Thread: Cars starts then within seconds DIES!

Hello Everyone,

My mothers car has been having issues lately...we will put the key in ignition turn it over, the car will start then within seconds it will shut right off completely.
I ask if anyone has had this problem and could give advice or help please do!
Mind you her car has well over 300 thousand miles on it and its seen its better days. lol
It is a 2002 GrandPrix SE

We have taking it to our automachanic, he has yet to figure out the problem. Everything he looks at he says is fine or not the problem. Thought it was a sensor to read the key as in a auto theft problem so he took apart the stering wheel and said nothings wrong under there. He thought maybe a wire came loose or what not becuase she had problems a long time ago with her key sticking in the ignition so we stuck a dowel up the stering coulmn hole to release the key.

Again if anyone could help it would be much appreciated! Thanks

If he thought it was issues with the anti theft, he should be able to find out through a scan tool. Check for vac leaks, bad MAF sensor, and possible CPS.

I'll say the MAF sensor plug might be loose. Try unplugging the MAF sensor to see how it runs. If it stays running, you found the fault.

Also, the catalytic converter only lasts about 150,000 miles. It is possible it is completely clogged and not letting any exhaust through.

A scanner should probably tell you anything you want to know, though. Example: Throttle percent - if it's reading 0%, then the throttle is closed and no air is getting in.

Alrighty thanks to both of you
I will let my mom and mechanic know so they can take a look at all that you suspected could be the problem.

Thanks.

That other key you have is not learned to your vehicle...............that is why it shuts off in 5 seconds. It's not a valet key.

when i got my new key for my car, its a 98 regal but anyways, i was told to take the old key, and turn it forward and back 2 times then put the new key in and turn it forward, done. i think i got 2 chimes afterwards.

Did SE's get the fuel pump resistor guys?

Originally Posted by BillBoost37

Did SE's get the fuel pump resistor guys?

Don't know, but was thinking the same thing as soon as I saw the title.

Originally Posted by kygtp

Sounds like the fuel pump resistor has gone bad. It is in the passanger side fender well. If I remember correctly, it controls the low speed of the fuel pump, so when it goes out, the car will only run for a few secs, then shut off.

I have hot wired my fuel pump to run on high speed full time and I have had it that way for several years now with no issues.

I will try and go out later and see which pins I jumped in the fuse box under the hood to get it to run that way.

To get it home or figure out if it's the resistor, in the underhood fuse box, pull the high speed fuel pump relay and bend pin 85 to bypass the resistor. I ran mine for only a week waiting for the new fuel pump resistor to arrive. A month later, the fuel pump died so I don't recommend running it in high speed mode all the time. It's there for a reason.

Thank you to everyone again!

Well our home town mechanic couldnt do anything more to figure it out, so we took it to a Graff garage to get it looked at. I will post if they figure anything out.

As for Whitehead: Its not her keys because she has used both her keys multiple times since shes had it and they never gave her problems.

As for Kygtp: Our mechanic and step father is thinking it is someting electrical not really having to do with hte fuel pump or anything along those lines, becuase if I remember correctly she got some of that stuff replaced not to long ago.

If they pull the cover off the engine bay fuse cover and there is no mention of a high speed fuel pump relay or the relay isn't there. Then that means SE's didn't have that. If not.. the most likely culprit is the maf sensor.

Figure this out yet? Does the SE have a high speed fuel pump relay?

Hello Everyone,

So as I said before my mother took her car to the Graffs garage and they ended up finding out what was wrong with it after it being there for a whole WEEK!
It was her Theft Deterrent Module.
It cost her around $530 to get it done & fixed, talk about a bite out of the cash pocket Yikes!