Hi, I live near Pittsburgh Pa. I've had a 1997 Monte Carlo Z34 for about 5 years. It had sat for a year and a half up til about 3 months ago when I got it back on the road. It has just over 160,000 miles on it.

I know this is my first post but I am having an ignition? problem that is causing my brother and I a whole lot of consternation. I will try to describe what is going on to the best of my ability. Please forgive me if this issue has been covered (and supply the link if possible) but I am trying to expedite the fix as I need the car.

About two weeks ago the car wouldn't start (wouldn't crank-nothing). I tapped the positive (side mount) battery terminal (which seemed a bit loose) and the car started. It happened a few more times before I was smart enough to tighten it. At that time (and what it is still doing) is when I turn the key to the start position everything goes out, dash lights, dome light and the door open chime (with the door open). I had been able to play with the positive terminal and get it to work (and start), up til yesterday. It will now do nothing. I have no lights (in or out etc).

What we have tried so far: I have 12.62 volts at the battery (both at the positive terminal and at the jump start location). I tested the ignition relay and it works as it should (I also swapped this relay with the fan relay beside it as it seems to be the same). The relay seems to be good as I tested it. I could feel and hear the click.

I put jumper cables from another running vehicle and the interior light came on and the dash lit up. When I tried to start it it went back to nothing working. I hooked it up again, got the dash and dome light to come on, closed the door then opened it again, back to nothing.

As far as I can remember (I'm old, I may be wrong) the security light has been on and stays on (it does not flash). The car had an after-market radio installed long before I bought the car.

If anyone has crossed this bridge or has an idea what we should check I would appreciate knowing. If you need more info that I can supply please let me know.

 

Did you replace the side terminal bolt? Id replace both the pos and neg. and also make sure you have a good battery. sounds like a poor battery connection to me.

 

X2 on that
You may have a ground that is bad as well.
When you tap it and it works that tells you that something is not clean on the connections.
Take your battery out that a pain for when it is? Then clean all the connections and especially the ground not just at the battery but at the body grounded area.


Hopefully you remembered to service the vehicle after it sat for that extended time?

 

X3.

And if that doesn't work it might be a corroded battery cable.

 

Thank you to those who offered advise. Yinz were correct. Thank you!!!

Although the positive terminal had been loose the issue was on the negative side. I cleaned the terminal, wire brushed the area for the body ground off the neg pig tail and found an additional ground that I ran the new cable I purchased to. I had found a post on a different forum that suggested it could be a bad ground. This person was correct, if you don't have a good ground you won't have a good circuit.

Generally, the way things go for me I thought the problem was much worse than it was. The car fires up now as it should. This is my daily driver so I needed to have it ready for tomorrow (Monday).

To drivernumber3, this is what I had done before it was put back on the road. I had put in a new battery previously (it's not a year old yet) so I could at least start it occasionally. Could be why the terminal got corroded. I had the plugs changed. I was told the intake had to be removed so I had the gasket replaced at the same time. Pennsylvania also requires a yearly inspection. It passed that after it had a couple issues resolved that don't come to mind at this time other than two new mufflers. Once back on the road I got an oil change. I didn't just throw it back on the road.

Thanks again for the input, much appreciated.