Help.....
I parked my 89 RS last week (not a daily driver.) I tried to start
it this weekend and it would not start. I have juice, however it seems that the pass-key is preventing it from starting. Where do I start looking for the cause?
bert89

 

I think that if you have power it isn't the passkey, but if it is the easiest thing is to try a different key. I had it happen once where the contacts on the resistor chip wear down and don't make the connection.

 

Thanks, but i did that same thing. Also security light came on and the fuel gage spiked from empty to full, what is that all about?

 

The security light is supposed to come on for a second or two. If it stays on...

 

Ice Fisherman Thanks,
Very strange one day the car is running fine, driving to keep the juices flowing and the next day nada.

 

if your security light is staying on it is a pas key or vats issue, I would start by looking at the orange wire coming out of the steering column these get cut into for aftermarlet alarms often. Then take a look at the start enable relay, it is located under the drivers side kick panel (right by your left foot when driving) the relay has a plastic cover which is removable. You will be able to see if the pass key module is enabling the starter or not. Worse comes to worse you can measure the resistance in the key and wire a resistor into the wiring that goes to the ignition cylnder.

Search vats theres more on these issues.

 

If the light is not coming on then he has a broken wire in the steering column. If it comes on and stays on there are several things that could cause that.

1. bad module
2. short at gray wire to security light from module.
3. bad contacts in lock cylinder not reading key.

He said that the car would not, does he mean that it wouldn't turn over (crank) or that it just wouldn't fire up? Another thing that would cause it to not start is the park/neutral switch being out of position.
Another thought here is, does he have an after market alarm system in the car.

 

Trickster,
Thanks, but I tried all of those things you suggested. NO solenoid
contact, however I did not see any broken wires. With the key in the ignition, the car always had a delay before starting (just a few seconds) so I was think a dirty contact or a bad relay. I have two keys and the lock cylinder is newer as this car had been stolen in the past. I tried both keys with the same results.

 

I did not touch anything on the car, and it started. Is it possible moisture interupted the vats? We had tons of rain in CT that week.