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.

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

this is my first post:

I bought my 94 LS 400 in Aug. 07, so i've only had it a few months. shortly after i bought it, it began making a faint whining noise. in my experience with cars, i know this to mean it's getting low on PS fluid, so I checked it. it was fine. very quickly, the noise began to get worse, so I took it to a shop to have them listen to it, and the mechanic told me that it had air in the pump. they also diagnosed a few other things for me, which they ended up being wrong about, so I decided to go elsewhere. I went to my a friend's mechanic, who told me that I needed a new pump. So i went to the parts store, bought a new one, put it on, no difference. i cleaned the solenoid filter, which was disgusting, and got the fluids back to where they should be, and still no difference. I will say, however, that i was amazed at the difference in how the steering responded after cleaning the filter. it's nearly effortless. but the whining is still there, what's the chances that i was sold a bad pump? does this happen often? i was told that it could be the rack & pinion. when the belt is off of the car, it doesn't make this noise. would the R&P still make this noise with the belt off? i'm baffled. thanks for your help, guys

____________________________________________________

so i put another pump in the car yesterday... it still whines. funny thing was though, when i backed it down off the ramps, it stopped whining, for about 10 seconds. as soon as i touched the wheel again to turn it, it started up again, and hasn't stopped since. i've changed the pump twice, cleaned the filter, and turned the wheel lock to lock 35 times each way. i was told that this would bleed the system. i'm lost. i really have no idea what could be the problem. the steering is VERY smooth, especially since i've cleaned the filter. so this doesn't seem to be affecting the car's performance any, it's just a loud, obnoxious noise. and like i said, it's not something that comes and goes. it's constant. if the pump is not bolted down correctly, would it have anything to do with it?

It's not the pump. It's the alternator below the pump that's bad. I did the same thing before I figured this out.