Key Chip issues?....maybe?

[Airborne2000]

I keep running into a weird problem. About 2 weeks ago, went out with the GF and parked my car at her place, a few hours later I went to go start the car and all power was good but the car wouldn’t crank, I could hear a clicking the fuse panel in the car but nothing happened, all lights worked and still getting 12+ volts on battery. “check charging system” displayed on panel. Checked all associated fuses (inside and under hood) and all good, so the next day I came back, tried again and still nothing, the next day, I tried again and it started right up. No issues for 2 weeks, then 2 days ago I parked at walmart came out tried to start and the same problem happened. I checked fuses, I noticed 2 things, 1. The radio would not make noise when the car was in park (not running) but in all the other gears it would start playing, 2. When I hooked my sct 3 up to it and turned the key to the ON position the car would shut the tuner off immediately. I then opened the fuse box under the hood, looked at it then tried starting the car again and it started right up. No issues since either.

I took all the starter fuses out and hit them on the wire wheel just in case and everything seems fine now. checked all wiring too incase something was loose but everything is nice and tight.

Can this all be a symptom of the chip in the key not being good anymore?

I don’t think the alt or starter is bad, it seems electrical not mechanical.

Any ideas??

 

[supadave]

I had the same exact thing happen to me a few months back, it consistantly happend for about a week and a half straight. During this time we had lots and lots of rain. So I figured i had water leaking through the cowl drain on the passenger side floor panel. I would hear a click near the fuse panel, then would wait a few minutes same thing, for the first few tries... THEN eventually it would crank. Then for some reason it stopped happening completely, I researched online and found nothing, my biggest fear was that it was the start to much BIGGER problems. Good luck on finding the root cause, sorry I couldnt help ya...

 

[TexasBlownV8]

SJB getting water on it?
Battery cables clean and tight?

It sounds like a bad battery, starter, or ground. Next time, honk the horn and see how it sounds: if it sounds weak or muffled, your battery is weak or has a bad connection somewhere. If the honk is strong and loud, the battery is connected OK and the issue exists elsewhere.
(btw, ALWAYS TURN OFF THE RADIO BEFORE TURNING THE KEY OFF)...or you can get a dead/drained battery.)

 

[lito]

PATS will not impede to crank the car, it will just not start but will crank so no PATS issue.

If manual, check your clutch switch.

Wanted to add, to check if a pats issue, just turn the key on and watch the lock light, normal operation is to stay lit for about 2 secs and off, not correct it will flash.

 

[Airborne2000]

thanks, I have an auto, and i think the lock light was flashing when i was having issues with it, i guess i will just have to see next time is messes up.

 

[TexasBlownV8]

PATS will not impede to crank the car, it will just not start but will crank so no PATS issue.

..not if pats in the pcm is not the same as the keys or it does not 'check out ok'. I ran into that on my swap, the 4.6 pcm would not even allow the car to crank (killed pcm power, no injector power, starter relay power, etc), and that was with an auto.

 

[lito]

Then I stand corrected, I have done a lot of key programming but not faced pats damaged keys on powerpc cars, the ones that I've got with these issues are older cars with IC stored keys.

..not if pats in the pcm is not the same as the keys or it does not 'check out ok'. I ran into that on my swap, the 4.6 pcm would not even allow the car to crank (killed pcm power, no injector power, starter relay power, etc), and that was with an auto.

 

[Airborne2000]

the car has been starting fine for the last few days, but today i was driving it and for just a 2 seconds maybe my display beeped then said "check engine temp" and the security (little red lock) flashed, rpms dropped, and then everything was fine again. any ideas?

i think its the aliens...lol

 

[lito]

Would be fine to check if any freeze frame data has been stored that may give an idea of what is going on, also this has to be a connection issue somewhere.

 

[Airborne2000]

ok little update... it hasent happend for a few weeks, but today at B-dubs it did, same thing just wouldnt start. after a few trys i just grabbed the wire cluster under the passenger foot area and just shook them a bit tried again and the car started right ups. so now im a little more narrowed down on what wires may be messed up, i really just think somthing is loose around the shifter. im digging in tonight, i will let you guys know later what i see.

 

[JanShelbyGT500]

So if you don't turn off the radio, you get a drained battery? I have read that the shaker radios drain but in what time? If it is a few days I understand but in a few hours? Must we always turn off the radio?

 

[Airborne2000]

HOLY CRAP!!! i really think i found it. today the car wouldnt start so i popped the hood and shook the fusebox, the car fired right up and I could hear something "connecting" so i started digging around to see if I could get it to turn back off again, come to find out a ground wire was loose right up front on the frame. when i connected it the car was all good, when i separated it the car went back to the original fail problems, so I think now im good to go.

I knew it was something simple but it happened so rarely that i was hard to pin point anything, but this time im 99% sure i got it!

 

[bcb06gt]

Glad you got it resolved and more so that you followed up with a post to state the resolution. I can't state how many times I was following an issue of someone else and the OP never followed up. Thanks.

 

[ZmanM3]

Glad you finally found it.

 

[Airborne2000]

yeah im glad too, the test of time now stands. lol