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  1. #1
    Member sirenformula350's Avatar
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    1998 Trans Am

    some troubleshooting help please!!!!!

    so basically my car won't start. I was about to leave the bowling alley tonight and I got in the car turned on the ignition and nothing. Al the lights came on and the battery seemed fine but the car wouldn't turn over. I had a friend hook up some jumper cables just to make sure and still nothing. everything has power on the inside and works just fine but the engine wouldn't turn over. So being that its an M6 I put the car in gear and everyone starts pushing it and I pop the clutch. It turns over and sounds like it wants to start but then quickly dies. So my question is WTF is wrong with my car!! Any help would be greatly appreciated! The sooner the better also since my car is still in the bowling alley parking lot.

  2. #2
    someday joejenkinsglass's Avatar
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    green
    98 formula

    check all the fuses and look for any broken wires sounds obvious but thats where I would start

  3. #3
    Member sirenformula350's Avatar
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    1998 Trans Am

    ok i got the car started. Its home now so i feel a little better. turns out it was the battery . Only thing now is my fuse for the gauges keeps blowing and the turn signals blink very slow. Oh and the left turn signal light inside the car stays on when I have my parking lights on. I hate electrical problems so if anyone could give me a hand with what to do that'd be awesome. I would rather do whatever needs to be done myself rather than take it in.

  4. #4
    Junior Member whiteta's Avatar
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    white
    2000 Trans am

    If your car dont start again check to see if the security light is on. If it is on lock the car and then unlock it with the key. But it will shut the light off quickly then start right up.

  5. #5
    Member sirenformula350's Avatar
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    yeah when it happened the security light was not on. It was the battery but I am still having problems with the gauges. and the turn signals. I was just trying to avoid having to take it in.

  6. #6
    someday joejenkinsglass's Avatar
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    green
    98 formula

    have the alt checked and double check all the connections to and from it sometimes they can get weak and not go all the way out sounds like the cause for the blinker being slow

  7. #7
    Member sirenformula350's Avatar
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    1998 Trans Am

    cool. will do first thing in the morning. What would cause the fuse to keep blowing for the gauges.

  8. #8
    Member edbird's Avatar
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    red
    1999 trans am convert

    Got a short somewhere.Have you added any electrical stuff recently?

  9. #9
    Senior Member Too Fast's Avatar
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    2000 WS6 6spd Hooker LT

    Did your friend accidentally hook up the jumper cables wrong? Was there massive sparking going on while jump starting? Even once backwards will cause problems, hope this is not the case. You had no electrical problem before this, right?

  10. #10
    Member sirenformula350's Avatar
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    1998 Trans Am

    I haven't added anything electrical recently. I hope to hell he didn't hook them up backward that would really suck. The gauges never went out like this before but the turn signal issue was already there. How should I go about looking for the short?

  11. #11
    Member sirenformula350's Avatar
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    1998 Trans Am

    update... I haven't have the alternator checked yet but I am going to still do that tomorrow. When I went to start the car today it wouldn't start. I put in a new fuse for the gauges to see if the battery still had power and it did. With the new fuse in the car started right up. The gauges haven't gone out yet either. Now the turn signal light is still on whenever the parking lights are turned on. this is quite possibly the weirdest problem I have ever had with a car. I'm at a complete loss

  12. #12
    down with the lot lizards blackhawk01's Avatar
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    2001 Camaro SS A4

    I would have to say the alternator is bad man. Just from personal experience this has been the case for me before. blinkers were going slow..all that BS. the fuse probably popped becasue of all of the electrical energy that was required. Im pretty sure the dead ALT had something to do with it

  13. #13
    Member sirenformula350's Avatar
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    1998 Trans Am

    yeah hopefully thats all that is wrong. Well I'll find out tomorrow

  14. #14
    down with the lot lizards blackhawk01's Avatar
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    2001 Camaro SS A4

    just a word of advice man, and to save yourself some trouble...get a new alternator and not a remanufactured one. i made that mistake and got screwed having to reinstall 2 alternators...and it sucks, will never go with a reman part again after that

  15. #15
    Member edbird's Avatar
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    red
    1999 trans am convert

    I would not buy an altenator just yet.I would have it and the battery checked first.You may have a short draining the battery.Autozone will check for free.If they check good I would look for short.Since one of the turn signals are acting funny I would look at that socket and bulb for moisture etc.I've read posts where front turn lamps get wet causing trouble.Point is,don't replace parts unless you know they are bad or are very cheap, like only a couple of bucks.

  16. #16
    Member sirenformula350's Avatar
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    1998 Trans Am

    i already had the battery checked and I had it replaced. I was going to do the same with the alternator also. Thanks anyway though. Oh and the battery was free under warranty.
    Last edited by sirenformula350; 01-07-2008 at 10:38 PM.

  17. #17
    Member sirenformula350's Avatar
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    would one turn signal really cause that many problems? It was out before and I replaced it. The bulb wasn't really out it was the part that connected to the socket. It was corroded. I guess that could be why the turn signal light on the dash is acting funny.

  18. #18
    Member edbird's Avatar
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    red
    1999 trans am convert

    Any short can drain the battery and/or cause weird electrical problems.
    An altenator not charging and/or overcharging will cause a flat battery.
    I find it very odd that some company would confirm your battery is bad and give you a new one under warranty without checking the charging system to be SURE nothing is ruining their new battery?If they could find another cause they might try to wiggle out of replacement. So they didn't check?

  19. #19
    Member sirenformula350's Avatar
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    1998 Trans Am

    it was autozone that checked. I asked to have it tested. they tested it then gave me a new one. They didn't ask me one question either! I guess they don't care. oh well.

  20. #20
    Member edbird's Avatar
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    red
    1999 trans am convert

    Well,that sucks.I would try and get alt. tested before you spring for a new one.Let us know how it goes.

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