Your seat belt light is meant to stay on until you push the button.  It's just a warning light to remind you and piss you off until you push the button.  It's not like late model cars which have a switch in the belt catch.

I pulled the seat out and peeled the carpet back. Nothing running under the seat. I turn the key on and I have power -seat belt light, radio, etc. I push anywhere on the bare floor on the driver side and I lose power. Maybe Chips on the right track - maybe a ground problem with something in the console? Btw, there's nothing under the floor. The flexing must be causing something to break contact?? The saga continues...

A little more info. I can push on the console itself and cause the power problem. I'm guessing it's something in there. As I'v ebeen wrestling this, I do remember that a couple of times before this happened the radio would flash on and off while driving. I didn't think much about it at the time, and put it on my list of things to look at later. Maybe it was a warning. I'm betting it's related to whats going on.

John, the only thing I can see in the console area that could cause you to lose power to start is the amp gauge circuit. It powers part of the ign switch. There may be a bad ground connection there somewhere, but I just can't see anything in that area that would actually kill the engine, AND keep it from cranking, other than a loose connection. I hope you are keeping the bat. dis-connected!!!

Have you tried starting it when the lights/horn are working? If it were me(and it's NOT), I would be wondering why it wouldn't crank/start, and trying to figure out what caused it to die. The other issues may not even be directly related, tho they probably are.
In order for the ign. system to kill the engine, it would have to loose fire, either by turning the key off, or losing fire from a bad connection. This, of course, assumes there isn't a faulty ign. component, such as the coil.
Then you also have the issue of it not cranking after it died by itself. This all leans towards a faulty ign. switch circuit somewhere, or faulty feed to the switch.
More head scratching to follow...

[QUOTE=Tuxblacray]


Most womenn (See Micki I'm learnin) have no sense of humour about boyz toyz. But then again most men weren't born with that shoppin gene.(excluding EBAY MOTORS) [/QUOTE]

Part of the problem was that the negative battery cable was just a little loose. After tightening it up, the problem of losing power when pushing on the floor or console went away. I get in to try and start the car. Turn the key and I get power to the dash - good sign. I turn the key to crank it. I get one click from the starter and then all power goes away. I try again and I have no power again. I wait about 10 minutes and try again same thing - I have power, turn to crank, one click from the starter and then complete loss of power. I do have 12.8 volts at the starter, so it's getting juice, even after a loss of power at the dash. Ideas? Btw, both battery cables are new. I checked and cleaned the connection from the battery negative to the frame - made sure there was good bare metal. I'm at a loss...

Is the ground cable from motor to frame in place? I've heard of many forgotten to be replaced after motor work over the years and there being just enough ground through bolts and such to keep things seeming normal for awhile.

[QUOTE=mkapp7879]Is the ground cable from motor to frame in place? I've heard of many forgotten to be replaced after motor work over the years and there being just enough ground through bolts and such to keep things seeming normal for awhile.[/QUOTE]

Can you crank it jumping it at the starter?

You may have 12v at the starter, but what is happening to that 12v when you crank it? Still sounds like a loose connection.
"New" don't mean diddly, especially with electric stuff. The cables could be bad internally, or just have a bad crimp on the ends. You can show 12v at a terminal all day, but if that wire is compromised, it will not carry the amperage needed to do the job.
Here's my 1/2 a$$ed assessment...there is a loose connection somewhere, most likely at the main cable on the starter. This terminal also feeds the rest of the car's electrical systems. IF both ends of the ground cable are properly attached to a clean surface, at the batt., and at the engine(both cables), then only thing left to be the culprit is the pos. feed to/at the starter.
Put your Volt-meter on the alt. terminal, and see if the 12v STAYS 12v when you crank it. If the 12v goes away, you have confirmed a loose connection. IF the 12v stays at the alt while trying to crank, but you only get the click, I would think starter solenoid, or the wiring from the switch to the solenoid...BUT...a bad solenoid would not keep it from having lights/horn, or kill the engine. It would simply keep it from cranking.

I'll put a dollar(thas rite...ONE DOLLAR!!!) on the problem being with a starter connection, either 12vpos., or the ground cable from the frame to the starter.

If you have some long jumper cables, run the black(neg) jumper cable from the batt. directly to the engine block somewhere, and see if that puppy starts.

The fact that EVERYTHING goes dead after the "click" tells you that it is a connection problem.Adams' Apple2006-12-30 22:34:11