self starting 1990 Buick Lasabre

SDE · May 21, 2013

I thought the battery was to low to engage the starter and so I put the battery maintainer on it to charge it back up. My son told me this morning that at 1 am it started by itself. The key was half in and half out of the ign. switch. When I was in the bathroom it started again and he went out and turned the key and got it to shut off. He restarted the car and then put it in gear but did not move it and turned it off again. It does not have a remote starter either. What is happening ?
Thank you
Steve

Nebraska Cowman · May 21, 2013

I don't know but I think I'd unhook the battery til I found out. Putting it in gear seems like a bad idea.

Anonymous-0 · May 21, 2013

Ever see that S. King movie, "Maximum Overdrive"? Trucks and machinery starting up and chasing people...

showcrop · May 21, 2013

a neighboring town had a truck in the garage start up one week-end and go through the door and into their sandpile.

Anonymous-0 · May 21, 2013

Old GM starters(delco)from the 60's would lock in the sol if you cranked them with a low bat. After charging and reconnecting the cables the starter would crank untill you put the key in and cycled it.
Later Bob

dej(Jed) · May 21, 2013

(quoted from post at 03:23:01 05/21/13) I thought the battery was to low to engage the starter and so I put the battery maintainer on it to charge it back up. My son told me this morning that at 1 am it started by itself. The key was half in and half out of the ign. switch. When I was in the bathroom it started again and he went out and turned the key and got it to shut off. He restarted the car and then put it in gear but did not move it and turned it off again. It does not have a remote starter either. What is happening ?
Thank you
Steve

Christine(the old Plymouth in the movie) was like that and then she started killing people. LOL

Tom in TN · May 21, 2013

Anyone remember "My Mother the Car"? She might have just decided to go for a ride on her own.

Tom in TN

glennster · May 21, 2013

check the wiring harness for rodent damage.

John B. · May 21, 2013

I seen a forklift do that with a manual transmission. The engine started cranking and it moved forward until we stopped it. We were in an air compressor room that was not very big. Luckily no one was in front of it when this happened.

What we found was a piece of rock salt was laying on top of the starter solenoid/relay and drew enough moisture allowing current flow to activate the relay/solenoid.

John M · May 21, 2013

Does it have electric/remote doorlocks? Wife Caprice did that. Didnt have remote start, but did have electric locks. The remote somehow shorted out, made the doors lock twice and the program for remote start was in the computer, so it would start like that. Hers was a 95 though. I suspect a short somewhere. I agree with Howard, take the battery loose.

Bob · May 21, 2013

Are you SURE a P.O. didn"t leave you with an autostart tucked away under the dash somewhere? Some years ago the EXACT same thing happened to a "97 Tahoe my son had owned for a couple of years... left the hood open when we did some work on it the shop and the under-hood light drained the battery. We put the charger on it, and at some point the autostart we didn"t know was there kicked in and started it... with the hood OPEN!

Sure would have been GREAT to have been working in the fan belt area about that time!

Those damned things are a MENACE!

SDE · May 21, 2013

I did not ask him, but I assumed that he put it back in Park before he turned it off. I think I will disconnect the battery and charge the battery some more. I had rodents kill one car, it is possible they have gotten into this one also. It had been in the garage and I know they are in there.thank you
Steve

Ted in NE-OH · May 21, 2013

Don"t let it start in an enclosed garage it will kill you and everyone in the house.

Farmer(Ga) · May 21, 2013

I had a 1990 Buick but sold it a couple years ago, Sure wish i had it back. James

Spooke · May 21, 2013

(reply to post at 03:23:01 05/21/13)

I thought the battery was to low to engage the starter.

I would have the battery checked out low amperage from a bad battery may damage the contacts in the starter solenoid you may need a starter also. Either way the battery is the heart of the electrical system and a good place to start your diagnostics.

notjustair · May 21, 2013

I had a friend with a car that did that. It was an early 60's Beetle. The ignition switch shorted out in the middle of the night. It cranked itself around the house and up against a tree.

I think of that every time I park something old with a stick. I don't need the grain truck driving through the shed wall with a full load!

barnE · May 21, 2013

Had old fords where starter would stick with low battery. Too weak to start but continued to try til batt drained. Dave

self starting 1990 Buick Lasabre

SDE

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Nebraska Cowman

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Anonymous-0

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showcrop

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Anonymous-0

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Tom in TN

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