Gremlins?!
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, Florida
Gremlins?! Well, went and got gas yesterday and when I went to start the car back up... nothing. Wouldn't crank, it was like the battery died in the 2 minutes it took to fill up. All the electronics worked fine and the battery gauge read normal charge, just dropped down when it tried to crank. There was a strange smell, like something burning, coming from the engine bay. Had it towed to the Pontiac dealership (luckily only 2 miles) They charged the battery and said it cranked right up. They've kept it over night and have had no trouble cranking it over since. Car has an Optima red top battery and the starter is only about 8 months old, if that. Any ideas? I'd rather not be stranded at the BP station again...
It wasn't clicking or anything? If it was just not starting, you are an auto so it could be a neutral safety switch. If not that, you could have VATS(alarm system) problems like I am having. I am experiencing trouble with mine right now where it will crank but won't start on random occasions. You might also want to check battery cables for corrosion or overall condition. Make sure they are tight also. That's all I got without knowing more.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, Florida
I got it back today after they said every thing's fine. It was running fine on the way home, cranked it a few times when I got home to double check and it's cracking, but seems to have a hard time doing so. I'll give the battery cables a good check other then that I don't have a clue.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, Florida
I just managed to replicate the problem, cranked it up, let it run for a while and shut it off for about the amount of time it would take to fill up a tank of gas and sure as hell it won't crank now. Don't know if it has something to do with the car being too hot? I'm gonna let it cool off for a while and see if it will crank up then...
have you had any problems with your VATS? Sometimes the resistor in the keys can make it act funny. Do you have other keys you could try?
I highly doubt its too hot... you would notice it over heating. Have you checked your starter wires? You said you smelt something burning... maybe you have a short?
I highly doubt its too hot... you would notice it over heating. Have you checked your starter wires? You said you smelt something burning... maybe you have a short?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, Florida
i dont have a spare key, but i dunno, would it try to start if it was a vats issue? it cranks, just doesnt turn over, you can watch the belt move a couple inches and here it try and start and then it just gives up. figured maybe the starter got fried from the longtubes?
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Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, Florida
On of the cables on the starter did look pretty bad when I pulled the starter today, gonna replace it and hopefully that was the issue, any way to prevent that from happening again? wrap it in heat tape maybe?
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It could be a crank sensor as well, If you had a problem with vats like not reading the resistance on the key it would start but cut fuel off after not detecting the resistance. Or your neutral saftey switch is going bad.