hello!
I am a guy over 60 with fair basic knowledge of cars and related systems however, computers and theft systems are almost but out of my reach.
I came across your Cadillac Eldorado video today as I searched for assistance on our 1996 Buick Skylark. You got a 97 GM I got a 96 GM, maybe something to learn here... You gave me a glimmer of hope that maybe our Buick is not beyond repair....
So here's the very very long story, We have seen a degenerating situation where, since we bought the car, four years ago, the anti theft light would flicker randomly yet always started strong and ran GREAT ! Then one day in the last month, the coolant temp gauge went out. Then speedometer, then oil light stayed on, then most cluster lights would light and would stay lit even when the engine was running. Becoming more frequent was this :the engine would start, run for a second or 2 then quit. After multiple attempts to start , the engine would start and perform perfectly with all cluster indicator lights on...! NOTE ** We do not normally drive our cars with oil lights on. When the oil is on level, no bad noises , no tapping or rapping ,, we know the engine is not being damaged, we have driven it short distances. That said, I bought a plug and play computer from Fla. $200.00. SAME problems persisted.
Then, after seeking a direction, I was convinced that the problem was in the instrument cluster. So I removed it and sent it to New Jersey for a complete overhaul. $350.00 later, I have the same situation. Repair guy in NJ says the cluster was a wreck with many bad solder joints and gas gage ruined.. claims to have fixed all and sent a video to me showing his equipment and my cluster on his bench. He was aware that we do not want the security active in the cluster. He said all is fixed and however the car has defeated the security, it will still start and run as it has in the past.
The keys are Home Depot keys. no resister.
The radio was replaced and is NOT a GM product.
Passlock has been defeated, somehow. The 2 wires from the key switch are still in tact to the connector under the dash.
Also at the time of purchase, we were told that the vehicle was in an accident, the cluster was from another car and the odometer was wrong: reading 77,000 when the reality was 120,000. We agreed to buy since it started, and ran strong.
RELATED : On line videos indicate a process necessary to do involving the codes that came with the car and entering them into the computer through the radio. previously stated radio is not a GM radio, besides not having any codes for the vehicle anyway.
So, the final kick is this, Since reinstalling the cluster, the key will not come out of the ignition. A problem that we have never had. Replacement key switch assembly is about $250.00. tumbler set with key about $40.00 .
So there you have it. Any suggestions? starting points? Any help would be appreciated.
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