Car Starting Problems

I've had to replace the fuel pumps on each of my Dodge Shadows. An easy check is to turn the ignition key to just before the starter starts to crank, and you should hear the whirling sound of the fuel pump. The sound only lasts a second or two so listen closely. The gasoline can start to develop a sticky substance in it if it just sits around for along time. There is a product called "Stabil" or something like that, that you can get at the auto parts store if you plan on keeping gas in the car for along time, to prevent this. Of course its to late now, but keep in mind for next time.

Have you replaced the distributor cap? I have a 94 Maxima that would not start due to a cracked distributor cap. (Check for sparks under the hood when it's dark.)

Disconnect - battery terminal Raise and support vehicle Disconnect wiring harness at top of starter Remove mounting bolts Remove starter

The most common failure is a poor connection at the battery. Make certain the terminals are clean and tight. Also make certain the ground cables are in good condition and not loose. Other things to check would include the "S" terminal on the starter solenoid, The neutral safety switch and possible anti-theft systems and devices that can disable the starter.

On these vans, there's a long interlock rod that operates the ignition switch. That's way down on the steering column not behind the key where you'd expect it to be. There's, also, a vacuum switch on the brake peddle. The key and rod has to be in "run" and the brake has to be engaged before you get it out of park. I'll bet your switch or solenoid is bad. Since you can start it, you can get the vacuum up enough to "feel" the brake switch. If your run mode is ok, - all the dash lights come on, ignition box is powered - you should be able to jump the starter solenoid and crank it. Then you'll have vacuum, you press the brake and shift it. You can use a test light to see if you're getting power to the solenoid. Yes - it's the solenoid. No - it's the switch, fuse, bad wire???? I have the same stuff in mine and I've had to work on that myself. Mine was getting stuck in between crank and run. You could start it, but, nothing else was comming on. A big dose of WD40 in the switch was the cure.

Have You Tried The Starter Inhibitator? On Autos They Have A Switch That Stops The Car Being Started In Any Gear settings Other Than Netural Or Park And Some Even Have Them On The Brake Pedals Too So That You Have To Start Them With It In Neutral/park And Have Your Foot On The Brake Pedal. You Can Bypass Them But I'm Unsure How To Or You Can Remove And Replace Them. Regards M.R.

I also have a '98 Kia Sephia with the same problem. It worked fine (surged between 0 and 15MPH, but no big deal) then one day I started it, pulled in to a parking lot turned it off and it wouldn't turn back on for quite some time. A mechanic friend found out that my crank(shaft) position sensor was going bad. The sensor tells the computer that the crankshaft is turning. This is critical for starting the car and keeping it running. If the sensor reports no RPMs then the computer shuts of the fuel pump. He found this out with a tester he hooked up to the DLC and with the spark plugs unplugged turned the engine over and it wouldn't start because the sensor reported no RPMs. When the car would die while I was driving it the sensor would also report no RPMs. We first thought the fuel pump was to blame, but it wasn't. These cars get pretty tricky.

Dead battery, disconnected wire, failed computer, failed fuel pump, out of fuel,

purge valve is bad causing fuel vapors from tank to go into intake flooding the engine.

It COULD, but multiple plugs would have to be very fouled. If just one has gone bad, the vehicle would still start, but would just be "missing" on that one cylinder.

Seized Engine? Loose or corroded battery cables? Bad starter? Bad starter solenoid? Dead battery? Bad neutral or clutch safety switch?

because its to cold

Fuel pump may have an intermitent problem check fuel system

If it is like the 89 Colt 1.5 liter engine, it is bolted into the transmission bell behind the engine, below the intake manifold, on the left side. It is really hard to see, and harder to work on. However, I was able to change my solenoid by removing the car battery and air cleaner and intake hose so that I had easy access to the left side of the engine. Then I removed the distributor cap so I could squeeze my right arm behind the engine to unscrew the wires to the solenoid.

In the fuel tank

You need 4 things. Fuel, Oxygen, Spark and Compression. If any one of these elements are missing then it will not start. By a process of elimination you should be able to determine which one is missing, pretty quickly. 90% of the time it is a sensor that is not sending correct information to the onboard computer. A fauly sensor is easy to figure out if you plug into the computer and read the error codes. Nowdays, cars tell you what is wrong.

Its a 94 Probe and my son stuck the key in tonight and the car wont turn on

Cranks but won't start:
In a situation like that I always tell people to go back to the basics: Spark, fuel and Compression. If you have all three, it should start. The spark has to be at the correct timing, but if the vehicle was running and suddenly stopped, there isn't much reason to believe that the timing changed. The fuel has to be delivered in an approximately correct quantity for the engine to run right but it should at least pop and attempt to start. So... Start with fuel. Using starting fluid, spray in the throat of the throttle body while a friend attempts to start the engine. If the engine runs while you're spraying, you probably have a fuel problem. Check the fuel line for pressure. If you don't have any it's probably the fuel pump. It's in the tank and you'll have to drop the tank in a suburban to get to the fuel pump. It isn't as bad as it sounds. Disconnect the battery first. Siphon out as much as you can get easily, disconnect the fuel fill pipe from the tank, using a floor jack, support the tank while you remove the straps. There are usually only two. Once the straps are disconnected, lower the tank and remove the fuel line and the wires to operate the fuel pump and fuel gague. You'll have to clean the top of the tank so that you don't get debris inside, then remove the screws and work the pump assembly out of the tank. On the other hand... if you have fuel pressure and the engine doesn't start when you use the starter fluid, you probably have a problem with ignition. Pull one spark plug wire, then using a spare plug from some other source, attach the wire to the spare plug and lay the plug on a metal part of the engine, then crank the engine and watch the plug. If you have spark it might be something else. If there is no spark, find out why. It could be the pickup coil, electronic ignition module, high voltage coil or even a bad rotor in the distributor. It's all a process of elimination. Remember the words of Sherlock Holms, "When all other possibilities have been eliminated..."

Could be flooded (especially if carbureted), you could have a wire disconnected if you've been messing around under the hood, or there could be humidity in the distributor.



A common fault is the Crank Position Sensor (CPS).
This is an induction coil mounted just above the crank pulley.
If the tachometer does not register at all during cranking, the CPS has probably failed.

Their is a "jump start" connector under the hood. Near pass shock tower, near belts. You have to open the plastic cover labeled "jumpstart". Hook negative up to bolt on motor mount.

Start "live" vehicle

Connect + cable from "live" vehicle to + battery terminal on "dead" vehicle

Connect - cable from "live" vehicle to good engine ground on "dead" vehile

Let vehicles sit for about 5 minutes allowing "live" to charge "dead"

Try to start "dead" vehicle

If yours is like my 98, and the battery is under the backseat, there is a little black box on the top of the wheel well inside the engine compartment on the left side. It has a + sign on it. Flip up the plastic lid. This is the positive terminal. Hook up the negative to the engine or frame for a ground. This is how you jump it, or put a boost pack on it to start the car. I have been told, never to boost another car with this method. It will damage the battery and/or car. Only boost another car with a Riviera by hooking up directly to the battery. You will need long cables. LOL

fuel pump

The battery does not have sufficient voltage to start the car when it's cold. Have the battery checked out. If it still goes click click after running the car for a while, have the alternator checked also. A bad battery will not hold a charge and a bad alternator will not recharge the battery, (That is the reason to have the battery checked first).

Make sure the connections at the battery are clean and tight.

the starter is located on the front of the engine.when you open the hood just look straight down and you should be able to see it.the easiest way to test it is to remove it and take it to you local parts store.they can usually test them there.