Engine will not crank - no starter operation?

Good morning.

The first thing I would do is to check for power to the starter motor when the car will not start. The small tickle wire on the solenoid needs power in the start position. If it has power, the starter is bad. If it does not then it could be a wiring issue, ignition switch or neutral safety switch.

These guides can help us fix it

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/starter-not-working-repair

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-load-test

Please run down these guides and report back.

Roy

Then why will it start after sitting for an hour or two? Starter was replaced and problem continues.

It could be a connection that is affected by heat.

It needs to be checked by someone familiar with electrical controls.

Roy

I went over the guide (thank you) it was the gear range sensor I got a new one and the car is fixed! :)

Use 2CarPros anytime, we are here to help. Please tell a friend.

Here is the starter wiring for anyone that needs it.

Roy

Six cylinder front wheel drive automatic. Strange, drove car home from work, got up the next morning and it would not crank. All lights, radio, interior lights, power locks, doors all worked. When turned the key to start, nothing. No clicking, just nothing. Moved shifter back and forth to be sure it was is park. Checked all security/ignition fuses and all are okay. Tried putting in neutral to start, still nothing, no clicking. Battery is good. Went to try to start it the next day, and it started! What would be causing this issue?

It sounds like the starter has gone bad, but to be sure lets by checking the trigger wire with a test light when the car will not crank over. Here is a guide to help you:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-a-starter-motor

Here are diagrams to show you what it will be like for your car.

Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what happens.

Cheers

Thank you for this post it solved my problem.

Car will not crank after it gets hot ..once it cools down it will crank up....frustated

* Does your temperature gauge tell you that the engine is overheating?
* Are there any visual signs that the engine is overheating?
* How often do you have to add coolant?

If the engine is overheating it would behave this way. Let me know the answers to these questions and then we can go a bit further in the diagnostic process.

Sorry, I did not make my self clear. The car is not overheating up. What I meant to say about getting was hot was the starter. I have checked the battery, alternator, starter they checked out good. I did replace the ground wire to the battery because it was corroded. I also replaced the ignition switch thinking that would fix my problem, but it still doing the same thing.

If you replaced the negative battery cable and are sure that the connections are clean and tight, perform a voltage drop test on the positive battery cable.

To do this you will need a Digital Volt meter. Set the voltmeter on the 2 volt scale.
Connect the positive (+) voltmeter lead to the positive battery cable (at the battery), be sure it makes a good connection.
Connect the negative (-) voltmeter lead to the positive battery terminal stud on the starter, be sure it makes a good connection.
Have an assistant to crank the engine over. Record the reading on the voltmeter, while the engine is cranking.
There should be a reading of 0.2 volts or less.


To check the negative side of the starting system, connect the positive(+) voltmeter lead to the negative battery cable (at the battery), be sure it makes a good connection.
Connect the negative(-) voltmeter lead to a clean spot on the case of the starter.
Have an assistant to crank the engine over. Record the reading on the voltmeter, while the engine is cranking.
There should be a reading of 0.3 volts or less.

If excessive resistance is found clean the battery cable ends and terminals. Clean the place on the engine where the negative cable attaches. Retest. If excessive resistance is still present, replace the faulty cable.

If excessive resistance is not found, remove the starter and have it tested at a local auto parts store (many of them will test it for free!).

Okay, I will try that this afternoon. Starter has been tested and that is okay. Anything else you think it could be?

I was driving and the car engine power reduced light came on. i put it on a machine to get the codes. One day i was driving and it cut off. i bought the crankshaft sensor put it on and it still will not crank. what can be the problem? could the timing have jumped or do i need to replace the other two sensors? the pedal idle sensors will those make the car not start?

Different person.

"The starter"

Bench testing at the auto store proves that it runs, they cannot simulate the heat and the load on it, short of putting it on another vehicle.

Just a last resort possibility.

I will give you all the information I got before you tear your hair out, or unwisely spend money.

Link follows, see my awesome answers in it!/be sure to check out the link in it near the end! "TRT41" is the best now!, "TRT30" is pretty good!

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1996-chevrolet-tahoe-wont-start-sounds-dead-battery-jumpbox-get-same-reults

Return with good news!

The Medic

I have a couple questions. First, what are the codes that you got when you checked them? Second, when you say it doesn't crank, that normally means when you turn the key the starter does not turn the engine. Do you mean it doesn't start but it cranks over?

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-cranks-but-wont-start

Some starters will not turn over when hot. I had a 1973 Fire-bird with headers. When the starter got hot, the starter would not crank, when cooled down started fine. I replaced with high torque starter. Problem gone.

Just replaced the positive cable because it was showing some wire I guess where the wire was hitting the manifold. Maybe that will fix my problem. Crossing my fingers.

still having the same issue.

Yes, lets please try replacing the starter. Here is a link to a good AC Delco unit:

Great instructions by FreeMBA, one of our best online mechanics at his best!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007QBU5IS/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=2carprcom-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B007QBU5IS&linkId=d75d2b4665e6f3563ed5a95328323982

Let us know how it goes so i will help others.

Best, Ken

Car has intermittent starting problems. It started fine. A short stop at the store and it would not start again. Boosted and drive to auto store. Battery and alternator check out fine. Once again would not start. Clicking sounds but no start. After a while it starts on first try. Shut it off and no restart. Always clicking sounds. Only owned for a couple of days. Previous owner just replaced starter.

Starter is not the issue.

It still sounds like a battery or cable problem.

Here is a guide so we can load test the battery ourselves:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-load-test

Move the battery cables around mainly the positive one to see if you can get it to act up.

Please let us know what you find.

Cheers, Ken

Have you replaced it, or just tested it at the parts store? If you are certain it is not the problem then the only other thing I can thing of is the ground strap between the engine and frame either is missing or loose.

As noted in before, the Battery tested good. Since posting the question all relays and wiring has been checked and tests good. It seems to be an issue with the anti theft security program but we don't know exactly what or how to proceed

How do I program my ECM?

Battery tests in most places like autozone or similar are wrong more often than they are correct.
However, the issue sounds more like a corroded cable or bad connection, especially as jump starting it worked and the other owner just replaced the starter. GM battery cables love to corrode inside the terminal ends, they will look fine and if you try to measure voltage on them they will test okay, but the starter draws a lot of current and the corrosion will not allow that to transfer so you get clicking and no cranking of the engine. Usually a good tug or flexing of the cable will show the truth and the connector just peels off the end.

The anti-theft system on that car wouldn't do that. It would flash the security light and you would get nothing else, no clicks or power up front.

Just to add to this one; what is going on that you want to program your ECM? That takes the dealer or someone that has the expensive scan tool that will program. When the buy the calibration files from the manufacturer. So when it will not start is the security light on solid or flashing with the key in the run position?

It is showing the partial locked icon and has progressed to no clicks at all. However all lights are bright and battery test at autozone, as well as a family friend with equipment, all test good. the battery has been disconnected and reconnected. This friend tested every wire and relay he knew to test and all show good current.

It sounds like the security system is engaged. Remove the negative battery cable from the battery and touch it to the positive cable this will hard reboot the system by discharging the car's capacitors. Leave ti that way for 10 minutes. Reconnect the battery and then use the remove to unlock the car. This should reset the alarm.

Please let us know

Cheers, Ken

I will try this and let you know. It will be a few days since we have gone out of town for the weekend (obviously with a different vehicle :-P)

Car won’t crank at all. when hot my husband change the starter and when putting the new starter in my brother in law broke the pigtail and used some butt connectors in its place. Can this be my problem?

Kirkman, i know it's been a little while since you posted about your pontiac g6, but i'm having the same issue with my pontiac. Did you ever find out what was wrong with yours and why it wouldn't start? They've replaced the fuel pump and the fuel pump relay and a new fuse box was put in, but it's still randomly not starting. The engine turns over, but it just won't start sometimes. Then other times it's fine. I've found that if i tap or hit the fuse box, it starts up more often than not. If anyone has any suggestions...please let me know!

Hi,

That depends. Does the starter have proper voltage on the B+ and signal wire. If you look at the wiring diagram, the red wire should have 12 volts. The pink wire should have voltage when you are cranking the engine. If you don't then you have a wiring issue and butt connectors should be removed first then retested. It is too common for these to fail and the crimp did not actually get the wire secured and so it is an open circuit.

Here is a guide that gives a little more detail:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/starter-not-working-repair

Let me know what you find and we can go from there. Thanks

It was a problem with the anti-theft system. Dealership reprogrammed and re-keyed it. (Pretty expensive but had only just gotten the car and got it at a good price so it was ok) There have been a host of other electrical problems on and off since then. Took it in last week for evaluation as engine light is on and it’s time for tags/ inspection. Costs are way higher than value of car so we’re done. Going to sell it or trade it get something else. It runs very well engine wise , transmission, etc. the electrical system in it is trash. In our research we found that to be true of those cars in general.

The car starts once it’s cooled off, which is every evening about 9:00 pm and first thing in the morning. I live in bullhead city Arizona averages 110 or more all summer months, that being said my issue seems to have something to do with heat. I’m assuming since I can drive to work at 6:50 am and still able to start my car at 10:00 am , now I get off at 3:00 pm drive home and shut my car off it Wont start again until it has cooled down. Strangest thing ever. It makes a faint click sound and all the dash lights come on like their supposed to. As far as my knowledge knows. Thought it could be security issues, got a new key reset it. Set of security alarm and was able to disarm by putting key in ignition. But it still wouldn’t crank or anything. Which led me to believe it is not the security system? Could I be wrong? Started having this problem before putting new starter in which described above, pigtail broke upon new starter instillation. Battery was no good two months later so got a new one. Check all fuses inside and out of car their good. Changed Run crank module, replace starter j fuse. I’m running out of money and most of all patience!!! Please help me please
And thank you all it’s greatly appreciated!!

Thank you SO MUCH for getting back with me!! This is a HUGE help! And yes, I agree with you on the electrical part! Terrible! There's been SO many common problems with this car. I'm not sure what they were doing when they made this, but they better NEVER make a mistake like this Again! :( It sucks when you purchase a car and get nothing but problems from it.

Okay. Just so we are on the same page, when you say all the fuses are okay, did you replace or swap the relays? You said a run crank module, did you mean the run/crank relay? There is a starter relay but that feeds power to the starter relay. Both the relays need to be replaced at this point. IF that does not cure it or it has been done, we need to check voltage at the starter.

It is safe to assume we are not getting voltage but we need to trace it back through the system. Once we confirm the starter has no voltage, you go to the under-hood fuse block and see if there is voltage on the yellow wire that is going into the run/crank relay. If not, I suspect we have an issue in the BCM.

Just so you understand what my thinking is, when you turn the key on the ignition switch sends voltage to the BCM which sends voltage to the fuse block on the run/crank relay, which sends power to the ECM and this tells the ECM that it is ok to start the engine. So it sends voltage to the fuse block again on the starter relay. This relay turns on and sends this voltage to the starter that turns the engine.

The fact that this doesn't start when it is hot, means that one of the circuit boards in either the BCM or ECM has failed and when it is hot, it expands and doesn't make the connection any more. Then when it cools down the metal contracts and makes the connection again. This may sound crazy but it happens more than you would think.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-wiring

Let me know what you find at the starter and then at the yellow wire with the key on and we can go from there. Thanks

So much informative information thank you very much, we are going to check these things one by one, is there a certain starting point? We will post the findings and results as soon as we know! Thank you again for the time and consideration of helping me.

Okay. Sorry if that was too much. Hopefully this helps simply it. Follow the screen shots below. Replace the relays first. Then start checking voltage at the number screen shots when the engine is cranking.

Depending on the results will determine the next step.