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Sig220_Ruger77
The girlfriend was heading to work the other day(Friday) and her car would not start. She said "It would not turn over or anything." I don't have to work on Friday's so she just took my vehicle to work. She then called me a hour or so after she had arrived at work and told me about the car. I went out to work on it and figured before I messed around with anything, I would give it a try. Started first try, no problems at all. It has been started 10+ times since then and we haven't had any problems with it whatsoever. My first thought was maybe a dirty battery post, but they were fine. She claims that she didn't push on the gas before starting the vehicle either. I am a little confused, anybody have a suggestions on what the heck happened? Like I said, it has started fine ever since then, but I don't want her to be a couple hours from home on a below zero day and have it happen again. The vehicle is a 04' Saturn Ion.

Jon
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Comments

13 comments

Date Votes
  • pitbud5
    If the key was turned and nothing............most likely a starter that needs to be replaced. She may have thought she heard nothing but if you hear a click and nothing happens I would replace the starter.

    Sit in the car and try starting the car a total of 5 to 10 times. If it starts turn it off and try again. If it a starter you will find out. Also make sure to try and duplicate the problem tomorrow morning when it is still most likely cold out.

    Brushes not making contact with the armature is most likely the cause. This is why on most motors (fuel pump, window motors, ect.) I they are acting up and not working you can give them a swift punch, kick, or tap with the hammer and they will work................until it hits the dead spot again.
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  • victorlvlb
    How old is the car?
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  • Sig220_Ruger77
    quote:How old is the car?

    2004 with 51,000 on it.

    Jon
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  • Zebra
    Check the wire to the ground on the starter before you replace it. Alot of mid 90's Fords had this problem because the wire was not insulated at the spade connections.
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  • Colt Super
    Daughter did the same thing a few years ago.

    Foot had to be on the brake pedal to start.

    Doug
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  • brier-49
    neutral safety switch,sometimes just a light touch of the shift lever is enough.
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  • D1
    quote:Originally posted by brier-49
    neutral safety switch,sometimes just a light touch of the shift lever is enough.


    That's what I thought. My wifes Mercury Marquis did that at day care one afternoon and I had to go diagnose it and fix it in the parking lot. I got the shift lever tightened up while I was down there.
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  • Queen of Swords
    could be the actual ignition switch..seen that a few times. if it doesn't try the first time, try it in rapid fire succession. if it does it again, leave it in park, unhook the trigger wire, (usually a blade type connector) put a test light on it, and ground the other end.....have someone try the key. if it lights up, then the trigger i getting power and the problem is slsewhere.....

    if the starter just 'clicks' it's the starter, or possibly bad terminal.

    also make sure that the trigger, (small wire) on the solenoid isn't cheesed up. what will happen is after a nice salt bath, it will get a layer of corrosion and marginal contact will become no contact.
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  • HandLoad
    Loose battery connection or it might just be all oxidised or dirty.

    Had a girlfriend who had all sorts of junk on her keyring - so heavy that it wore out the IGN switch.

    One dead winding (mentioned above) in the starter could do it.

    Bad starter brushes (mentioned above) could do it.

    Once saw a starter LOOSE, caused that symptom, too, as the ground for the soleniod was through the starter body, and it was loose and oily.
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  • 47studebaker
    standard trans ? if so the clutch has to be depressed ALL THE WAY, heard a story once about a foriegn pickup with thick floor mats, some times it would start and others not.
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  • e8gm
    Maybe she just wanted to drive your car for a change.
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  • Sig220_Ruger77
    quote:neutral safety switch,sometimes just a light touch of the shift lever is enough.

    Very good possibility that this could have been it. She tryed starting the car from the passenger side and was probably leaning on the shift lever while trying to reach over. That would also mean that she didn't have her foot on the brake and if the vehicle has some sort of safety feature dealing with that, it could be a possibility. Either way, the car started fine again this morning. Thanks for all of the help and suggestions guys, I really appreciate it.

    Jon
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  • Sig220_Ruger77
    quote:Maybe she just wanted to drive your car for a change.

    She claims she hates my vehicle, but I think that she just don't want to admit how much she likes it.[:D]

    Jon
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