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1997 3800 electrical trouble*

P

phammond

New member
I have a 1997 Grand Prix that will nto start. Appears to be an electrical problem as near as I can tell.
* Key ON, dash lights and noises (seat belt buzzer, door open, etc.) seem normal and headlights seem to be at a normal brightness.
* Turn key to START and dash lights go out and noises stop completely. Engine does not attempt to crank, not even a tick like a low voltage. I do hear what sounds like a relay tripping from what seems to be the right side dash or firewall.

Battery has been pulled and tested good. Attempted to jump start repeatedly, multiple vehicles, multiple sets of cables, no joy.
Car was running fine right before this and is in fact sitting i nthe parking lot at my work :-/.


Any suggestions or ideas are greatly appreciated!

--Paul
 


Might want to clean all the battery cables and grounds. Then be sure that both batt. cables are tight. Have had this happen when one of the cables was just the slightest bit loose.
 
No recent changes or work done on the car. And yeah, I guess I lurk a bit, though really more apt to browse and find the info I need here without asking something that is already here!

I cleaned and tightened the battery ends of the cables when I pulled and tested the battery. Not sure I can get under it to check the other terminations due to the low car and my size. Was hoping to not have to
tow it but it sounds like I might still.
 
Most of the other wire ends are on the starter. Some other grounds are on the transmission stud and another is under the coil pack bracket. All of these can be accessed from the top no problem.
 


check for voltage at the starter solenoid when key is put into run position. If 12v is present rap on the starter with a hammer. Not too hard but enough to give it some jolts. See if it starts then. Try a few times just to make sure. If no 12v is present at the starter solenoid during key in crank position then pull lower dash cover under steering wheel. probe yellow wire for 12v in crank position if no 12v then find a way to apply 12v to the yellow wire and see if it will turn over with the key in the on position. If it starts then you need a new ignition switch.
 
You don't appear to have an electrical problem. All sounds normal for when a soleniod on the starter hangs up/stops working. I'm with Paedbo on this one. Test for power when the key is cranked...or start beating and have a friend crank.
 
BillBoost37 said:
You don't appear to have an electrical problem. All sounds normal for when a soleniod on the starter hangs up/stops working. I'm with Paedbo on this one. Test for power when the key is cranked...or start beating and have a friend crank.
Click to expand...

I am all for any fix that involves a hammer! I will give this a whack! (pun intended!)
 
my 2001 was the ignition switch and I still had some relays clicking under the dash so they belong to something else ( its probably relays shutting off during crank). I wasn't able to tell the difference until i had someone else hit the key for me so i could listen to the starter solenoid. That's when i realized the clicking was just from the firewall/dash
 
The only thing between the ignition switch and the starter is the position sensor on top of the trans. That's the relay for the starter .
 


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