# Oh no! Sunfire going crazy! **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [May 17, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oh-no-sunfire-going-crazy/14149 "2008-05-17T23:31:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gregp74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecccb3/32.png) [@gregp74](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gregp74)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oh-no-sunfire-going-crazy/14149/1 "2008-05-17T23:31:49Z")
Ok, I’ve got an '05 Sunfire with about 47,000 miles on it. The other day when I got home from work I noticed the Theft System light was on, and I think the Service light. I shut the car off and started it again, and it had gone away. Didn’t think much of it. Last night I got in and started the car and when I put my foot on the brake it would not go out of Park. Shut it down and started it again and all was fine – until I got home. When I took the key out of the ignition and got out of the car, my radio was still going and my daytime running lights were still on. I popped the hood and unhooked the battery to keep it from going dead over night. This morning I hooked the battery back up and started the car. The radio will not turn on, and the instrument cluster is dead. The odometer is ok, but the speedo, tach, temp, and fuel gauges are don’t register. Any ideas on what could be causing this massive weirdness? ---
**Author:** ![Wha-Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@Wha-Who](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Wha-Who)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2008, 4:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oh-no-sunfire-going-crazy/14149/2 "2008-05-18T04:13:50Z")
Try cleaning the ground wire connections at the bell housing; there should be two. If this does the job, then coat the ring lugs with silicone grease so it does not happen again. ---
**Author:** ![gregp74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecccb3/32.png) [@gregp74](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gregp74)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2008, 6:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oh-no-sunfire-going-crazy/14149/3 "2008-05-18T06:09:13Z")
This is all greek to me! I am car-stupid! ---
**Author:** ![mr\_josh](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mr_josh/32/3008_2.png) [@mr\_josh](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mr_josh)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2008, 6:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oh-no-sunfire-going-crazy/14149/4 "2008-05-18T06:12:27Z")
Follow the negative (-) battery cable from the battery to its other end, which should be attached to the motor. Try cleaning up that connection first (that’s the primary ground for the car). ---
**Author:** ![roushus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@roushus](https://community.cartalk.com/u/roushus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2008, 6:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oh-no-sunfire-going-crazy/14149/5 "2008-05-18T06:41:34Z")
You are probably better off leaving this w/ the dealership. GM has had booku problems w/ thier theft deterrant systems. ---
**Author:** ![gregp74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecccb3/32.png) [@gregp74](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gregp74)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2008, 2:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oh-no-sunfire-going-crazy/14149/6 "2008-05-18T14:01:20Z")
I’ll give that a try and once again check all of the fuses. (did that before, but it was dark out at the time) ---
**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:** [May 18, 2008, 2:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oh-no-sunfire-going-crazy/14149/7 "2008-05-18T14:23:03Z")
Why would anyone put a theft system on a Sunfire? Tester ---
**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2008, 4:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oh-no-sunfire-going-crazy/14149/8 "2008-05-18T16:01:10Z")
Part of the problem at least may be due to a faulty ignition switch. ---
**Author:** ![gregp74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecccb3/32.png) [@gregp74](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gregp74)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oh-no-sunfire-going-crazy/14149/9 "2008-05-18T19:26:07Z")
Hehehe, don’t blame me. It’s from the factory! ---
**Author:** ![gregp74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecccb3/32.png) [@gregp74](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gregp74)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 2:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oh-no-sunfire-going-crazy/14149/10 "2008-05-19T02:31:45Z")
I was thinking that also. I guess I’ll bring it down to the dealership tomorrow. Someone said for about $35 or so they can check to see if it really is the Body Control Module or the ignition or what. ---
**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 2:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oh-no-sunfire-going-crazy/14149/11 "2008-05-19T02:55:02Z")
Have you thoroughly perused the Owner’s Handbook? It’s often discovered hiding in the glove box. It may supply some indication on how to reset the anti-theft alarm. ---
**Author:** ![gregp74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecccb3/32.png) [@gregp74](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gregp74)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oh-no-sunfire-going-crazy/14149/12 "2008-05-19T14:51:57Z")
Yes. The theft system light blinking the other day is apparently a sign that the BCM is going bad.