LS Intermittently Won't Turn Over. Driver's Seat Glitch?

[triniti]

I am having the same intermittent won't start problem as the person in this thread (LvC Thread 34363) and several other people across the net with my 2000 LS v6. Dealerships have no clue what's causing it even after the owner has shelled out hundreds of dollars to have it fixed. Today all of a sudden mine got worse and started shutting off without warning while the car was running. Instant dead. No response at all but the power was perfectly fine. Radio, windows, interior chime and all were just fine.

In the past when it happened, it usually just won't start all of a sudden but once it starts it runs like a top as usual. The engine is completely dead when you turn the key except for a little clicking under the hood where the starter relay and fuse are. All of a sudden it would start when you turn the key then shut off again without warning. I swapped relays and it started multiple times then shut off. I swapped them back and it did the same thing. (I will be replacing the relays anyway to be on the safe side) Then I stumbled across something very very bizarre. With my wife in the passenger seat and me under the hood, she started the car. As soon as I got in the car it shut off. I got out and she started it back up. Got back in and it shut off. I then realized that these intermittent episodes typically only happen after my wife drives the car, which means she has to adjust the seat. Then it starts perfectly fine for days or even weeks at a time. (she doesn't drive it often) We don't use the memory setting at all. So then I had my wife get in the driver's seat and the car shut off as soon as she got in. Then she adjusted the seat and it started and stayed running until we got home with no problems.

I know that the driver's seat has a lot going on electronically (heating elements, power adjustments, air bag control, etc.) What could be going on with the driver's seat that could cause the car to not start or just cut off spontaneously? This has to be more than coincidence and if I've stumbled across something major like I think I have, then it's no wonder dealer's don't have a clue to what's causing the issue to all of these LS'. There's no way they would link the driver's seat to an assumed engine problem.

Any insight would be most appreciated so I can try to resolve this issue on my own before having to dive into the dealer money pit.

 

[decibels5]

Mine was a relay problem, Under the hood, in the fuse box. Mine is a v8, not sure if it is the same setup. Try switching out the box shaped relays, one goes to the ac, other to the starter.

 

[triniti]

Mine was a relay problem, Under the hood, in the fuse box. Mine is a v8, not sure if it is the same setup. Try switching out the box shaped relays, one goes to the ac, other to the starter.

I mentioned in my "story" that I tried that and it did the same thing. I will be replacing those today anyway. My two relays are starter and windshield heater and they are the same so I swapped them. Maybe coincidentally both relays are going bad at once but it doesn't explain why it appears to only shut off sporadically when we were in the driver's seat with it all the way back. It wouldn't stay running at all with me in it. When my wife got in the seat it shut off but it was fine for some reason after she adjusted the seat forward and restarted it. It didn't shut off once and we made it all the way home.

I don't know if maybe the heating element is going out or something else is going on with the seat but I was just wondering if something associated with the driver's seat could be going out that could be causing the car to short out. My air bag light is on and I read somewhere about a connector under the driver's seat that could wear out and cause this light to come on.

Any help from the LS vets would be appreciated.

 

[scjmc]

I usually have problems with my airbag light after my wife drives the car. Her seat adjustment is much differant than mine. I have not had other issues, but I can attribute a new twang sound when I jump in the seat to about the same time as my new airbag code. The code is NOT the one for the connector under the seat. There may be a weak section of wire harness in a bad spot somewhere.