AZMaxima53

Have had an ongoing problem with starting. Sometimes, it will start on the first try, sometimes it takes up to 7 or 8 tries. When I turn the key and it doesn't start, I hear NOTHING (except what I think is the fuel pump, when I turn the key just to "on" the first time. I can try as many as 7 or 8 times, maybe more, and it finally starts. Last night, right after I shut it off, just for fun I put it in neutral and tried starting it again. Started the first time. This morning, after it sat all night, I tried starting it in neutral again. Started like a charm.

But, because I really need it to start reliably, and didn't know if those starts were flukes, I dropped it off at my mechanic across the street. Of course, they can't duplicate the problem. A guy I've had work on it several times in the past tried to check it out a couple of weeks ago, and it started just fine for him, too.....

Battery was tested and connections to the cables tightened and cleaned early on in this problem.

Things I'm reading online seem to suggest the neutral safety switch. I'm starting to feel like I don't know how to start a car, but I know that's not the case.

Anyone shed any light on this??

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

It certainly sounds like the park/neutral switch on the shift lever. If the car starts every time when the shift lever is in neutral, the park/neutral switch is your problem. If you want to experiment, try pushing and/or pulling on the shift lever while it is in park.

The way the park/neutral switch works is that it sits between the ignition switch and the starter. If the transmission is not in park or neutral, the 12 volts from the ignition switch does not get to the starter. However, the 12 volts for the starter does not go through park/neutral switch. The park/neutral switch operates a relay that opens and closes the circuit for the starter.

If you want to prove or eliminate the park/neutral switch as the problem, go under the hood and in front of the battery is a box with relays in it. Remove the relay labeled INHIBIT and install a jumper wire in pins 6 and 7 of the relay socket. The pin numbers are on the bottom of the relay itself.

If you do this, the starter will work any time you turn the key to start. You don't want to do that when you are cruising down the highway.

AZMaxima53

The mechanic tested the battery, the charging system, and the neutral safety switch. All A-OK. He thinks it's the starter, based on the noise he heard the one time he turned the key and it wouldn't start, but he's not ready to say that's the problem and replace it. I ran some errands after I left, and it started every time, in park or neutral. Got home, it sat for an hour, tried to start it again, in both park and neutral, it finally started on about the 10th try. So, I am not sure the park/neutral switch is it, either.

Wish I could just replace the whole car at this point, but that's not an option.

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

OK, then I would remove the INHIBIT relay and put a jumper in and see how that works. If you still have problems, it is either the starter or the ignition switch.

At this point what we really need to find out is if the starter is getting 12 volts on the solenoid trigger wire. A really mickey mouse way of doing this would be to attach a wire to the solenoid trigger wire, run the wire into the car where you can see it and attach it to a small light bulb. When ever you turn the key to the START position, the light bulb should light. If it doesn't, it's an ignition switch problem. If the light lights and the starter doesn't crank the engine over, it's the starter.

AZMaxima53

So, based on last night's misbehavior, I took it back over to the mechanic -- it behaved perfectly for them this time, not even one hint of trouble... (wonder if having the testing equipment on it makes a difference??? - yes, getting a little crazy here). Ignition switch was actually tested yesterday and passed with flying colors. So, unless it's that "slop" thing, that's not it.

Anyway, I'm crossing my fingers for the next five days, as I have to drive it, can't use public transit to get where I need to go. After that, we will see what happens next.

AZMaxima53

It kept on starting through the weekend, actually seemed to work best in the cold weather. Go figure. But, it finally decided to completely refuse to start this morning at work. Fortunately, the mechanic is a block away, and he walked over and whacked the starter several times in an attempt to start it. It finally did start, so he could drive it to the shop and replace the starter. All better now. (and, they replaced the coolant hose that attaches to the manifold pipe, which must have just failed, or I would have noticed it). I'm out some $$$, but I know the car will start now!

Thanks, all!

AZMaxima53

Well, guess what, it's doing it AGAIN. Wouldn't start for me in park (forgot to check it in neutral) Had it towed to the mechanic, who has agreed to honor the warranty on the starter if that's the problem. Started right up when they pulled it off the truck. They checked it over (not sure what they did). It occurred to me that maybe it wasn't all the way in park when I tried to start it (automatic transmission on the floor). So, I took it back. It started there, again when I got home, and then again when I left to run an errand, but then would not start to go home. Had it towed home (it was after hours) and kept it over the weekend, tried starting it every day (park and neutral) I did not try repeatedly each time, I'd forgotten until I looked up this thread today that I did that last year.

The mechanics had it towed to them today, same thing happened. Started right up for them, they are "trying to get it to fail"- I told them there had to be something wrong, as I do know how to start a car. Any ideas, other than it has to be the starter again?

jjubert

iTrader: (2)

Was the starter refurbished? I had the same issue about 10 months ago...replaced starter with refurbished one, problem came back a week later...replaced that one with a brand new starter and haven't had the problem ever since.

I30T 2000

Hey, AZMaxima,

It's been a few years now. Was this resolved? If so, how?

Thank you.

MadMax SE

I was fighting this exact problem, sometimes it would fire up instantly, other times just crank away...... After ruining a new starter by cranking it to hell i bought another and still had starting issues. burned the prevous one out in a month. As soon as i pulled a bolt out of the starter and grounded it to the battery negative it has never had a hard start again! i flick my keys and now it instantly turns over 236k miles aswell on original motor