Surprise Gremlin
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 62
Likes: 10
From: Cumming,Ga
Surprise Gremlin Well as the title states I have a new gremlin to deal with.Today I got in my car(01 TA) and when I went to start it,it would not start.Turned th engine over and over for several seconds several times.Then I hit the switch again and it fires right up.So I just shook my head and thought oh well.I pulled my car around to the front of the house and stopped.Cut it off and went in the house to get my wallet.Come back out and the exact same thing happened.Once it started I went for a drive for about 25-30 minutes and come back home.Parked the car in the garage and shut it off.Have started it about 6 or 7 times since and it fires right off.Now it’s in my head will it start or not start when i’m out and about.Anybody had their car do this?This is the first and only time this has happened.Car only has less than 18,000 miles.Only 2 things off the top of my head come to mind.One is the fuel pump.Am I having a intermittent problem with it or is something up with the VATS.I’m leaning towards the vats.I’ve never had a fuel pump to behave like this before.They either work or they don’t.Vats I have no idea.First car I ever had with it but have some friends who had nightmares with their’s.So anybody got any ideas?Like I said it’s in my head now.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
If it's VATS then the SECURITY light in the instrument cluster will either be on solid or flashing. If it goes on for bulb test then turns off as it should then VATS is not your problem.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Not in this case... he says he gets it to crank but it won't start until he stops and tries again. It wouldn't crank if the starter relay was bad. Even if the relay was flaky and intermittent, it wouldn't crank during the flaky times.
There are two relays that are identical... Starter and fuel pump. Check your fuel pump relay. You can do an audio test by swapping the two and listen for the pump to prime when you turn the key to on. Whitebird is correct on the starter relay.... Mixed my relays up 
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Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 62
Likes: 10
From: Cumming,Ga
I did not have the light but it would crank and nothing.... let it sit for a few crank and start. It finally would not start at all. I thought it was the fuel pump at first. Changed it and it ran but a month later same thing. Found the relay was bad.... oh well.... new pump anyways
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 62
Likes: 10
From: Cumming,Ga
Well it happened again today.Would not start after multiple tries.But I had stopped yesterday and picked up a new relay and was waiting for it to do this.I got out and pulled the old out and put in the new one.Fired right off!I guess whitebird was right.I hope so.I paid more attention to the security light this time and it just cycled thru and went off.Time will tell.Thanks to all who posted.I’ll post again if it happens again.
Well it happened again today.Would not start after multiple tries.But I had stopped yesterday and picked up a new relay and was waiting for it to do this.I got out and pulled the old out and put in the new one.Fired right off!I guess whitebird was right.I hope so.I paid more attention to the security light this time and it just cycled thru and went off.Time will tell.Thanks to all who posted.I’ll post again if it happens again.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
I noticed that too. Ain't it a shame when you "can't get no respect"? Props for suggesting the solution (even though you had the relays mixed up 
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Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 62
Likes: 10
From: Cumming,Ga
WELL,,IT’S BACK!,Been starting the car every couple a days since replacing the fuel pump relay.Everything has been fine.Until today!I was going to take a quick trip to HD and going out my drive it quit running.Just like I had turn the thing off.Then would not start.Tried over and over but it would not hit a lick.Battery finally went dead.Let it roll back down to my shop and hooked the jumper cables from my truck to it.Fired right up!!What the hell is going on?Now i’m at the point that i’m afraid to leave the yard in it.Worried that this gremlin could show up at anytime.So guys,got any more suggestions?I know someone posted before that I might try the Ignition relay.But really does it make since that these relays are all going bad at on time?Open to suggestions.....HELP!!