Column Lock or Security???????
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Haymarket VA
Column Lock or Security???????
I'm stuck. My 98 m6 won't start. Here are the symtoms.
Came out and went to start. Starter bumped then stopped
Turn the key again - Then nothing - Plenty of battery.
Remove the key wait 10 seconds - nothing
Finally it turns over and starts but dies quickly
Does this several times with waiting periods in between.
Get the Service Column Lock message
The column was never locked
Now it's sitting at a friends house. It really feels like something is shutting the gas down when it starts.
Any advise?????
Came out and went to start. Starter bumped then stopped
Turn the key again - Then nothing - Plenty of battery.
Remove the key wait 10 seconds - nothing
Finally it turns over and starts but dies quickly
Does this several times with waiting periods in between.
Get the Service Column Lock message
The column was never locked
Now it's sitting at a friends house. It really feels like something is shutting the gas down when it starts.
Any advise?????
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Sounds like security biy the security will let the engine run. It will NOT kill the fuel until the car move/rolls a few feet.
Please read and post the DTC codes that are stored in the DIC memory.
Are you sure you have fuel!!!!
Dont go by the fuel guage!! If I were you I would dump in some 2-3 gals of fuel.
Sounds like your fuel pump has given up the ghost! When you first turn on the ignition key, you should be able to hear the fuel pump run for 2-3 seconds then stop. If you crank the car an stop, you should be able to hear it run again and stop.
Check your fuel pump fuse. Mini Fuse # 13 in the under hood electrical center. Your fuel pump relay is Micro Relay # 35
Bill C
Please read and post the DTC codes that are stored in the DIC memory.
Are you sure you have fuel!!!!
Dont go by the fuel guage!! If I were you I would dump in some 2-3 gals of fuel.Sounds like your fuel pump has given up the ghost! When you first turn on the ignition key, you should be able to hear the fuel pump run for 2-3 seconds then stop. If you crank the car an stop, you should be able to hear it run again and stop.
Check your fuel pump fuse. Mini Fuse # 13 in the under hood electrical center. Your fuel pump relay is Micro Relay # 35
Bill C
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 13,760
Likes: 75
From: Haymarket VA
Originally Posted by Bill Curlee
Sounds like security biy the security will let the engine run. It will NOT kill the fuel until the car move/rolls a few feet.
Please read and post the DTC codes that are stored in the DIC memory.
Are you sure you have fuel!!!! Dont go by the fuel guage!! If I were you I would dump in some 2-3 gals of fuel.
Sounds like your fuel pump has given up the ghost! When you first turn on the ignition key, you should be able to hear the fuel pump run for 2-3 seconds then stop. If you crank the car an stop, you should be able to hear it run again and stop.
Check your fuel pump fuse. Mini Fuse # 13 in the under hood electrical center. Your fuel pump relay is Micro Relay # 35
I can hear the fuel pump as you described. I'm going to try another key in the morning and see what happens. I'll post.
Bill C
Please read and post the DTC codes that are stored in the DIC memory.
Are you sure you have fuel!!!!
Dont go by the fuel guage!! If I were you I would dump in some 2-3 gals of fuel.Sounds like your fuel pump has given up the ghost! When you first turn on the ignition key, you should be able to hear the fuel pump run for 2-3 seconds then stop. If you crank the car an stop, you should be able to hear it run again and stop.
Check your fuel pump fuse. Mini Fuse # 13 in the under hood electrical center. Your fuel pump relay is Micro Relay # 35
I can hear the fuel pump as you described. I'm going to try another key in the morning and see what happens. I'll post.
Bill C
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 13,760
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From: Haymarket VA
Well, I cleaned both keys - the resistor - and went to try the vert. At first, same thing as above. Waited a minute and tried the second key and she started and ran fine. Evidence would say that it was the key but I'm not entirely sure. It's not the original battery but I don't know how old it is. It looks fine but.... I think I'll pickup a new battery today just to eliminate that from the equation.
Anyways, it's home in the garage filthy from sitting out in a new develpment where they are still building. Dust/Dirt. It really felt wrong not having the vette in the garage last night.
Anyways, it's home in the garage filthy from sitting out in a new develpment where they are still building. Dust/Dirt. It really felt wrong not having the vette in the garage last night.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Oh NO you dont!! 
Were going to get to the bottom of this one or else!! 
Read your codes and post them here. Once you wright them down, clear all of them and start the car. If it dies again check those codes and post them as round 2.
That will help me see what is going on.
Oh,,, one other thing. Unplug your MAF and see if it will run! It will not hurt anything but may help me narrow down the issues.
Bill C
Were going to get to the bottom of this one or else!! Read your codes and post them here. Once you wright them down, clear all of them and start the car. If it dies again check those codes and post them as round 2.
That will help me see what is going on.
Oh,,, one other thing. Unplug your MAF and see if it will run! It will not hurt anything but may help me narrow down the issues.
Bill C
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 13,760
Likes: 75
From: Haymarket VA
Originally Posted by Bill Curlee
Oh NO you dont!! Were going to get to the bottom of this one or else!!
Read your codes and post them here. Once you wright them down, clear all of them and start the car. If it dies again check those codes and post them as round 2.
That will help me see what is going on.
Oh,,, one other thing. Unplug your MAF and see if it will run! It will not hurt anything but may help me narrow down the issues.
Bill C
Were going to get to the bottom of this one or else!! Read your codes and post them here. Once you wright them down, clear all of them and start the car. If it dies again check those codes and post them as round 2.
That will help me see what is going on.
Oh,,, one other thing. Unplug your MAF and see if it will run! It will not hurt anything but may help me narrow down the issues.
Bill C
I haven't been getting any codes but when I just unplugged the MAF and started (once and failed thereafter as before) I got a PO102 HC code. Does this help?
PS: Now I'm not so sure I'm hearing the fuel pump. Can I check it without a guage?
Kevin M
Last edited by WKMCD; May 8, 2005 at 03:03 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
No,, it looks like the MAF is not causing your issue. Just clear the codes that un-pluging it resulted from. What other codes do you get when it fails to start.
BC
BC
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
No codes and the engine dies! One of the things that will cause that problem is secondary ignition (Loss of spark) Check to see if you have spark at one plug wire at each side of the engine. Stick a phillips screw driver in the boot and hold it 1/4" from engine ground.
Check Relay #34 in the under hood fuse center. See if youcan swap it one somewhere else with the same part number. There is a ground wire at the back of the drivers side head. It is held on with a single bolt. It is your coil and fuel injector ground. Make sure it is clean and tight. Use a mirroe to see it.
Bill
Check Relay #34 in the under hood fuse center. See if youcan swap it one somewhere else with the same part number. There is a ground wire at the back of the drivers side head. It is held on with a single bolt. It is your coil and fuel injector ground. Make sure it is clean and tight. Use a mirroe to see it.
Bill
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Yes! They are in TIGHT! Make sure that you reference the direction that the relay goes in. Some relays can go in more than one way but will work in only one correct position. I just mark a forward arrow on the relays that I remove.
BC
BC
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 13,760
Likes: 75
From: Haymarket VA
Originally Posted by Bill Curlee
Yes! They are in TIGHT! Make sure that you reference the direction that the relay goes in. Some relays can go in more than one way but will work in only one correct position. I just mark a forward arrow on the relays that I remove.
BC
BC
Swapped out the horn realy which is the same part number. Checked the ground. Ground was tight and clean. Same results.
Anything else?
Thanks again,
Kevin
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Haymarket VA
Just for $hits and grins I remove the cap on the driver side fuel rail and had the wife turn it over while I depressed the valve. It's definitely pumping.. At what pressure I don't know but enough to spray.
Checked for spark on both sides - got spark.
Checked for spark on both sides - got spark.
Last edited by WKMCD; May 8, 2005 at 04:13 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,979
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From: San Diego, CA "leaf" "tee" "e"
This used to happen to my '98 on cold nights (~30 degrees). My fuses always looked good, and after a while of futile cranking, it'd start up after a rest. I think it was a loose battery cable. Over time, I cleaned out most of my electrical problems and cleaned the underhood grounds, and my car has been flawless for the last year.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,269
Likes: 1
From: Richmond Ca
Originally Posted by WKMCD
Well, I cleaned both keys - the resistor - and went to try the vert. At first, same thing as above. Waited a minute and tried the second key and she started and ran fine. Evidence would say that it was the key but I'm not entirely sure. It's not the original battery but I don't know how old it is. It looks fine but.... I think I'll pickup a new battery today just to eliminate that from the equation.
Anyways, it's home in the garage filthy from sitting out in a new develpment where they are still building. Dust/Dirt. It really felt wrong not having the vette in the garage last night.
Anyways, it's home in the garage filthy from sitting out in a new develpment where they are still building. Dust/Dirt. It really felt wrong not having the vette in the garage last night.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 13,760
Likes: 75
From: Haymarket VA
Just got the call from the dealer. Traced the problem to the 7 year old ignition switch. The switch is interacting incorrectly with the security system and shutting off the gas. Tow, switch, labor = $570. I'm glad this isn't some Ford POS that I have to put this money into. I prefer to spend money on mods versus repairs.