanks,
Jamie

[matt09524]

Im not sure what you mean by a system light. However, since it is just two, I would say you are headed in the right direction. Since *I* don't know anything about remote starters or keyless entry systems, and don't any either one, *I* would take my car to a local shop that installs both of those and have them do a once over and check for correct installation. Tell them the issue you are having and they may know right off the top of their head what is causing it.

This just sounds odd to me. Intermittent problems drive me up the wall, especially with electronics (which is my field of expertise). The fact that your theft light comes on and off sounds to me like that is deifinately causing your car not to turn on sometimes, however I don't see how installing a remote starter would interfere with the theft system.