1998 Oldsmobile Aurora Ignition

JESSICANEWCOMB

MEMBER
1998 OLDSMOBILE AURORA

Computer problem
1998 Oldsmobile Aurora V8 Two Wheel Drive Automatic

Almost every time I go to start my car it will not start. The Information center in the dash says "Clean key and wait three minutes. Most of the time it will not start up right away and I will be stuck for up to five hours at a time. When we bought the car the guy we bought it off of took it in to be detailed and they think that whoever cleaned the car got something in the ignition. What can we do about this annoyinig problem? We have tried cleaning it sometime it works sometimes not. I have however noticed that the outside temprature has an affect on the car so it may just be the computer I'm not sure, when it's cold I have no issues with it but in the heat is when it leaves me stranded! Again, please what can I do?

1 Reply

FREEMBA

MECHANIC
1,152 POSTS

Have the dealer or reputable repair facility to test the ignition key circuit to see it the resistance is within specs. This vehicle has a security system which reads the resistance of the chip on the ign. Key to determine whether or not to allow the vehicle to start. If something has been sprayed into the ign. Lock it might alter the resistance reading, thus preventing the engine from starting. Secondly, the chip in the key could be worn or loose and altering its' resistance. Also, as the tiny wires on the key lock become old and worn they sometimes break (which would cause the vehicle to be impossible to start). Yours might be somewhere between being in good shape and breaking (this is not meant ot scare you, however it is only a possible cause of the spray isn't the problem)