Stupid car wont start!!
 

Ok.. yesterday I was driving around town fine, I stopped to get some keys copied and when I came back out (not even 5 min) my car wouldnt start. The radio reset which made me think something with the battery. Well the key guy came out to help me.. he jiggled around the gear shifter (automatic) in park and started it .. it started fine. I ran a few more errands without any problems.

Then today I go to leave and it wont start! I jiggled around the shifter but it didnt work. At first it seemed like it was going to start, I had power and I heard the fuel pump. After a couple tries, it wouldnt even give me any sound.. just wouldnt do anything.

The battery is not more than a few (maybe 6) months old. I'm going to try to see if it will jump when my bf gets back but I dunno what else it could be!

Sounds like it could possibly be your neutral saftey switch, I'm not too familiar with auto's though. Your battery could also be the culprit. Also check the battery cables. ~Brian

Well I just had a neighbor try to jump it. I got power (lights came on etc) but it just made a clicking noise, didnt start. Sounds like the battery.. same thing happened to me last time. But I'm pissed because I go through batteries faster than most people. *sigh*

If his jumper cables are good and they were hooked up good, that pretty much eliminates your battery because you were working from his. look real close at your battery cable connections at both ends... they have to be tight and clean. I'd take a closer look at that neutral safety switch as venum suggested too.

I took the battery to Kraegen and its good. Blargh. So they cleaned the terminals.. and I got home and scraped the inside of the connectors to make some silver show, hooked it back up and the car started.

They said it could be either the solinoid, starter starting to go bad or that neutral safety switch. But they said if it were the safety switch the car wouldnt make any noise at all when trying to start it, and it does make some clicking noises the first couple of times, then it makes no noise at all. However, like I said before the key guy jiggled around the shifter and got it to start.. but that only worked that one time and not the last time.

Where the heck is the safety switch anyway? I really hate cars.

Dooh ... forgot about the starter selenoid, and its a common problem... have someone turn the key to start then tap the selenoid lightly with the back end of a screwdriver ... if the starter takes off when you do that, replace the selenoid (check for loose wires first). I don't know where they are mounting the safety switches now days ... they use to be on the side of the transmission ???

Tap it though, when the car wont start? Because it seems to start a few times fine then not.. which makes me think it has to do with the starter.. then the fact that there is noise and clicking, which makes me think its not the neutral safety switch.. in any case I have a friend coming over now to take a look. See if he can figure anything out.

Yep... the're just a big switch, and many times they go bad by binding up and not making good contact. If you turn the key over to start and hold it there, then tap on it a little, sometimes it will unbind, make contact and your starter will take off, then you can be reasonably sure its the selenoid. The sometimes working sometimes not, and the clicking is typical of a starter selenoid going bad too.

Hmm ok.. well my very car knowledgable friend came to check it out. He sais the selenoid is actually on top of the starter, which we cant see. The starter relay switch is what I thought was the selenoid. It sits against the car frame near the battery. Anyway.. he thinks its either the selenoid or the starter but that they both come together, meaning I'd have to replace both. He sais he'd do it for me for a cigar LOL. We'll see if the car starts tomorrow then I'll go from there.

Usually when the starter goes bad, it cranks the engine real slow, especially when hot. It could be the starter mounted solenoid, but I would have a close look at the cable going to the starter.

Take care,
~Chris

Since you said the radio reset, I would say the problem lies in your battery cables somewhere. Check all the connections, especially the one at the starter like PKRWUD said, and the ground on your engine block.

Car started fine today. Argh. I wonder if it was just the dirty terminals. I will check all the connections again. Thanks.

Sounds like the starter to me. If not, it could be cables going to starter.

Car started fine throughout the day. I replaced the battery connectors that go to the terminals just to be safe.. they looked pretty cruddy. I guess if I have problems again in the near future I will assume its the starter. I cant even see the starter so I dont know what cables are going there. :(

Dude! I just finished dealing with the exact same issue yesterday afternoon! I would turn the key....nothing. I would have to pump the ignition key 4-5 times before the starter would come to life. I could hear the relay clicking away. I tried the battery out of my uncles car and still the same. I replaced the starter and, to my dismay, still the same. Just for chuckles, I got down under the car, disconnected the starter main power wire from the starter and sanded it and cleaned the starter side terminal (it got a bit gunky during installation...that top bolt is the bane of my existence) with some fast orange. Reattached the lead and the car started the second the key hit start and ever since. Try a simple cleaning down there.

Starters can act pretty funny sometimes. When I start having problems, i usually just replace them so it does not leave me somewhere. Has the starter ever been changed? If not its probably about due. As for the wires, the positive cable that goes from the fender mounted solenoid goes to the starter(thick red one). Its hard to see the connection at the starter though unless you are under the car. Starter is on passenger side mounted between the engine block and transmission bell housing. Sometimes that starter wire touches a hot exhaust part and arcs when it touches the metal. In other words the rubber insulation of the cable burns thru to the metal, touches metal exhaust(a ground) and shorts out. But my guess would still be the starter going bad. I would not trust it if it allready gave you trouble. It probably will act up again.

Well its been 4 days now and my car has started fine every time. I guess it was just a connection/dirty problem with the battery cables. I would expect if it was the starter it would have continued to give me problems and eventually died completely.

Thanks for your advice everyone!