Why will my 2001 saturn start and run fine unless it is cold out

1991 SATURN SC1
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KRISTENCUPP
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I have a 2001 Saturn and it start and runs great when warm outside but when it gets below 50 it will cranck but wont start
we have changed the spark plus and pulg wires allso the coolpack and idk what all else please help
Dec 28, 2011 at 4:07 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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Have you checked the coolant temp sensor and connector?That sounds like the best place to start.
Dec 28, 2011 at 4:21 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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here is everything we have tried
fuel injectors
crankshaft sensor
egr valve
oxygen sensor
mass air flow
coolant temp sensor
Dec 28, 2011 at 4:23 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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could it have anything to do with the fuel pump?
Dec 28, 2011 at 4:35 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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That car doesnt have a mass airflow sensor.Which coolant temp sensor did you replace?The top one with one wire or the bottom one with two wires going to it?Also did you inspect the inside of the connector to see if the terminals are silver and not green or blue?Those coolant temp sensors leak coolant into the connectors corroding terminals causing the sensor to miss read.
Dec 28, 2011 at 4:43 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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i ment the map sensor.... and yes my husband tested and replaced both of them
Dec 28, 2011 at 4:49 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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The top one with one wire runs the gauge the bottom one with two wires is for the computer.Are you sure he inspected the connectors?Also you have to make sure you replace the bottom one with the correct sensor.I have seen people get the wrong bottom coolant temp sensor and that causes issues.Most of the time when i see cold start issue on those cars is a coolant temp sensor issue.Try this next time it wont start try holding the gas pedal all the way to the floor while starting it see if it starts that way.Also when its hard to start and it finally starts does black smoke ever come out of the exhaust pipe?Any trouble codes?Have you checked for codes yet?
Dec 28, 2011 at 5:08 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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no codes show and yes black smoke when it does start but just for like a sec and yes we have changed them both does the water pump have anything to do with it
Dec 28, 2011 at 5:13 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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The water pump has nothing to do with it the black smoke is another thing you see with a coolant temp sensor issue.It totally sounds like a temp sensor issue.You dont have a scan tool that can read live data on that car like coolant temp etc?
Dec 28, 2011 at 5:19 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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he bought a tester thing and we took it to the garge and no codes showed at all we changed them and it ran for awhile and quit agian
Dec 28, 2011 at 5:25 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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what is the dif in the two sencors
Dec 28, 2011 at 5:30 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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looking at the back of the motor the knock sencer the crankshaft sencer and there is another one what is it?
Dec 28, 2011 at 5:36 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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The top sensor is a single wire that just supplies the ground to the temp gauge based on temp the ground value varies.The bottom one has two wires one wire has 5 volts the sensor changes resistance based on temp the pcm tells coolant temp by how much voltage the sensor reads across it
Dec 28, 2011 at 5:43 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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The third one the big one would be the oil sending unit.
Dec 28, 2011 at 5:45 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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Ok well in the back of the motor they are 3 sencors the knock and the crankshaaft what is the other one
Dec 28, 2011 at 5:45 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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what is the security light?
Dec 28, 2011 at 5:59 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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Alright i just noticed you started the question 2001 saturn but on the cars info you put 1991 sc1.So lets get this squared away right now do you have a 2001 sc1?I had it in my head you had 1991 SC.
Dec 28, 2011 at 6:08 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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its a 2001 lol i was seeing the same thing idk what happened
sorry its a 2001 saturn sc1
Dec 28, 2011 at 6:16 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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So when you have the no start is the security light on solid or flashing?
Dec 28, 2011 at 6:18 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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its always flashing even when it starts
Dec 28, 2011 at 6:24 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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Sounds like you most likely have a bad pass lock sensor which is integral to the ignition housing.You need to get the body control module scanned for codes a auto parts store doesnt have a scanner to read those codes for free for you.
Dec 28, 2011 at 6:31 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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i went to a garage and nothing shows up where is the pass lock sensor is it behind the motor or where
Dec 28, 2011 at 6:34 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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Did they have a scan tool that was able to read body control module codes?Not all shops have the more advanced scanners that can read the body control module there expensive scanners.I already told you the pass lock sensor is integral to the ignition housing thats the housing that the ignition cylinder goes into.I have seen issues with those sensors before.I have also seen issues with the body control modules but not a whole lot of them.I have seen way more of the pass lock sensors fail.
Dec 28, 2011 at 6:45 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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ill have to check that pass lock and yes he had alot of dif thing he tested the car with and didnt find nothing the code reader he had was like 2000 so id say it should have showed something but ive never heard the passlock sensor and ive tryed looking for it at autozone but it dont show where can i find one
Dec 28, 2011 at 6:53 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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The reason you cant find it at auto zone is because its part of the ignition housing and they dont sell that ignition housing.
Dec 28, 2011 at 6:58 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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so where would i get one and are the really high priced and that is what would cause it not to start in cold weather
Dec 28, 2011 at 7:00 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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1-800-694-3089 Thats the number for the saturns parts experts on the www.parts.com website.Give them a call and tell them your looking for ignition housing with the pass lock sensor in it.They will give you a part number and tell you how to find that part on there site.I have gotten hard to find saturn parts from them before its a good place to get factory parts.Iam not saying its for sure that the pass lock sensor is bad causing the no start when cold.But the security light should only be on when the security system has been set off.It sounds most likely a bad sensor though with the symptoms.But they usually set codes in the body control module thats why i asked are sure there scanner reads body control modules.
Dec 28, 2011 at 7:23 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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if you change the cars ignition would it cause that light to come on i forgot that we had to put a new ignition in it
Dec 28, 2011 at 7:29 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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or could it be the fuel pump
Dec 28, 2011 at 7:30 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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Did you only replace the ignition cylinder where the key goes in?If so that will not turn the security light on.Also a bad fuel pump wouldnt turn the security light on.
Dec 28, 2011 at 7:40 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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yes thats all that we replced was the one where the key goes
Dec 28, 2011 at 7:43 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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No that does have the pass lock sensor in it just a magnet that the pass lock sensor has to see to allow the car to start.So when it doesn start how long does it not start for?
Dec 28, 2011 at 7:49 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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it just dont start at all when its cold like it will crank and and start and shuts right off it just started doing it when it turned cold
Dec 28, 2011 at 7:55 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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So the security light on solid or flashing even when its warm outside?
Dec 28, 2011 at 8:00 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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flashing it has been doing it ever since we changed the ignition
but it just quit start the end of nov
Dec 28, 2011 at 8:07 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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Thats crazy i have replaced tons of those its the same cylinder and housing as the saturn vue so i have replaced tons of those cylinder between the two of them.I have had the security light come on after replacing a cylinder.Take a look on the bottom side of the housing where key cylinder slides into the housing.You will see a small connector thats where the pass lock sensor plugs in.Make sure the wires arent damaged or that connector isnt loose and not plugged in all the way.Actually unplug the sensor and replug it back in even if it looks like its plugged all the way.Let me know what you find and if the light shuts off.
Dec 28, 2011 at 4:10 PM
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KRISTENCUPP
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ok so i was just told that the light didnt start comming on until my husband hooked up a new cd player would that cause anything?
Dec 29, 2011 at 3:43 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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If he tapped into the wrong wires did he do it right and buy a jumper harness so he wouldnt have to cut any wires?
Dec 29, 2011 at 3:59 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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Did you ever try what i asked you to try with unpluging and reseting the pass lock connector position and inspecting the wire?
Dec 29, 2011 at 6:13 AM
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KRISTENCUPP
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Yes but that is not why it will not start
it wouldn't start before that happened
Dec 30, 2011 at 6:28 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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So did he cut into any wires when he installed the radio?Or did he use a jumper harness that doesnt require cutting any wires?Also did you make sure the pass lock sensor is plugged in correctly and that wire going to it isnt damaged?
Dec 30, 2011 at 6:37 PM