Alarm Tripped Now Car Won't Start

[jeh2337]

Help!

A long painful story. I've got a 1996 LS400 with about 136,000 miles on it with a factory installed alarm system. Key and keyless remote unit got locked into trunk. Ended up having to call locksmith to get it out. In the process the alarm on the car was triggered, the battery cable was disconnected to stop the alarm, and the little switch that's connected to the driver's side key mechanism (inside the door) that's used to detect when the key is used to lock and unlock the door was damaged by a slim jim.

At this point, here's where I am. I've got the original key and wireless remote out of the trunk. After multiple trips of the alarm system, I've repaired the broken switch, the locks and remote are working as before, the remote works, the alarm engages with the normal little flashing red LED light next to the steering column when the doors are locked and disengages when the driver's side door is unlocked, so everything's back to where I started from...except now the car won't start. When I put the key in the ignition and turn it, all the ignition panel lights come on as normal, I hear a single solid CLICK and the engine doesn't crank. Nothing.The battery is new and fully charge, the lights are bright, I've got solid and tight battery terminal connections, so I'm 99.9% sure I've got cable back on. I've checked all the fuses, both in the engine compartment and inside the car, and they're all good.

I'm stumped. The car was working fine before this key issue. No starting issues. I'm finding it hard to believe that this alarm problem is completely unrelated to starting issue...that it's a complete coincidence that the starter went out when it did. Any help or insight would be appreciated.

John

[pj8708]

Help!

A long painful story. I've got a 1996 LS400 with about 136,000 miles on it with a factory installed alarm system. Key and keyless remote unit got locked into trunk. Ended up having to call locksmith to get it out. In the process the alarm on the car was triggered, the battery cable was disconnected to stop the alarm, and the little switch that's connected to the driver's side key mechanism (inside the door) that's used to detect when the key is used to lock and unlock the door was damaged by a slim jim.

At this point, here's where I am. I've got the original key and wireless remote out of the trunk. After multiple trips of the alarm system, I've repaired the broken switch, the locks and remote are working as before, the remote works, the alarm engages with the normal little flashing red LED light next to the steering column when the doors are locked and disengages when the driver's side door is unlocked, so everything's back to where I started from...except now the car won't start. When I put the key in the ignition and turn it, all the ignition panel lights come on as normal, I hear a single solid CLICK and the engine doesn't crank. Nothing.The battery is new and fully charge, the lights are bright, I've got solid and tight battery terminal connections, so I'm 99.9% sure I've got cable back on. I've checked all the fuses, both in the engine compartment and inside the car, and they're all good.

I'm stumped. The car was working fine before this key issue. No starting issues. I'm finding it hard to believe that this alarm problem is completely unrelated to starting issue...that it's a complete coincidence that the starter went out when it did. Any help or insight would be appreciated.

John

Hi John,

I had responded to your post earlier today, yet I see that neither my nor another members reply are here. I apologize for that. We are in the process of giving the old girl (the Lexus Owners Club site), a face lift. It is a lot of work as you can imagine with over 146,000 members, and I think were having some hic-ups along the way. Thanks for your patience.

I'm almost certain that your problem is the automatic triping of the engine immobilizer system. This feature disconnects all power to the engine so it can not be started. And you have done some of just the right things to trip the sensitive security net around the car, that it thinks you've tried any are continuing to try and take off with some bodies favorite LS.

You can go to the search bar at the top, right of the page and do some searches on how to reset the immobilizer. I don't know myself.

A more foolproof way would be to call a local dealer and see if they can walk you through it on the phone. It may not be that simple. As I said, I don't know.

Come back and let us know what you find out.

Paul

[landar]

I do not understand something in the sequence. How did you disconnect the battery cable when the hood was (presumably) locked? Wouldn't you just let the alarm blare while you retrieve the keys from the trunk and then stick them into the ignition to silence the alarm?

I would try disconnecting the battery overnight to see if it might reset the alarm immobilizer but I fear you may have tripped some long lasting lockout which requires dealer attention. Now, do not dismiss the starter as being the problem although it does seem highly coincidental. You said you hear one "solid" click. Locate your starter relay and if you can verify that the relay is engaging and sending 12v to the starter solenoid then you do have a bad starter. Stranger coincidences have happened.

[lextechrob]

Not likely the imobilizer system- would just crank and not start. a single click is very likely the starter, however you must clean and check the positive battery cable connector where the large starter cable and smaller fuse box wire bolt together at the connector.

[jeh2337]

ARRG! Problem solved! Biggest issue here was that I wasn't around to see what the locksmith actually did and the order he did it in. Anyway, after multiple attempts to reset the alarm system I discovered this model year doesn't include an immobilzer, therefore alarm system was ruled out. So I found myself just staring at the engine from the driver's side fender contemplating a tow to the dealer and happened to notice way WAY back between the radiator and the engine what look to be a "black snake." It was the power cable to the starter which had fallen back in there out of sight. I didn't realize there were two cables connected to the positive battery terminal. The locksmith had place one of them back on...not both. Car's fine now. Sorry for the false alarm.

[pj8708]

As I had stated earlier, if you would do a search of our data base you would find several threads regarding the same issue and the engine immobilizer. Below is a link to several post and discussions about your situation.

The starter could certainly be a part of the problem, but by having the owner sit in a parking lot somewhere and continue to crank and crank, runing the battery down would compound rhe promlem. That is the thinking behind shuting every thing electrical off that goes to the engine start/run system. Therefore, the engine should'nt turn over at all.

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?s=8a8c5a76450fcd5d254bed552fee004e&app=googlecse#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=1996 ls400 engine immobilizer

[landar]

So, in a way, it was the "starter". Just a cable disconnected to the starter. This whole ordeal was rather immobilizing. (sorry) :whistles:

[pj8708]

So, in a way, it was the "starter". Just a cable disconnected to the starter. This whole ordeal was rather immobilizing. (sorry) :whistles:

Amen...lol