Sorry for the undescriptive title, but I don't know what to call this. When I first got my car, it wouldn't start sometimes. I would turn the key all the way, but nothing would happen. No noises, no nothing in the engine, just the electronics. My dad told me to move the shifter from P to 1 to P again. I did, and after turning the key, it started. The same thing has been happening to me since, but since I have a solution, I don't care too much. It happens at random times, so I have no idea what causes it. I have two questions:
1) Why does my car not start sometimes?
2) Why does moving the shifter help start the car?

Thanks guys. I would have searched, but for what?

 

Sounds like your PNP (park-neutral position) switch is going bad, is out of adjustment, or has a loose connection. The PNP switch is what prevents you from starting the engine with the shifter in a drive gear. By shifting through the gears, you're knudging it just enough to close the circuit and start the engine, until the connection comes loose or the switch gets out of adjustment again.

 

thanks man. should i bother replacing it? or is it just there to make sure i dont start in gear? how much would this cost? is this the only thing it could be? sorry for all the questions....learning is fun

 

My '96 had a similiar problem, as did a '78 Camaro. It very well could be the neutral safety switch (PNP switch from other post). On my '96, it was the linkage going into the side of the transmission. Looking under the car from the front, on the driver's side you'll see a linkage going into the side of the transmission (you'll know it when you see it. I'm going off memory here). There is a nut on it, 12mm I think, that you should make sure is tight (don't over-tighten, but check to see if you can move the linkage in it). Mine was a little loose, so there was some play in the linkage. I had to play around with it to get it "adjusted" just right to where the car would start in park and neutral. Hope this helps.

Dave