Starter Relay? Second Problem?
Starter Relay? Second Problem? So, It started a couple nights ago when my car decided not to start, the headlights came on, stereo came on, all gauges light up and I turn the key and nothing. Well after about 20 minutes the car started. The next day I go to autozone to get a free replacement battery. They test it out, battery is good, alternator is good, load test and everything. I go to start the car and everything turns on. Nope. car doesn't even make the starter noise. New battery is now in and charged up. So, I go under the hood and pull the starter relay. I replace this with a fan relay of the same size and amperage and instantly the car starts. So I purchase a relay inside and put it where the old fan one was. Car starts fine, 7 times or more. I go to start it last night. Same old song and dance, no turning over. I put the brand new relay now in the spot. Starts and I drive the car 100 miles no problems. This morning the car starts and while on the freeway, 80 mph I give the car throttle to pass (rural highway) and the service engine soon light starts flashing. I pull over and shut the car off, turn it back on and it's all good. But i feel like i've lost 2 cylinders. I finish driving (luckily 30 miles) go home and go to start the car. Same crap. switch the relay AGAIN. starts, but still feels like crap, no SES light. Get the car checked at autozone, no codes. Where do I go from here? Thank you for trying to help.
sounds like theres a short thats burning out the relay, possibly a chafed wire or two in the harness under the fuse box, by the ECM, or in the starting/charging wiring system. that would explain why you keep burning fuses, more amperage coming in from another source and then POP its done...or possibly a ground that isnt grounding correctly. id try to find out what the SES light is next time it flashes to try and narrow the search, it may give you a clue where to start being its probably related to the issue.
So, I have a bit of an update. I have gotten the wires and spark plugs replaced and the car is no longer falling over itself or throwing any check engine lights, it feels like it has some power again, but not all there. Anyhow, it left me stranded today and changing all the relay's did not help. I let the car cool down... 3 hours, and it started right up. This issue is now definitely heat related after long drives. PLEASE HELP. Thank you
Does the car turn over at all? Click or anything? If nothing happens at all, it might be a neutral/clutch safety switch. There has to be something along the electrical path that's not letting the circuit complete.
Whatever it is it would help to inspect and clean all the wire connections on the starter and battery. If you know how to voltage drop wires you can help narrow down your problem when it doesn't start.
What car do you have? Any mods?
What car do you have? Any mods?
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So another update, I replaced the starter this weekend and now that issue seems to have gone away. It continues to start, but we will see in this next week. But, on the ride home from installing the starter on the freeway I was doing near 80mph and gave it some gas. The SES light started flashing, but the engine is running fine, no rough idle or bucking. I replaced the wires and plugs earlier this week, where do I go from here? And it's a 2000 Camaro with (sadly) the 3.8 with 135,000 on it
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Verdad Gallardo Okay guys, still looking for help. The car only has the loss of power issue now. I have seafoamed it, changed the oil, put fuel injector cleaner in it, cleaned the MAF. I'm not sure where to go from here. The car only looses power when it is in closed loop mode. Engine temp sensor? The gauge is reading fine though. Please help
I would say the first problem was the starter and you prob won't see that again...I guess like you said, we will see. Do you know for a fact that your relays were burning up, or do you think that it may have been the luck of the draw that the car started when you attempted a second time (after switching/replacing the relays)? My car just started doing the same thing last week so I just ordered a starter. I am getting power through my relays down to the starter, but twice in the past week my car didn't turn over on me; I just kept turning the ignition switch over and over until the starter turned.
Your second prob might be your O2 sensors. Is the car kicking the SES light and feel like it's "missing" at lower RPMs and when slowly laying into the throttle? I was having this issue as well and couldn't figure it out for a while. I tried getting the light read for a code, but nothing was coming up since it wasn't on constantly. I finally ended up borrowing a friends scanner and kept it in the car. As soon as it kicked on I pulled over and read the code...turned out to be a damn O2, so I replaced them and no more problems.
Sorry for the long explanations, but hope it helps.
Your second prob might be your O2 sensors. Is the car kicking the SES light and feel like it's "missing" at lower RPMs and when slowly laying into the throttle? I was having this issue as well and couldn't figure it out for a while. I tried getting the light read for a code, but nothing was coming up since it wasn't on constantly. I finally ended up borrowing a friends scanner and kept it in the car. As soon as it kicked on I pulled over and read the code...turned out to be a damn O2, so I replaced them and no more problems.
Sorry for the long explanations, but hope it helps.
No need to apologize for the long explanation. Fantastic insight. I was not burning up relay's it was just the luck of the draw and now the car starts fine. The car has lost a lot of power and I too can never get it scanned. I ordered a scan tool yesterday so I should be able to see the codes when they happen too. Thank you very much for your help. I think that's what it is too.
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Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Vancouver BC
so the start issue was the starter? i have been trying to trace this same prob, mine is very intermittant, but on and off for over a year. finally i wired a bulb to the ign switch to rule that out, i have now wired a bulb to after the park/neutral switch but so far has not acted up!!! i think its like you describe, turn key, under dash relay clicks, all access ok, what drives me crazy is no click from the starter, was your starter clicking or just the relays?
