Alright, I've got a weird problem. I think I might be able to pinpoint the problem but want some guidance. The problem car is a 1997 Cavalier RS (2.2L 3 Speed). The car will start with no problem 90% of the time. On rare occasions, I will get into the car, turn the key, and everything goes dead (dome light, lights in cluster, radio, etc.). So I open the driver side door, close it, and turn the key to the ACC position. The lights on the cluster come on, the radio comes on, dome light is still on, etc. I turn the key to ON and attempt to turn the engine over, and everything will die again. So I have to repeat the process of opening the driver's side door, closing it, and then try turning the key again until it starts.
I know it's not the battery, otherwise the lights wouldn't turn on in the first place I assume. I am assuming it has something to do with the alarm. I have the Clifford Matrix RSX 3.5. I think it is glitching somehow when the key is put into the ignition and turned to ON, it shuts the car down.
Keep in mind that when the car dies, not even the keyless entry will work. I would take it back to the install shop, but its hard for me to duplicate the problem since the car starts just fine 90% of the time. I purchased the alarm seperately from the shop that installed it, the shop only warrantys their work and they say if its a failure of the product they don't cover it. Any advice?
I think you just have a bad connection either at the Positive (Or Negative) Battery terminal or the Ground end of the Negative cable to the chassis/block.
The iffy connection will allow the (dome light, lights in cluster, radio, etc.) to operate as the current(Amps) required is relatively low. When the starter is engaged the heavy current demand is unable to be supplied through this high resistance and ALL the voltage is dropped across it.
Try disconnecting both Battery terminals first, clean the terminals and the connecting cable ends " 'til all is shiny", then reconnect and try it. (This is probably the connections disturbed when the Alarm was fitted)
[Keep in mind that when the car dies, not even the keyless entry will work.]---because the bad connection is actually broken at this point.
If this does not fix it disconnect again and clean up the ground points
Alont
Hey thanks for the suggestion. This slipped my mind, I immediately was thinking of a failure of some sort of component. I will do just as you suggest and will see how it goes. Thanks again!
