d4d4u1

For all of you that do not know this, and for those of you who will experience this.

I locked the doors form the inside with the lock/unlock button.
Unlocked the drivers door manually and got out
went to do whatever I was doing and then came back to the car
Went to start it and nothing, EXCEPT a clicking in the dash, behind the center display and control panel for fuel and oil pressure/temp etc..
It just would not start.
I got out of the car
closed the drivers door
Locked the drivers door with the door key and then unlocked the drivers door with the door key
got back in the car and turned it over and it started right away.

I believe it is part of the security system for the car. I do not know if this is standard operating procedure for the car as this is one of my first C4's
That is how my first NO START with the car went.
I will add this to my park-neutral gear lever trick....

Don

car addict

Solved your own problem, I see. Good on you.

d4d4u1

Took about an hour, but yes I figured it out.
I posted this for anyone else who happens to have this happen to them.

Paul Workman

That is pretty much the way anti-theft systems work to this day and across various auto makers. Using either the door key to unlock one of the doors, or in the case of my Ford F250 truck, I have to insert the ignition key and turn the key to ON position and back OFF to satisfy the alarm.

d4d4u1

Ya, I didn't know about this security feature at all.
I know about it on my newer cars and truck but I unlock the door before I get into the vehicle with the key-fob.
This was I didn't re-lock the drivers door after I got out of it.
So this was totally unexpected.

ghoastrider1

same lesson I learned but with the horn going Beep Beep Beep. drove me nuts for a few days.

Hot Rod Roy

That will work, but it's certainly the hard way to do it! Here's the easy way:
Open the door.
Press the lock button (either door).
Step out of the car.
(These last two steps can be reversed)
Close the door.
Do your business and return to the car.
Unlock either door with the key.
Enter car.

d4d4u1

@Hot Rod Roy there is something wrong with the quote you have.
It is not what I wrote:
This is what I wrote:
I did not re-lock the drivers door as all I wanted to do was lock the passenger door.

Hot Rod Roy

Sorry about the misunderstanding. I couldn't imagine that you intentionally walked away from your unlocked car, but with the alarm set.

What you experienced is exactly how the alarm is intended to operate. You set the alarm, and then entered the car WITHOUT disabling the alarm!

d4d4u1

OH YA!! Lesson Learned! It was in a safe place, the owners of the restaurant have Corvettes from many different years and they were saying try this or try that from their experiences with their own Corvettes.
When I first got into the car the horn was not going off, only after about 10-15 mins did it start to go off. but I just unplugged the horn.
I mainly posted this in case anyone else has this happen to them and they have the thought to check Google for an answer FIRST.
Which I eventually did and found someone else having a similar issue, but not the exact same issue.

I want to thank all of you for your support on this. It is greatly appreciated.

Don

Hot Rod Roy

To reset the alarm, you only need to turn the door key to the UNLOCK position. Locking the door with the key does nothing (except lock the door). Locking the door with the key will NOT set the alarm. You must press the interior LOCK button to set the alarm.

What's your park-neutral gear lever trick?

d4d4u1

Shake the gear shift in park to see if it will start if not move it to neutral and try again.
My 1988 has that sporadic issue/problem, but not my 1985's, yet.

Hot Rod Roy

That's usually a simple adjustment issue with your Neutral Safety Switch. That switch is accessible on the side of your shift lever, in the console.

Enjoy!