I’m so glad it fixed your problem. I was wondering if it was fixed or not. Glad that the spare key is working out. It probably meant that the original key was reaching it time. 
I too have a 98 lesabre that does the identical thing and it is not the key…it is due to a bad connection or ground in the harness located behind the driver side kick panel. I just fixed it after having this problem for quite some time…my car has left me stranded several times. All it requires is a simple tap or two in your kick panel and it will start. In sorry I can’t be more specific about the exact cause but it’s definitely located in that area. The harness may be getting moisture in there or it’s just a bad design but my car now runs so that’s what matters most to me. Good luck
I highly recommend you get this fixed. Not knowing what it is that you are kicking or knocking loose, this could potentially cause an electrical fire. then what matter most will be getting you and your loved ones out of your burning car.
Again not reading all the responses but the fact that the windows didn’t work suggest a main battery supply issue or ignition switch issue. Normally on a GM, when it just shuts down, I would suggest the fuel pump, but the window issue suggests battery power.
On your test drives, if it shuts down first thing is to listen for the fuel pump running for a few second in the fuel tank when you turn the key on. If you hear it running, then its electrical-spark, coil, battery connections, computer, crank sensor, and on and on. Might even be a diagnostic code set. Bring a cell phone. Been there.
Thx for the response Bing, but I gave a final update on this months ago. It was just a bad key. Key as in the key you start the car with. Yes may sound crazy but it has no problem for all these months now. I recently changed the torque converter and put in a new oxygen sensor, so the check engine light is also off and stays off.
Read above, been fixed for months, was just a bad key.
Read above, been fixed for months, was just a bad key. Works good.
Car Talk must be pushing this, but its been fixed for months. Thanks anyways guys.
Like I said I didn’t read the other 40 responses first. My bad. Nice to have something simple.
Yes it was, don’t know if you could get any more simple than using a different key.
I was responding to the poster just above my post @jaredhampton1969 - thus why I quoted them in my reply. Their car is not yet fixed.
Multiple cars, multiple problems, multiple years, in the same thread. Very confusing.
Never heard of the wiring in the kick panel before. Maybe that was the problem with my Riviera. I’ll have to get the body manual out sometime and take a look at what wiring is in there. Wonder where I put the book. Its been six years.
The car has had a relapse. 2 days ago it shut down as I raised the windows. Had to get AAA to pull home. 10 minutes after he left it started right up. So I got a 3rd key made up at Hardware Hank with the chip. Today it shut down a mile from home just as I put on the vent. Got it to a parking lot and I will walk back to it in a hour to drive it home. When it shuts down it will not restart until it resets something and the windows will not open. It must be something with those useless security alarm that I was not even aware that it had one until a few months ago. My guess is a bad wire somewhere. By pressing the air conditioning/heater/vent or windows and perhaps other things also causes it to go off. Unlike the first key it does not flash the security light ever when driving and never misses like the 1st key will do from time to time.
When it turns off, does it happen when you turning a corner, coming to a stop, or going over a bump?
can you disconnect the alarm by pulling its fuse?
If you’re talking about the factory passlock system, your logic is not correct
That is only needed to start the car
Once the car’s already running, it doesn’t come into play
In other words, a problem with the passlock system might cause a no start, but it won’t cause a stall
If adding an electrical load causes the vehicle to die the must be a poor or loose connection somewhere. Start with inspecting the battery connections, then connections at the power distribution center, under dash fuse box, ignition switch etc.
If the car has an aftermarket security system that allows remote operation of the power windows it make sense to remove it.
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Has nothing to do with turning a corner, coming to a stop or bumps. It only has to do with overload of the system which should not be a overload. A simple push of the window or touching the heater/air cond/vent button can cause it to shut down the very very very second you touch it. Windows instantly lock. Wont start. Will only fire a bit. Once the windows begin to work then you know it will start. I went back to the car about 2.5 hours after the stall and started right away.
It has something to do with the security system of some kind. It could have something to do with the chip in the key, but something is causing that chip to fail perhaps. I do not know what this passlock system is. I did talk to the Buick dealership service and they said a bad chip in the key will cause it to shut down and cause windows not to open and not to start until it resets itself. It sounds like they have had problems with these Buick’s doing this before. They said there was not way to disconnect the security system.
I don’t know about removing a fuse. I’m not even sure what this useless passlock system is or what kind of security system is in the car.
One thing I would like to know if there is a faster way to reset the system. Right now its just a wait till it resets on its own. What would a battery disconnect and reconnect do? Would that force it to reset instantly?