Crank will not start

As far as the computer they don't have a problem with them have worked for Saturn fixing cars over 16 years an haven't replaced many of the computers in all those years.with the LS model body control computers they have problem with those.he is on the right track with reading too low of temperature but replaced the wrong sensor sounds like you need a coolant temperature sensor it's screwed into the head below where the upper hose goes on.it has two wires going to it a yellow one and a black one make sure u check the connector if it's corroded then replace the connector too.make sure you get brass tipped sensor the plastic tipped ones crack.make sure the engine is cold and you will loose coolant.Saturn had trouble with these sensors from 1991 until like 2001 till they changed to the brass tipped ones.there under 20 let me know what u find.

Also check this guide out:
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-cranks-but-wont-start

thanks for your quick answer. I will check and let you know.

some good and some not so good news. the sensors were replaced. the battery leaked. it was replaced along with wires below it that the corrosion ate up. the computer was replaced with another used one. it worked ... for a week. now we have similar problems - again. I haven't figured-out what led to the following situation - but now i can start the car, it turns on, but as soon as i let go of the gas pedal (that is, let it idle) the engine dies.
i know you are not supposed to press on the gas pedal when starting it. i do press on the gas pedal as soon as the engine starts, else it will die. when i let go of the gas pedal, the engine dies. i can smell fumes as if it had been flooded. any thought as to what i should test or observe?
thanks

after letting the car sit overnight, i tried to start it again and this is what happened. i started the engine, gave it a little gas for several seconds, let go and it idled ok. smelled like rich fuel. an hour later, started the engine without giving gas and it ran nicely. an hour later started again without gas, and it would not start. tried again with a little gas and it stayed running.
so, if it doesn't start the first time without giving it gas, then it seems to start the second time with giving a little gas. naiive as i am, something is not regulating the flow of gas. yes/no?

its probably something to do with that acid leaking into the harness i had a car like that ran really weird and come to find that the acid got into the harness and was eating the wires up and that was skewing the semsor readings.once the acid gets into ur harness its like a cancer and justs keeps eating away.was the acid neautrlized with a acid neautrlizer?that could be ur problem all a long the acid is just working its way thru ur harness.do u have any codes?please check that for me that could really help if u do.let me know what u find.

the harness has been replaced, so i was told. i'd better check how much of it was truly replaced.
i don't have the equipment to determine the codes. i'll have to ask the technician.

If u don't live in california then any auto parts store like autozone can read ur codes.yeah once the acid gets in there I have tried to repair harness but some of them I just ha to replace the whole engine harness.let me know what u find out .

My timing belt was broken so we replaced it and the water pump. we were told that the valves and head gasket were fine. but it still wont start? whats the problem what do i need to replace?

start with a compression test?? how did they, whoever they are, determine the valves were ok??

Roy

he did a compression test and said theres no compressin in bottom of the motor.
and he took them out and checked the valves

then they are bent if there is no compression

Roy

he checked them and said there not bent

does not make sense. if there is no compression, then you have bent valves.

Roy

Which model saturn do you have?Because the model you listed has a timing chain not a timing belt.

makes a weird sound when trying to start the car. I can hear the starter going but the engine won't turn over. Tried spraying starter fluid in air filter line and still could not get combustion. I heard that it could be the fuel pump, fuel filter, or even the timing. Any clues?

Get a helper disconnect a sparkplug wire or 2 and ground it to the engine atleast 3/16 in away from ground have helper crank engine over-do you have a snapping blue spark? If so-you have a fuel related problem, check the fuel pressure to rule out the fuel filter/fuel pump/pressure regulator and listen to the injector/s are they pulsing or hook up a noid light. No snapping blue spark continue to troubleshoot the ignition system-power input to the coil/coil packs,coil's resistances,cap and rotor /distributor pick-up coil, ignition control module, ECM,Ignitor camshaft and crankshaft sensors and computer. Note: If it doesn't apply disregard it

my car recently stalled after i stopped at a store and didnt want to start back up for a while. when i finally got it started it had an egg smell for a few seconds and then ran like garbage. i was able to get it to my house which was thankfully just up the road. it sat in the cold for about 2 weeks while i asked around to see if anyone could think of what it was. i was asked if the service engine light was blinking and if it was then it was likely that a cylinder was misfiring and maybe some oil got into the spark plugs. i opened up the hood and checked the spark plugs and saw that there was some oil in them. i soaked up as much as i could and then replaced the plugs and the plug tubes. now the car wont start or even get jumped. it has power to the radio and the lights and does try to turn over but it just doesnt seem to be able to turn. any ideas what it is?

I would start by having the battery checked. Sometimes the battery can be so dead it will not even let you jump it. From there i would inspected the battery cables and connections for corrosion, and tightness

alright, ill take a look at that. i also just read online that it might even be the coolant temp sensor. this raised my eyebrows cause just before it died the temp was kind of hi and i checked the antifreeze and the reserve tank was pretty much empty. think this could be part of the problem?

Drove the car at lunch Monday with no problem, no recent problems with starting or anything else. After work (approximately 4 hours later) I got in the car and nothing, no noises, no clicks, no lights, no hazards (didn't check to see if brake lights are working).

I walked home (I live/work in a small town and regularly walk into work; so most of my mileage is very short), came back the next day, Tuesday, and tried to jump the car after work. Still nothing. Cannot swear 100% that I had everything set up right for the jump, but I'm fairly certain I didn't botch even this simple thing. Don't remember if lights worked, but certainly no dashboard lights etc.

Wednesday, I notice that the clock is working (but showing wrong time) when I try to start at lunch. Coming back fifteen minutes later, the clock is off. I cannot say exactly what happened between those two events.

Took a quick look at the fuse box. Swapped the IGN 3(30) maxi fuse with another fuse and the EIN(10) mini fuse with a another fuse. Still nothing. (I know next to nothing about cars, but this seemed worth a shot).

I replaced the battery (it was due) approximately two months ago (late November 2009). At that time I successfully jumped the car and got it home and then successfully replaced the battery with little drama. Hope I didn't mess something up.

Sounds like a connection issue at the battery.Be sure it is clean of corrosion and tight at the terminals.When it wont start, see if anything works in the interior or exterior(headlights or interior lights)

If this is a bad terminal connection, what behavior should I see while the car is cabled for a jump? Should I have hazards or other electrical?

Sometimes they will jump if the battery connection is bad.Its just the way you described it being there, then not.Does anything in the car light up when it wont start?headlights?

Terminals needed cleaning; the positive terminal had some buildup. After cleaning I was able to jump the car successfully.

I read elsewhere that infrequent driving can make this issue worse. Also, when I installed the battery in November I didn't grease the terminals. I will do that tomorrow. Thanks.

[Edited to make it clear the car jumped]

My 2000 Saturn SL2 won't start. It's a manual transamission. I have juice in the battery as my lights, horn, etc., are working just fine. I puch down on the clutch as usual, turn the ignition & nothing. I don't hear a "click" when I turn the key from Run to Start. Any suggestions as to what the possible problem may be?

Do you have a multimeter or a test light so i can guide you thru some test's?

Thanks for the reply. I actually resolved the problem over the weekend. It was the starter. I had a little difficult time switching it out, but got it done under a hour.

Glad to hear you got it figured out i had a feeling it was the starter but without tracing power to the starter i didn't want to say it was the starter.

2000 Saturn SL2 4 cyl Automatic 165146 miles

I have been having a problem with my car starting. A couple of weeks ago, it wouldn't start and they check my battery and it was completely dead. They gave me a new battery and it worked for a week and then one morning it wouldn't start again. All the lights and the horn worked, but the car wouldn't crank up. We checked the starter and it was still good. They gave me another new batter 4 days ago and it's still good. I don't know if something is draining the battery or what? It just won't start.

so when it doesnt start does the starter click or anything?when it doesnt start have u tried jump starting it too see if the battery had been drained like u were thinking?also even if the starter tested good at the time doesnt mean its good.when u test a starter u only do whats called a starter draw test to see if its drawing too many amps which only tests just that if its drawing too many amps but if its not or not at the time its tests good.suppose when the starter gets hot like u just drove the car now it might draw too many amps now it doesnt start.or when its hot the starter windings get a open in them no start or if it gets cold or what ever the reasons.so u coulld still have a bad starter or a battery drain like ur saying so lets figure out which u have.let me know what u find.
louie

How to change fuel filter. Will not start.

Hi, make sure no pressure on the system, before taking anything loose. The filter has quick connect fittings. The auto store sells a cheap tool to release. It can be done with needle nose pliers. Some gas will run out when you remove the filter, if too much, you can plug the lines with something till you install new filter. Sometimes if you losen the gas cap it might help, sometimes not. It could be a possible fire hazzard, so you need to be careful, if using anything electrical.

After the vehicle sits over-night without being run or the key cycled, there shouldn't much if any pressure on the system,but, you still need to be aware. There are other issues that can cause it not to start.

Last night, I drove my Saturn to a friends home, every thing worked fine on the trip to her home. When I was about to leave her home, I attempted to start my car, it would turn over, but not start.

I checked the instrumentation panel for a code from the check engine light, there was none. Today I took it into a mechanic, told them I wished to have a diagnostics done on the vehicle to identify the problem.
Instead of a diagnostics, they in turn consulted a website, and simply replace the Fuel pump Relay switch, the vehicle started right up and they felt it was ok to go.

I just attempted to dive it again, two hours after I have brought it home from the mechanic, and the same thing has happened.

The engine will turn over, but it will not start. Now I am not a rocket scientist, but a simple Master electrician, when a relay, fuse...or such goes out, that cuts the path of electricity, the item aforementioned will not work intermittently, so my question is.... what can be the problem that keeps the vehicle from starting all the time, instead of intermittenly?

Get a helper disconnect a sparkplug wire or 2 and ground it to the engine -have helper crank engine over-do you have a snapping blue spark? If so-you have a fuel related problem, check the fuel pressure to rule out the fuel filter/fuel pump/pressure regulator and listen to the injector/s are they pulsing or hook up a noid light. No snapping blue spark continue to troubleshoot the ignition system-power input to the coil/coil packs,coil's resistances,distributor pick-up coil, ignition control module, cam and crank sensors and computer Note: If it doesn't apply disregard it

I just posted a question about my 2000 Saturn doing the same thing to me, and I am convinced that it has something to do with the anti-theft device on my car. My car usually starts after 5 to 15 minutes of letting it sit without the key in the ignition.
The problem is very frustrating because I cannot get an answer as to how it can be either disabled, or finding a reset button to get it going any faster.
A lot of people do not believe me when I tell them that it has to be a factory installed anti-theft device, but since it turns over fine, and starts wonderfully within a certain amount of time, nothing else can justify this strange occurrence.
I wish that someone would give me a reasonable solution to solve this annoying problem before my car leaves me sitting patiently waiting again any time soon.

Good luck.

My car has a habit of not starting after it has been driven awhile. The lights come on and the radio works but when I turn the key nothing happens. It doesn't try to turn over or anything. What could cause this?

hold the key in start position and tap the starter with a hammer.check for voltage and start signal at the starter.

Just to add to this one its most likely the starter is bad really common on those cars.When it doesnt start see if the purple trigger wire has power with the key in the start position.If it does bad starter.

My '00 SL2 is doing the exact same thing: lights, radio, and gas gauge work, but silence from the engine - no cranks or anything. My husband took the starter down to Advance Auto and they said it was fine. He put it back in and the car started up once, but would not start again. Is there a known problem with loose connections?

You need to check when it wont start if you have power to the purple wire to the starter solenoid with the key in the start position.If you do bad starter its common when the starter goes bad it can be very intermintant like your having.Test it like i told you.