For the second time in 3 months, my 08 CTS wouldn’t start. The battery is in good condition, I have 8500 miles. The first time it happened it was towed back to the dealer and it wouldn’t start for them either and they replaced the starter with a new one. Recently, it wouldn’t start after driving the car for about 2 hours. It was towed to the dealer, but by the time they got to the car it started for them. It sat over the weekend at the dealer. We had to wait 4 hours before it was towed and during our wait we tried to start it and it would only click. The key fob was in the usual place and again the battery is in good condition. The dealer doesn’t know what to do, can any expert out there in internet land help me? Has anyone else experienced this? The dealer says my car is the only one doing this. I feel so lucky. Thanks for your time and help
deb
If the dealership is seemingly not competent to deal with this repair issue on a car with a warranty, then you need to kick this up to the GM Zone Represntative. Contact info is in your Owner’s Manual.
Incidentally, no matter what diagnoses are offered by well-meaning people in this forum, the dealership will not accept a diagnosis from you. They are required to go through standardized diagnostic protocols in order for them to be sure of the cause, and if they start randomly “throwing parts” at it when a customer suggests a diagnosis, in the event that the customer’s diagnosis is wrong, someone other than GM has to bear the cost of those parts (and needless labor) that was used. I’m sure that you wouldn’t be happy about paying for a failed repair on a warrantied vehicle, and as a profit-making organization, the dealership can’t be expected to shoulder the cost of experiments suggested by a customer.
Allow the GM Zone Representative to involve himself/herself in the situation, and you are likely to be satisfied with the outcome.
I purchased a 2004 CTS 5 weeks ago and have gotten very little use from it. I have had this “no-start” issue over seven times now and no one can figure out exactly what the problem is. For some reason the theft deterrent module prevents the vehicle from starting. When problem first started, I had the module replaced with a new part. The first time starting the car after leaving the dealer, the problem still occurred. I had the vehicles entire systems put on the diagnostic testers and they could come up with nothing. The new part was tested to see if defected. They erased all codes and reset them, including both keys, etc. and they were confident this would do the trick. Once again, upon leaving the dealership, I stopped at the grocery and then the car would not start. I am so frustrated, as well as the dealer. I am aware of the method to start the car in the meantime…without having it towed, though it cannot be relied on because it does run the battery down and you can get stuck somewhere without power to use this trick to bypass the security theft deterrent system, but it is…turn the ignition key to “accessory” position just before start (do not turn all the way as if to start) engine and leave there for at least 10 minutes, turn off and repeat for second time, turn off and repeat third time, after you have done this three times, it should start. The second time I had to do this, it ran the battery dead and I had to install a semi-permanent chargery on to the battery that I can just plug into a socket in my garage. In the meantime, no one can figure out what is wrong and I am unable to use the car. Have you had any success with your problem? Can anyone else shed light on this? HELP!!