I had to have my 98 Pontiac Sunfire towed in last night. You can turn the key on and no dash warning lights come. Use to all of them would come on when the key was on run. You can try and start the car and it will run maybe 2 secs and die. It will do it every time you turn the key off and back to start.


What could be wrong?

I have tried replacing the ignition switch and doing the passlock reset but nothing has worked. The radio headlights blower motor etc work.

Check your fuses first, I would guess. When it does run 2 seconds and die do you see the dash lights?
When you can get it to run, get the alt., batt., and circuits tested.

Checked fuses the dash lights never come on.
This same thing happend about a month ago it was doing the same thing I let the car set a few hours and came back and it started up.
But its not working this time. I have ran out of ideals could the gauge cluster be bad? But would that cause it not to run?

It seems like the ignition switch would go bad long before the gauge cluster, because of the mechanical motions.
There might also be a dashboard and ignition relay(s). Are those ok?

I let the car set a few days went out today turned the key the dash lights came on and it started right up. I am puzzled I guess I relay could cause that there is one right under the steering column that im not sure what it goes to.

any other ideals ?

I don't know what that one does, maybe others here know.
The relays I was thinking of are at the fuse box and also in a plastic box under the hood, near the battery.

I had a Porsche 928 that had intermittent starting problems and after all the pain and grief it ended up being a bad switch on the door lock not resetting the
alarm.
I repalaced the switch and all was ok again.
There are not switches on the door locks for the anti theft are there?


97 Pontiac sunfire quad 4 auto