So I got my car back tonight, but only temporarily.. looks like the issue is actually something to do with the Body Processor Module (or something like that)... I'm gonna drop it back off at the mechanic's this weekend and let them test it...

 

I'm starting to question your mechanic's ability, shotgunning parts at cars is a very expensive way to "fix" things.

 

Maybe. Maybe not.

Looks like Brad is using the car right now, which suggests the starter is operating, which suggests the mechanic is fighting an intermittant problem and not a hard failure.

The cranking circuit path can be inhibited several different ways. Without a hard failure a proper diagnosis can be tricky or sometimes impossible. Depending on the nature of the failure "events" it might not be possible to fully test/diagnose all the possibilities

Sometimes the choices are limited: A) wait for a hard failure so diagnostics can be successfully and fully completed or B) guess.

Some guesses are dumb, others are very thoughtful. Either way, if a guess....even a logical one.... is being made, it should be represented as such.

Cheers
DD

 

I think it must have been very hard to diagnose. The mechanic had my car for 3.5 weeks (which is way too long in my opinion, but I suppose it could take a long time to test)...finally determined that it was the neutral safety switch/rotary switch (he determined this by testing somehow). I found a used part on Ebay, but when the part was tested before putting in, it was determined to be bad. The mechanic then asked me if it was ok to bypass something and install a push button starter, which was fine with me. The only thing that should have been different is the car could start while in gear (not a problem since kids are never in my car).

So basically, they did the button starter and bypassed whatever they needed to this past Saturday (two days ago). I was there watching them and once finished, my car started with the push button, but the headlights, signal lights, tail lights and wiper did not work. So now they are thinking it's the Body Processor Module, which apparently controls all of those including the starter.

I was concerned why my mechanic said he tested the neutral safety switch and it was 'bad', then got another one that was 'bad'. He said that if the BPM was bad, then the circuit wouldn't be complete and the testing would show the neutral safety switch as being bad.

So as it stands now, they are testing the BPM to see if there is a bad wire or something or if it needs to be replaced.

It's been a huge pain in the a##, but it's just one of those things I have to deal with. I'm really hoping it's the BPM and a new/used one will fix all of these problems.