Problem with my 2002 Chevy Cavalier 2.2L four cylinder. I have a 2002 Chevy Cavalier that had an inoperable charging system. I replaced the alternator and the battery and there was no change. I soon found out that the alternator was not getting it's start signal from the PCM. I know this because I saw a diagram on the charging system and the red and gray wire that make up the connector come straight from the PCM.

The red one is the alternator start signal wire! The car ran perfectly other than the charging problem before I disconnected the PCM plugs to do a continuity test on those 2 wires. I reconnected the PCM and then reconnected the battery and now the car won't even start. Did I somehow fry the PCM by disconnecting it and plugging it back in?? The car does everything normally except start!!!! Please help?

Answer: It is very possible you damaged the PCM if you disconnected it and did the test with the key on. Or possibly you may have damaged a few of the terminals in the connector or on the computer. Remove the connector and inspect the terminals very closely. Also, be sure to check all the fuses.

Can't Get Key Out Of Ignition

Question: I can not get the key out of the ignition. It acts like it doesn't know it is in park. I have taken the car out of park several times. At one point it seemed to not want to go past R into park.

Answer: This sounds like a shifter cable adjustment, or a stretched shifter cable if it does not go all the way in park.
If it does, then a possible key release solenoid on the shifter in the column. Try pressing shifter button and wiggling as turning key back and forth.

If that does not work, you can pop the shift cable off the trans, put the shifter in park and see if key tuns all the way and comes out. If it does, it is a shifter cable or adjustment problem.