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Old Aug 25, 2025 | 11:57 AM
  #1  
gtucker's Avatar
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gtucker
 
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From: Georgia
No Start

Went to crank car and turn key nothing no start no lights,horn etc…
Old Aug 25, 2025 | 12:04 PM
  #2  
lshlsh2's Avatar
71 cutlass convertible
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,156
From: Trappe, MD
First thing check and clean battery terminals. Check battery for 12 volts. Then check connection at the starter.
Always check the easy stuff first.
Old Aug 25, 2025 | 12:19 PM
  #3  
gtucker's Avatar
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gtucker
 
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From: Georgia
Originally Posted by lshlsh2
First thing check and clean battery terminals. Check battery for 12 volts. Then check connection at the starter.
Always check the easy stuff first.
I have check battery 12.54 volts grounds and wire to starter all seams ok
Old Aug 25, 2025 | 02:05 PM
  #4  
Vintage Chief's Avatar
Running On Empty
 
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From: Earth
What make, model & year is this car?
Old Aug 25, 2025 | 02:44 PM
  #5  
oldcutlass's Avatar
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From: Poteau, Ok
Originally Posted by Vintage Chief
What make, model & year is this car?
x2? Check fusible link/s.
Old Aug 25, 2025 | 07:10 PM
  #6  
69CSHC's Avatar
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Originally Posted by gtucker
I have check battery 12.54 volts grounds and wire to starter all seams ok
Jostle the shifter.

Take it out of park, shift to drive and back to park, crank engine. It happens in my car once in a blue moon, its age related wear and tear.

If this is the issue it will go from as if there is no battery at all to instant start.
Old Aug 26, 2025 | 04:43 AM
  #7  
BangScreech4-4-2's Avatar
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^^^ X 2
Same thing, same solution. All I need to do is wiggle the shifter a bit.
Old Aug 26, 2025 | 04:50 AM
  #8  
skyhigh's Avatar
1972 Cutlass Town Sedan
 
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 683
From: Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
if you have hei Im betting its the modulator.
Old Aug 26, 2025 | 05:09 AM
  #9  
BangScreech4-4-2's Avatar
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Originally Posted by skyhigh
if you have hei Im betting its the modulator.
You mean the module?
Old Aug 26, 2025 | 05:41 AM
  #10  
zl1 camaro's Avatar
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From: ROCHESTER NY
Originally Posted by skyhigh
if you have hei Im betting its the modulator.
You mean ignition module ? That is not the problem, car has no power. fusible link possibly to starter. or connection problem with one of the main cables. Neutral safety switch will not cause the electric system to be dead, Just will not start in park usually.
Old Aug 26, 2025 | 05:47 AM
  #11  
zl1 camaro's Avatar
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From: ROCHESTER NY
Originally Posted by gtucker
Went to crank car and turn key nothing no start no lights,horn etc…
Do you have a volt meter ? if so, just start checking where the power loss is, it is a real easy system to ck.
Old Aug 26, 2025 | 05:51 AM
  #12  
joe_padavano's Avatar
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Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Northern VA
Originally Posted by 69CSHC
Jostle the shifter.
Not likely to do much if he has no lights or horn
Old Aug 26, 2025 | 12:15 PM
  #13  
69CSHC's Avatar
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Originally Posted by BangScreech4-4-2
^^^ X 2
Same thing, same solution. All I need to do is wiggle the shifter a bit.
👍

Originally Posted by zl1 camaro
Neutral safety switch will not cause the electric system to be dead, Just will not start in park usually.
Originally Posted by joe_padavano
Not likely to do much if he has no lights or horn
Everything goes dead boys, as I stated in my original post. No horn, no lights, no nothing. Once you realign the shifter its as if you reconnected a disconnected battery. Unless its a 69 Supreme column shift only issue...

From the handful of times its happened to me over the years. The fact that nothing else powers up is what reminds me to move the shifter.

In the end this may not be his issue at all, but considering it's free, its worth the shot.
Old Aug 26, 2025 | 12:55 PM
  #14  
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From: Poteau, Ok
Originally Posted by 69CSHC
👍





Everything goes dead boys, as I stated in my original post. No horn, no lights, no nothing. Once you realign the shifter its as if you reconnected a disconnected battery. Unless its a 69 Supreme column shift only issue...

From the handful of times its happened to me over the years. The fact that nothing else powers up is what reminds me to move the shifter.

In the end this may not be his issue at all, but considering it's free, its worth the shot.
What does the shifter have to do with the lights or horn?
Old Aug 26, 2025 | 05:30 PM
  #15  
Yacht Machanic's Avatar
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From: Dunedin, Florida
I would load test the battery. If you don't have load tester, pull the headlight switch, leave the door open (courtesy lights) then recheck voltage at battery. If it is still reading 12.54, you have bad battery wire or battery wire connection. Check both ends of Negitive cable.
Old Aug 26, 2025 | 08:45 PM
  #16  
69CSHC's Avatar
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Originally Posted by oldcutlass
What does the shifter have to do with the lights or horn?
I am no expert I am just stating the symptoms I recall. Maybe a combination of an open ignition and temporarily misaligned shifter ?

Surprised that BangScreech4-4-2 and I are the only ones here who are familiar with this issue.

Equally surprised how difficult it was to find a similar situation online. But persistence pays off.

1970 column shift Malibu Chevelle.


Solution.


Title of the thread is "Car won't start" https://www.chevelles.com/threads/ca...start.1137265/
Old Aug 27, 2025 | 04:36 AM
  #17  
zl1 camaro's Avatar
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From: ROCHESTER NY
Originally Posted by 69CSHC
👍





Everything goes dead boys, as I stated in my original post. No horn, no lights, no nothing. Once you realign the shifter its as if you reconnected a disconnected battery. Unless its a 69 Supreme column shift only issue...

From the handful of times its happened to me over the years. The fact that nothing else powers up is what reminds me to move the shifter.

In the end this may not be his issue at all, but considering it's free, its worth the shot.
How about when this happens, remove the harness to the neutral safety switch. see if everything wakes up. The starter will not work but everything thing else should work. If this works then I wonder if the neutral safety switch or harness is shorted out, killing power to the rest of the system.BUT THIS WOULD BE REALLY STRANGE..
Old Aug 27, 2025 | 10:49 PM
  #18  
BangScreech4-4-2's Avatar
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Originally Posted by joe_padavano
Not likely to do much if he has no lights or horn
Yeah, missed that part. My bad.
Old Aug 28, 2025 | 01:28 PM
  #19  
Horsepower's Avatar
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From: Rigby Idaho
ck the ground
Old Aug 28, 2025 | 01:57 PM
  #20  
BangScreech4-4-2's Avatar
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Originally Posted by 69CSHC
Surprised that BangScreech4-4-2 and I are the only ones here who are familiar with this issue.
I knew it's an iffy NSS, I'm just too lazy to go tear down my console when a little jiggle does the trick. In my case though, the accessories work fine, just the ignition switch is disabled. Maybe something to do with '69 being the first year for the locking column switch? I believe they tweaked the design for subsequent years.
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