98 DeVille, Anti Theft, Traction Control light, car wont start, Help!

CarlsCaddy · #1 (**permalink**) 04-03-09, 09:18 PM

I need help figuring out what to do! I've got a 98 DeVille. Here are my codes...

IPC
B1552
B1910
U1040

ACM
U1255
U1016

TCS
C1242
C1276
U1016

PZM
U1255

Thanks in advance!!

CarlsCaddy · #2 (**permalink**) 04-03-09, 09:32 PM

Sorry that the first post is so general. I've been searching on what to do and I forgot to mention the situation. While driving on the highway, the message "anti theft system... car may not restart." The traction control light came on on the dash. When I shut the car off, it started back up no problem. I drove the car around town a bit, still no problem, it was as if the system reset itself. Once I got back on the highway and drove for over an hour, the anti theft system and traction light came on again. This time though, all the lights on the dash went crazy! The fuel, mph, rpm, everything except for the total miles of the car. Once I returned home and shut the car off, I started it right back up and again, everything back to normal. I noticed that the volts had dipped down to 12.5, usually its at 14 something volts. Finally, I was driving thru town and 2 minutes from when I started it up, anti theft system and traction and crazy lights came back. I noticed a little roughness in the idle, 575rpms, so I figured I should get the car to a place where I can work on it incase it really doesn't restart. Good thing, the car doesn't even budge. There is a small running motor noise that comes from the engine, very faint.

I've tried disconnecting the battery and trying a different key... no success.

Again, any help is APPRECIATED!!
Thanks for you help in advance!

Carl

CarlsCaddy · #3 (**permalink**) 04-03-09, 09:34 PM

One last detail, all of these events occurred over the span of about a week.

Thanks again!

**Ranger** · #4 (**permalink**) 04-03-09, 10:07 PM

Decipher your codes here. http://myweb.accessus.net/~090/dtcobd2.html

CarlsCaddy · #5 (**permalink**) 04-03-09, 11:35 PM

I deciphered the codes, but any ideas on what the main problem is?

**Ranger** · #6 (**permalink**) 04-03-09, 11:57 PM

Low voltage will awaken a slew of electrical gremlins, set false codes, ring chimes etc. Make sure the cables are corrosion free, grounds are clean and the battery has sufficient voltage. If it was at 12.5 running, it is highly suspicious. Have it tested.

89devillle · #7 (**permalink**) 04-04-09, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranger

Low voltage will awaken a slew of electrical gremlins, set false codes, ring chimes etc. Make sure the cables are corrosion free, grounds are clean and the battery has sufficient voltage. If it was at 12.5 running, it is highly suspicious. Have it tested.

exactly. you will be surprised what a bad ground can do

CarlsCaddy · #8 (**permalink**) 04-04-09, 08:22 PM

Ok, I don't know much about electrical work on cars. I have a brand new interstate battery (2 months old). I pulled the positive and negative terminals off of the battery. The positive (red) had a little bit of corrosion on the first ring that makes physical contact with the battery, the second ring seemed ok. The negative (black) looks good as well. Where else do I check for grounds? I read in a different post that one guy had a similar problem and found out it was the positive terminal that needed to be replaced. I recently had new plugs and wires put on, could the mechanic have screwed something up or possibly not tighten some ground wires when he put everything back together? Also, how much corrosion on the positive terminal does it take to cause such a crazy problem?

Thanks a lot guys, I'm new at the car repair thing and greatly appreciate your help!

Thanks again!

**Ranger** · #9 (**permalink**) 04-04-09, 08:39 PM

There should be NO corrosion. Use baking soda & water to clean it until it stops fizzing. Look closely at the insulation and be sure that there is no corrosion underneath the sheathing. If there is, then the cable must be replaced.

89devillle · #10 (**permalink**) 04-04-09, 10:20 PM

do you have any kind of aftermarket accesories? i would check the wiring on those if you do.

CarlsCaddy · #11 (**permalink**) 04-07-09, 04:10 PM

Ok, I cleaned the terminals with baking soda and water, scrubbed then real good, put them back on, AND... nothing. The theft system is still there. I noticed that when i put the negative terminal back on, it would only screw on so tight then release. Is that because it is a special type of bolt? The only possible aftermarket accessory is a 12 disk cd player in the trunk, but I'm not sure when that was put in, way before me.

What would be the next thing to check?

AMENCADDY · #12 (**permalink**) 04-07-09, 04:55 PM

did you try to jump start from a different car or battery?

**Ranger** · #13 (**permalink**) 04-07-09, 05:34 PM

Quote:

I noticed that when i put the negative terminal back on, it would only screw on so tight then release.

Sounds like a stripped thread to me.

AMENCADDY · #14 (**permalink**) 04-07-09, 05:44 PM

what you have, according to your codes is a "failure to communicate". The very first thing to check, IIWU, is the fuses in your engine compartment, especially the one for the PCM. In fact just put a new one in there in case it's dirty contacts on the fuse. Seems like the brain of the operations (PCM), has "nobody home" right now. It could be the whole PCM has failed too. Hope not!

AMENCADDY · #15 (**permalink**) 04-07-09, 05:45 PM

also, make sure the little connector on the alternator is plugged in.