Starter Problem

[kjordan]

I have a very strange problem. 1 month ago, I parked my car in a parking lot, left it for approximately 1 hour, came out to start the car and it would not start. I turned the switch, the light on the digital lights up, but you do not hear a sound. The voltmeter shows 12 and the lights work fine. I waited for approximately 30 minutes and it switched right on. After several starts with no problem, on Friday, I tried to start it and again the same ptoblem except on this day I had left it for 6 hours and the same result. Today, I tried to turn it on and on the first two turns of the switch, nothing, the third time it came right on.

Does anybody have an answer?;help

 

[G Winter]

If it is an auto it could be your neutral saftey switch. Might be out of adjustment or need a new switch. Move the shifter back and forth and see if it makes a diff.
Welcome to the forum.

Glenn

 

[marathon26]

My vote would be a vats problem. My C4 did that and I finally just had the vats disabled.

 

[kjordan]

Thanks for the reply's. What is vats?:confused

 

[kjordan]

On the last it occurred, I placed the shifter in neutral and tried to start it with no success. I will try shaking it next time.

 

[Edmond]

Thanks for the reply's. What is vats?:confused

I think it stands for Vehicle Anti-Theft System but I could be wrong.

You can also pull the starter off and have it checked at most auto parts stores. There are only two bolts and two connections holding the starter on. Drive the car up a set of rhino ramps, disconnect that battery and you'll have that starter out in 5 minutes flat.

 

[rascal_rascal_99]

This could also be a symptom of a loose battery cable.

 

[Baldie88]

Had the exact same problem with my 88. Symptoms were exactly the same. I bypassed the VATS and still had the intermittant no-start. There's a starter enable relay behind the DIC that was replaced. Dealer checked and it would fail intermittantly on bench-check. Neutral safety switch checked OK. When I still had the same problem I finally changed the starter. It's been almost a year now with no problem.

Hope you find your problem because it's pretty frustrating being stuck somewhere. Seems like mine only acted up when I was a couple hundred miles from home.

Ron
"Baldie88"

 

[speedmaster4]

does the starter ''click'' at all when you turn the key, or does your ''not hear a sound'' mean what it sez ???

 

[lone73]

Had the exact same problem with my 88.....I still had the same problem I finally changed the starter. It's been almost a year now with no problem.
"Baldie88"

I've had two cars give me that exact same symptom. Starter problem both times.