First off, I have done my research and have read everything I could find. I've done the relearn method and I follow different procedures from different people from this forum. However, I think its beyond the relearn process. My car simply won't start. My battery is fully charged. I changed the starter/solenoid thinking that it was the problem. Altermator is fine, I checked with battery tester. I have lights, I have radio, and power is fine, but when I turn my key to the RUN position, I hear one click and then all my power is lost. The fuel pump was working cuz I hear it pumping. Spark plugs are new. Something wouldn't let me start my engine. So I turn my key to the OFF position, I hear that clicking noise under my dash. So I went down there to see what it was, and find that it came from my alarm box (black box under dash on passenger side). It was clicking non stop even when the car doesnt have power. So if I turn my key to run again, nothing happens, the clicking stops. So I took my key out adn went in the house for a few hours, and then after that I decided to give the car another try. And what do you know, the lights and stuff worked again. its just everytime I turn the key to start or run, I hear the fuel pump run and in half a second, it sounds like it got cut off along with the power. I couldn't go through the relearn procedure bcuz of power lost. could it be that the alarm box has gone haywire? Or wut? Help me someone.!

oh by the way, I call up chevrolet to ask for a replacement for that alarm. He says that it ain't the alarm module. That alarm only control the remote doors and door chime whenever you open up the door. He said that he doesn't want me to waste my money and instead bring the car in for check up. What do you think? Bad electrical? or wut?

Chevy Cavalier 2.4L 1999
85K miles

my truck, a 2000 s10 had some weird electrical issues like that. of course i airbagged and bodydropped it so... its a little different. maybe you're overthinking it and it's as simple as a loose wire somewhere or something. or a bad relay.

2001 2 door five speed 122k.
custom steering linkage pop
2000 s10 (THE WORKS)

Check your battery posts and the wire that go off of them.
I had an almost exact problem when I was putting my alarm in. Turns out the negative terminal was sooo corroded that it wouldn't allow enough current to the starter and I'd go to start it and just get a click.
Check the terminals clean them off really good. Also check the wires that come from the battery to make sure that they haven't corroded either.

Thats all I can think of.

-Seth

wizkiddrummer x 2

Check the ground cable to chassis and block if Seth's doesn't fix it. The symptoms are a "Classic" bad connection result


Alont

thansk for the suggestions guys, but I've tried looking into it. But what I think could also be the problem is the ignition switch. Sounds very much like it, since it cuts power everytime I turn to the ON position and it cuts all power. Anymore suggestions? Please help.

aftermarket alarm? I would check into the wiring, aftermarket alarms are horrid sometimes, and cause more problems then they are worth. Seems like the Dealer just wanted your business, and wanted to charge you for something that they would say the couldnt fix. It seems like you have a short somewhere in the system to cause that to happen.

Might be useful to get someone to turn the key on while you check verious connections with a miltimeter or test light so you can figure out just how far the power is getting before it's being cut off. (Like, does your starter still have power? your fusebox? your ignition relay? etc.) If the starter voltage drops to zero when you try to start it, it's a bad connection or a bad cable (hint: sometimes bad connections look OK till you take them apart and clean them). If it's not seeing any serious drop, check the fusebox... and it SOUNDS like you're losing power to the fusebox, so if this is the case, trace the fusebox supply wire back until you can find out where the PITA is being cut off

Sounds like the same problem I had with my old silver car... there's a ground underneath the battery tray, which was seriously corroded... much like already described. It's a hard one to spot, due to it's location under the tray on the frame rail.