Sorry for the Noob post.

Traveled to buy a 2001 Camaro SS. Car has 50K miles, very good condition.

Guy takes me for a drive, car drives great. Turns it off, I give him money, get back in it starts immediately, shuts itself off within 1-2 secs, won't start again. Won't turn over, nothing comes on, it's not battery, it just won't start. It won't do anything.

It starts the next morning. He drives it. An hour later I show up, it starts turns off in same fashion.

I leave without the car.

Next day he said it starts again.

Pretty inconsistent but it seems like it's in theft mode and not a dead battery or any issue like that.

Any ideas, recommendations?

Bad chip in the key?

I told this guy I'd buy the car for less knowing the issue and assuming the responsibility to fix it. I just hope it's not something I'm in over my head with.

Thanks.

 

vats or ignition switch would be the first things i would look at. try spraying some electrical contact cleaner in the key hole and clean key. is the security light flashing or on all the time when its failing to do anything.

 

Sounds like an intermittent connection in the ignition circuit. Could be a defective ignition switch or a defective ignition (IGN) relay. In the under-hood fuse/relay boxes, try swapping the IGN relay with the Fan2 relay in the other box.

 

I think in most Vats cases the Vats light is on. I can not remember anyone getting a Vats no start without the light on.

 

thanks for the replies. I'll try each suggestion as each is easy and cheap.
Security light doesn't come on at all. So maybe it's not VATS. ???