My 89 SE suddenly won't start. All the lights, bells, fans etc will work, so the battery is charged and the terminals are OK. When you turn the key all the way, the starter makes NO sounds. I pulled the starter and took it in to a shop. THey tested it, opened it up and said, "there's nothing wrong with it". I reinstalled it , checked the fuse and fusible link (I think) and it still does nothing. i guessing the problem now may be a defective relay, wiring problem or ignition switch.


Does this car have a relay? If so where is it? Any comments will be accepted.
Thanks.

 

try jumpstarting it w/ another car...if it starts then you need a new battery.

FYI there can be enough of a charge to run accessories...but not enough to start the car.

 

The battery is less that one year old and has been fine. I can get the starter to turn on the car by shorting between the hot terminal and the ignition wire. I meant to include that tidbit earlier. But I will try the jump start this afternoon.

 

good plan..the die hard gold that was in my fathers car went bad after 9 months..all the lights would come on, but it wouldn't start it..and the 60 month interstate battery in my max went bad after 37 months..so batteries go bad long before their time is up..

 

I went home and jumped the car and it started right up.
I wouldn't have believed it. I guess I'll take it in and
get the battery and alternator checked.
Thanks

 

If they check out fine, a problem that can occur intermittently is the neutral safety switch. (assuming you have an auto) Push the shifter all the way forward, or put the car in neutral and wiggle the shifter around while trying to start it.

 

Something like this happened to my friends 4th gen. It turned out she needed a main fuse. I htought I checked it, but obviously I wasn't good enough. heh.

 

i've been around cars for quite some time

 

I drove the car to work this morning and its acting normal. Still going to take it by AZ because the battery has a two year full replacement warranty.

I really think the car is haunted. When the Bose stereo was working , it would make squealing-squalling noises. My daughter was driving the car during that time and told me it had poltergists.

 

that's normal of the bose system bugging out.
age does that to electronics.

since you drove it a little it might have charged up the battery a little more...enough to start it up again.