My girlfriend just had her father put a new battery on her '02 LS last week and now her car won't start. When she turns the key no lights come on or anything but after she tries it repeatedly it will eventually crank. The battery tested fine but she called the dealership and they told her that they would have to hook the car up to a machine and reset the factory security/info system. Has anyone heard of this before and is there a way for me to do this and save her the hundred dollars they quoted her or does anyone have any other ideas as to what the problem may be? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Sounds like a poor connection to me. Check the connections at both ends of the cables, especially the ground cable. Might have been that, and not the battery to begin with.

 

I don't know how it affects the car itself, but if the security wasn't turned off when the battery was disconnected, it will cause the radio (that seems to control everything, LOL) to lock. That sounds like what they are wanting to check and reset. If it's the same kind of radio mine has (RDS), they only way to get the code to reset it, is to pay them 100 bucks to hook it up to a Tech 2 computer. I bought my car used and didn't know that I needed a code or I would have insisted that that be part of the deal, as it should be, it's almost like selling a car without a key, so I guess I'll try not to let it get locked

 

Thanks for the input! Unfortunately I had to run out the door before I could read the replies. However, tonight I did try the security reset by turning the ignition to on for 11 mins. etc. to no avail. I did notice that when her dad installed the new battery he stripped the screw on the negative battery post so I replaced that. Immediately after replacing it the car started right up but then I turned it off to reconnect her amplifier power supply line and the car wouldn't start again. Now I should also mention that when her dad put the new battery in he moved the amp power cable from the battery post where I had putit to a box behind the battery that has a post coming from the side. I'm not sure if this could somehow be overloading part of the system or not. But as soon as I reconnected the cable to this spot the car went completely dead again, I mean there are no interior lights, head or brake lights, not even the gauge cluster. The only thing that comes on is the check engine light very dimly and there is a strange static noise almost like a speaker tuned to a bad radio channel and there's a slight ticking sound. But when you apply brake pressure the "CEL" and both sounds go away. I just pray I can fix this for her as she loves her car and is highly upset over this being as the money we would have to spend on a mechanic is part of our wedding savings. Once again thanks a ton for the input!!!