03 seville sls won't turn over when jumping; car has been sitting for 6 months.

Asked by dansereaudd03caddy Sep 30, 2014 at 03:33 AM about the 2003 Cadillac Seville SLS FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

So I am trying to buy this car from a
friend. The vehicle has been sitting
for 6 months, while the owner was
out of the country. We hooked up the
cables directly to the battery under
the rear bench seat. Some lights and
electronics came on. When I tried to
start the car, only the starter solenoid
would click, the engine would not
turn over.  We let the battery sit for
about ten minutes, still hooked up to
the running vehicle, same result. Is
this an anti-theft issue, or do you
think the battery needs to be
charged fully after sitting that length
of time?

Thanks

4 Answers

62,745

Probably a little of both. I am thinking that you are going to have to get a new battery. When you replace the battery be sure to get the key and put it in your pocket. The last place you want the key when you change the battery is in the ignition.

1 people found this helpful.

So I brought a fully charged, 860 cold-cranking amp battery with me when I returned today. This time, when the ignition was turned to the ON position, more things started happening, like the radio turned ok n, ALL the lights in the dash turned on, the steering wheel moved. These are all things that did not happen before when jumping with the old battery. Despite all this, the engine STILL did not turn over, just the clicking solenoid again. No security light it anti theft indicator was in the dash at all. This doesn't sound like an anti theft issue, but could it be a seized engine? It's only been sitting for 6 months, and the previous owner just had the head gasket replaces right before parking it. According to the info panel on the dash, the oil life was at 74%, although in not sure how accurate or relevant that information is. What do you guys think? Thanks in advance.

62,745

The last thing left is the starter. It seems like you have done everything else.

Your Answer:

Seville

Looking for a Used Seville in your area?

CarGurus has thousands of nationwide listings and the tools to find you a great deal.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    tenspeed
    Reputation
    770
  • #2
    Gene Arnett
    Reputation
    640
  • #3
    tah30143
    Reputation
    550
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Chevrolet Impala
7 Great Deals out of 132 listings starting at $4,888
Used Toyota Camry
48 Great Deals out of 1,142 listings starting at $4,795
Used Cadillac Escalade
13 Great Deals out of 510 listings starting at $5,931

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.