Car Starting Problems

Push the red button.

In the luggage area behind one of the panels, either on the right or left, there is a little box with a red button on it. Push that button. It is the fuel pump safety cutoff relay reset. If you hit a pothole hard, or hit something while driving, it cuts the pump off.

Ignition switch should be connected to a rod that runs down the steering column to the actual switch at the lower end of the column. Check to see if this rod has become disconnected or broken

Put a stethoscope or a plastic tube onto the solenoid, listen at it while a friend turns the starter. If solenoid clicks it is good. -Problem then is low battery or dud starter.

There are 4 things an engine needs to run; Fuel, Air, Spark, and Compression. Your engine isn't getting one of those 4 things.

Check the air intake for restrictions as a clogged air filter. Next verify that the injectors are actually delivering fuel to the engine by unbolting the fuel rail and pulling the injectors out a little. Have someone crank the engine and watch to see if they are spraying fuel. If that checks out, you need to get a compression gauge. Your insert the compression gage into a spark plug port and crank the engine (you need to also disconnect the ignition coils).

I can't give you the exact compression specification without knowing the year of your car, but you should be able to find it through an internet search or by contacting the service department of a VW dealership. If the compression is off, then the timing chain might be broken, the heads could be shot, or the piston rings need to be replaced.

Could be: Seized engine Weak battery loose or corroded battery cables Bad starter solenoid

Bad starter Bad neutral or clutch safety switch

starter or CKP sensor?

That is very likely a slightly loose serpentine or other drive belt. In colder weather belts get stiffer and slicker, fluid (as in the steering pump) gets thicker and harder to turn . If it diminishes when your car warms up, that is almost certainly the cause. - Let a mechanic hear it and diagnose it. There is also the possibility it could be a bearing worn in alternator or any other belt driven part.

My 2000 Catera does the same and that is why I am here today searching for answers..............my suspicion is the immobilizer may be shutting off the fuel and igntion and that module I have yet to find................on another discussion it was said to be in the steering columbe under the lock barrell

Test battery with a load tester.

If battery passes you have a problem with connections or cables.

your problem is one that i have encountered numerous times, you need to replace key cylinder with key, cylinder has a microchip in it with two very thin wires coming out of it (something like 30 gauge or 35,very thin) wires usually break because of constant movement, causing open circuit and computer system not acknowledging correct key used due to vehicle pass-lock II ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM

If it has a manual transmission - yes.

Auto tranny - no.

Yes

i have a '97 3.8 v6 which has problems turning over. i usually have to try like 3 or so times. i havent diagnosed exactly what it is ~ either the fuel pump, FPR, or hopefully just needs a new fuel filter. either way, there isn't enough pressure to pump in enough fuel to start the engine. try turning the ignition on and off a few times, you should hear like a humming noise coming from the pump, wait for that to stop before you turn it off again... if you do this and it starts with more ease than usual i would recommend looking into diagnosing the above. good luck.

yes! change the starter!

So it would seem.

If the ignition is in the column it may also be jammed by the steering wheel lock. Try turning the steering wheel and holding it while turning the ignition key.

I own this same model and the problem i am having is the fuel pump keeps going out. From what I have found out, this is a common problem for this type and year.

Your engine computer has died. When mine went a little puff of smoke rose almost dead center on the windshield. The earlier generation Stealths / 3000gts used electrolytic caps which had a 7 year life. Some of them lasted much longer. Like yours, for example. I'm shopping for a repair service now. The common deal looks like it'll cost $275. Let me know if you find a good deal!

well you need a mechanic to check it but could be your timing belt gone which isn't good and can be expensive but very hard to say without seeing it so better get it to a mechanic most wont charge for checking it they will charge for the repair

Sounds like it needs an overhaul.

Poor oil pressure can be due to worn main & rod bearings and the shaking with failure to start means low or no compression which can be worn valves and/or worn piston rings.

Just sounds like it needs a new motor.

Also could be a broken timing chain which means the valves aren't being moved and the cam isn't turning so the oil pump isn't being driven.

Sorry, sounds bad.

i had a problem may be similar to that, the problem turn out to be that i had a loose ground connection at the battery, i had 2 thick wires and a skinny wire between them, so the skinny wire was not as thight as the other 2 fat ones. and with the vibration from the vehicle it used to separate for a split second causing my engine to shut off.(that wire was the only path that my engine had for its ground) but after the vehicle stoped moving it would just start again like nothing ever happened.and yes the oil and engine light would come on too.

check your ground conections.if you were making a turn then you may want to look at another reason for that for ex, broken/corroded gas tank bafles. when the bafles go and you make a turn the gasoline would be sent to the side of the gas tank away from the fuel pump causing your vehicle to shut off until the gas returns to the center of the tank .it happens.

Its because your battery is "dead" OR your battery terminals aren't making good connection to the battery post they may need tightening

Assuming it's diesel check the glow plug/s is/are getting a voltage for a number of seconds when the ignition is first turned on. If they are then switch the ignition off, unscrew and lift the thick wire off all of them. Get a meter on the ohms range and put one probe to plug screw thread and the other to the engine block; the meter should show continuity or a very low ohms reading. Alternatively get a single filament 12v bulb, and connect between the battery POSITIVE and the screw thread of each glow plug in turn. If the lamp doesn't light the glow plug is shot. They vary in price but most are reasonable and widely available.