# 1997 Cadillac Eldorado lights come on, but won’t start

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/1997-cadillac-eldorado-lights-come-on-but-won-t-start/169430>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** eldorado, cadillac\
**Created:** [September 1, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1997-cadillac-eldorado-lights-come-on-but-won-t-start/169430 "2020-09-01T02:48:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnathan6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@Johnathan6](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Johnathan6)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1997-cadillac-eldorado-lights-come-on-but-won-t-start/169430/1 "2020-09-01T02:48:41Z")

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My car won’t start and lights and everything come on and just won’t start for me I tried everything what can I do

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**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 11:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1997-cadillac-eldorado-lights-come-on-but-won-t-start/169430/2 "2020-09-01T11:57:45Z")

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Will it start with a jump? Your battery may have enough power for the lights but not enough for the starter motor.

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**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 8:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1997-cadillac-eldorado-lights-come-on-but-won-t-start/169430/3 "2020-09-01T20:32:03Z")

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Have you tried starting it with the transmission in neutral?

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1997-cadillac-eldorado-lights-come-on-but-won-t-start/169430/4 "2020-09-01T20:33:16Z")

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Does it crank? (i.e. turn over) ?? Or cranks but just won’t start?

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 8:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1997-cadillac-eldorado-lights-come-on-but-won-t-start/169430/5 "2020-09-01T20:53:40Z")

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> [@Purebred](#):
>
> Your battery may have enough power for the lights but not enough for the starter motor.

👍

Exactly!

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**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 11:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1997-cadillac-eldorado-lights-come-on-but-won-t-start/169430/6 "2020-09-01T23:15:39Z")

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> [@Purebred](#):
>
> Will it start with a jump? Your battery may have enough power for the lights but not enough for the starter motor.

> [@Mustangman](#):
>
> Does it crank? (i.e. turn over) ?? Or cranks but just won’t start?

Without the answers to the questions above, you are not going to get anything but guesses. And some of them may be expensive.  
Starter ❓  
Battery cables loose ❓  
Engine locked up ❓

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 12:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1997-cadillac-eldorado-lights-come-on-but-won-t-start/169430/7 "2020-09-02T00:07:53Z")

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One thing to check on your vintage GM vehicle is the positive battery cable for corrosion.

![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/2/4/24a20dae575fc2dbd93ae8d5c5a25b3692f5b2a4.jpeg)

Tester