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98 olds cutlass - weird starting problem even baffling the experts - HELP!
steph_beer_me
Member Posts: 8
I've got a '98 cutlass (bought used from a dealer 2 years ago) which will NOT start unless I hit the unlock button on the keychain remote. Hitting the power unlock button on the driver side door unlocks the doors, but will not allow a start. It's been this way ever since I bought the car, but it was never a concern until the other day when the remote battery went dead and we couldn't get the car started. There is no aftermarket security system on the car (to the best of my knowledge).
I've called the service departments of three different local dealers and none of them have ever heard of anything like this before. Has anyone ever heard of this before?
I've called the service departments of three different local dealers and none of them have ever heard of anything like this before. Has anyone ever heard of this before?
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Comments
I'd start with the door wiring, the switch that doesn't help much, and possibly replace the lock/unlock module on that door to get those feedback switches swapped out, and go from there.
It seems that hitting the power unlock button is not feeding a signal to computer and the car will not start.
There are a lot of relays involved in the locking circuitry so I would suspect that one of them has a contact that is used to feed a signal to the computer when you hit the power unlock button. I think that you might have a defective relay.
I figure that the remote receiver is putting a go signal onto the ECM directly and bypasses all those contacts which would explain the symptoms.
It might also be possible however that instead of going to the ECM, relay logic is used throughout that entire circuit which makes the case for a faulty relay more plausible.
Document ID# 462316
1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
Keyless Entry System Circuit Description
The keyless entry system includes the following components:
A hand-held radio transmitter
A remote control door lock receiver
When a button is pushed, the transmitter sends a digitally encoded radio signal to the receiver. The range of the transmitter is approximately 7 m (12 ft). The transmitter controls the following functions:
The door locks (all doors or just the driver's door)
The rear compartment lid release
Door Locks
When the transmitter UNLOCK button is pushed once, the driver's door unlocks. The remote control door lock receiver performs the following functions:
Receives the transmitted signal
Applies battery voltage to CKT 694
This action applies battery voltage directly to the left front door lock motor. The left front door lock motor is grounded through the following components:
The left instrument panel wiring harness junction block
The door lock relay
When the UNLOCK button is pushed twice within 5 seconds, the remote control door lock receiver applies battery voltage to CKT 694 and CKT 194. The remote control door lock receiver directly drives the driver's door motor. The door unlock relay in the left instrument panel wiring harness junction block energizes, causing the passenger doors to unlock. When the UNLOCK or the TRUNK RELEASE button is pushed, the receiver grounds CKT 395. This action turns on the interior lamps. Refer to Interior Lights Schematics in Lighting Systems.
When the LOCK button is pushed, the remote control door lock receiver applies battery voltage to CKT 195. This action energizes the door lock relay in the left instrument panel wiring harness junction block, which locks all the doors. The left front door lock motor is grounded through the remote control door lock receiver. The other door lock motors are grounded through the door unlock relay. When the LOCK button is pushed within 5 seconds after the initial lock cycle, the horn will chirp in order to confirm the LOCKED state. The remote control door lock receiver activates the horn chirp by grounding CKT 28. Refer to Horns Schematics in Horns.
Security Features
In order to prevent the unwanted possibility of the transmitter signal from being recorded and retransmitted to unlock the doors, a rolling code is incorporated into the remote control door lock receiver. When the transmitter is used, the remote control door lock receiver increments the rolling code to the next code. If the transmitter is activated outside the range of the remote control door lock receiver for more than a predetermined number of actuations, the transmitter will no longer be synchronized with the remote control door lock receiver's rolling code. The transmitter will not be functional until the transmitter is resynchronized with the remote control door lock receiver. In order to resynchronize the transmitter to the remote control door lock receiver, perform the following procedure:
Stand within the signal reception range of the remote control door lock receiver.
Hold both the LOCK and the UNLOCK buttons for approximately 10 seconds.
Ensure that the system produces a cycling of the locks. This action ensures that the system is now synchronized and operational.
Rear Compartment Lid Release
The rear compartment lid release is operated by applying battery voltage to the rear compartment lid release motor when the TRUNK RELEASE button on the transmitter is pushed. CKT 1737 must be grounded in order for the remote control door lock receiver to activate the rear compartment lid release motor. CKT 1737 is grounded when the gear selector is in one of the following positions:
PARK
NEUTRAL
Document ID# 468000
1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
Vehicle Theft Deterrent (VTD) Description
Important
Due to component variability, the vehicle theft deterrent (VTD) system must have the learn procedure performed regardless, if the vehicle starts on the first ignition cycle after a VTD repair.
All codes in the theft deterrent module must be cleared for a relearn.
The vehicle theft deterrent system is designed in order to prevent vehicle theft by disabling the fuel injectors unless the lock cylinder is correctly engaged by a mechanical key. The theft deterrent system uses the following 4 components for theft prevention:
The lock cylinder
The ignition switch
The body control module (BCM)
The powertrain control module (PCM)
When starting the engine, the PCM searches for a password from the BCM through the Class 2 serial data circuit. If the password is not recognized or not present, the PCM will disable the engine. Two modes of tamper detection are provided:
No password received The engine will start and stall quickly. SECURITY telltale will flash on the instrument panel cluster (IPC) and then stay ON steady.
Incorrect or disable password received (More than 3 invalid passwords are received) The engine is disabled for at least 10 minutes and the SECURITY telltale will illuminate solid on the IPC during the 10 minutes.
After the vehicle has passed theft detection, the PCM will continue normal operation.
Ignition Switch
The mechanical key and lock cylinder is located in the instrument panel assembly. The electrical switching portion of the assembly is separate from the key and lock cylinder. Both of the components are synchronized and work in conjunction through the action of the actuator rod assembly.
Passlock™ Lock Cylinder
The Passlock™ lock cylinder is a locking cylinder that turns a rotating magnet past a stationary hall effect sensor. This action creates the Passlock™ cylinder data. The Passlock™ cylinder data is sent to the body control module (BCM). The Passlock™ lock cylinder is interfaced with the BCM via a 3-wire connection:
Power
Ground
Data
Powertrain Control Module (PCM)
The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) is located on the lower left side of the instrument panel.
The PCM communicates with the body control module (BCM) via serial data over the class 2 serial data bus, CKT 1807. When the BCM determines a passed theft condition, the BCM sends a coded password to the PCM. When the PCM receives the correct password, the PCM enables the fuel injection system, allowing the vehicle to operate correctly. The PCM may allow the car to start and quickly stall during a failed theft condition.
The following conditions may cause the PCM to enter a tamper mode:
A bad timing cycle
An incorrect password
If the BCM does not receive a password within a preset time window, the BCM will enter a short tamper mode. During this mode, the PCM will not allow the car to operate for 4 seconds.
If the password is incorrect, the PCM will enter the long tamper mode. In the long tamper mode, the following actions will occur:
The THEFT SYSTEM indicator will flash.
The fuel injectors will be shut off for approximately 10 minutes.
Although the vehicle may start, the engine will quickly stall due to a fuel cut-off.
In the event of an open in the serial data communication between the BCM and the PCM, the following actions occur:
The PCM will become fail-enabled if the car has already passed theft for that ignition cycle (i.e. the engine is running).
The PCM may set the diagnostic trouble codes (DTC).
The THEFT SYSTEM indicator will light continuously.
The PCM will become fail-enabled for future ignition cycles.
If a failure occurs in serial data before the ignition cycle, while the PCM is not fail-enabled, the PCM will never receive a valid password in order to enable the continued use of the fuel injectors.
Something else that may or may not be related is that I can move the shifter (automatic tranny) throughout the column (Park, Neutral, Drive, etc) WITHOUT needing to depress the release button on the stick. Not exactly safe if someone I or a front seat passenger were to accidentally bump it while driving.
if you had a manual in hand, you could easily follow that description in troubleshooting... things like replacing the relay with a similar one used for back-up lights, for instance, and sticking a meter probe into the connector to see what the voltages do when you hit the unlock button on the door and the remote. anything that doesn't look like factory harnessing (scotchtaps on the wire, for instance) is a place where you could have an open or intermittent from some hunkajunk add-on, like a twenty-buck alarm, that might have been ripped out and thrown away, and this could be a hangover from that episode.
Does the engine crank over in any other position other than Park and Neutral? If so, then I suspect that something is wrong with the saftey interlock circuits and might just lead you in the direction needed to solve the other problem.
tapping signals off any of the door control wires can break wire strands, even with ScotchTaps, and let moisture in to cause corrosion.
if you have these dealiebobs on the wiring, whether there are additional wires to some extra box of gizmos or not, there are chances for the control wiring to have been munged up.
it's also possible that the door switch is broken, or that wires in the bundle leaving the door and entering a harness on the car body are pinched, bared, open, or shorted from the stress of all those openings or closings.
if you DO find a box marked something like "Fail-O-Matic Car Alarm Model 666" at the end of funny-colored wires, you can always inquire of Fail-O-Matic or a local dealer how in blazes you get back to factory condition from the install.
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oh, yes... the addition of trailer brake controllers raises the value of your car $2000 and make it more reliable. at least mine