A real ????

[2Dogs]

I am sorry if this has been discussed before, but here is what to me and Lucy today - Lucy is a 2003 basic with 90,000+ miles. Drove fine about 60 miles, parked, then went to start. Two things immediately noted: radio did not work - little red light by radio blinking - and then when I shifted (auto) from Park to Reverse, the engine turned off - I shifted back to Park, engine started (I did nothing with the key) and then I tried Reverse again, it reversed, then I moved to Drive, it shut off, I went back to Park, engine started, I went to Drive, stayed on and off I went to meet friends for lunch. Got to restaurant, went to Reverse, this time a heard a sharp "click" and engine turned off - shifted to Park, engine started. This happened about three more times but finally, I was able to keep engine running long enough to park.Had lunch - poured over owner's manual - then went out post lunch, with friend, and got in car. Decided to turn off A/C, which had been on the whole time. This time, car started and immediately, radio came on, no blinking red light. I shifted and off I went.Got home. No problem. No A/C turned back on though.????????? and thanks experts!

[Caretaker]

no expert here, but was wondering if the car was also spinning around in circles, spouting demonic renditions???

[A Psycho Martyr]

good question.lol. This is gonna be a tough one [/scratches head]

[star_deceiver]

Seems you've got a nice gremlin under the hood...Start with the shifter itself, the ignition, and the A/C switch; perhaps there's simply a broken wire.

[joatmon]

I saw in another thread where your's is a Frosty two tone, which is good, because I was starting to fear that maybe you bought ColonelPanic's old haunted Vibe.Seems like the only reasonably possible cause would be the ignition switch. If it was stuck in start mode, then some of the accessories wouldn't get power (like the radio). Also, since the park/neutral switch would prevent starting in any of the drive gears, if it was stuck in start position, then shifting to Park or Neutral would let it start again. Don't know why it would run and stall in drive gears intermittently. Perhaps the ignition switch is just a bit sticky. When you turn the key to start the car, does the key return to the run position, or does it stay twisted all the way in start?The computer could command a start, but seems less likely. The car was autostarting in Park. The computer would have to pull the start line high, but that's the same pin that it uses to read the park/neutral switch, so i it was pulling it high, there's no way for it to know the shifter was in park.Perhaps the AC/no AC was coincidental, and it worked ok for the ride home because the key didn't stick in the start position.

[2Dogs]

Thank you all - and err, giggled mucho on some of the responses. Haven't taken the ghost infected VIBE in yet, as Lucy is working fine. For a go cart