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Problem Starting Car - Need Help

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Old Feb 2, 2008 | 11:42 AM
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Default Problem Starting Car - Need Help

In the past month or so, my car has been acting up on startup. Every few times I get in it, I push the clutch in, put the key in, turn the key, and.....nothing. All the dash lights come on, the radio works, I have all electrical functions and power, but it doesn't even click or try to turn over. I try pumping the clutch pedal a few times, but usually I just have to wait anywhere from 2-5 minutes, trying it periodically, and then all of a sudden it just starts like there was no issue. It never has trouble actually starting (like stalling, etc) if it starts; it just either starts or it doesn't and there are no other symptoms.

Today I went out and it did the same thing, so I tried and waited and tried again for about 10-15 minutes or so with no luck. It seems to be getting worse and happening more and more often. Has anyone seen this before or know what the issue might be? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Old Feb 2, 2008 | 11:43 AM
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Sounds like a short or a loose wire somewhere. Have you installed anything electrical recently?
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Old Feb 2, 2008 | 11:58 AM
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Yeah, the Raptor shift light, but that was actually a couple months ago and the problem didn't start until at least a month or so later.
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Old Feb 2, 2008 | 12:03 PM
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Had this problem before as well...Does your security light stay illuminated with the key in the forward/start position or once it's started?? Your vats system ( key or ign cylinder) could possibly be going out... Another possibility would be your clutch pedal position sensor.

-Mike
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Old Feb 2, 2008 | 12:12 PM
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There have been a couple F-Bodies come into my dealer with ignition cylinder problems. In fact a Firehawk was just in about 2 weeks ago with a bad cylinder.
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Old Feb 2, 2008 | 12:18 PM
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Hmmm, so far I've come up with possibly the ignition switch, starter relay, or the starter itself crapping out, but I would just wondering if anyone else has dealt with this issue before. I'm not much of a mechanic, so I'm not even sure how to test out the relay or the ignition switch to see if they could be the problem.

I'll have to look into the ignition cylinder problem. Any more info on it (keeping in mind I'm not too technical in terms of knowledge)?

Last edited by PewterScreaminMach; Feb 2, 2008 at 12:34 PM.
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Old Feb 2, 2008 | 12:32 PM
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OK, I've been doing a lot of reading and it appears that a few people have run into this same problem and they found out the contacts on the ignition cylinder were shot from "normal wear and tear". My car's got 66,000 miles on it, so I assume this could be my issue. They replaced their ignition cylinder and were fine, so I'm going to test anything that's free to test and then probably resort to that.

Any other info or advice will still be appreciated, though.
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Old Feb 2, 2008 | 12:41 PM
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Originally Posted by PewterScreaminMach
OK, I've been doing a lot of reading and it appears that a few people have run into this same problem and they found out the contacts on the ignition cylinder were shot from "normal wear and tear". My car's got 66,000 miles on it, so I assume this could be my issue. They replaced their ignition cylinder and were fine, so I'm going to test anything that's free to test and then probably resort to that.

Any other info or advice will still be appreciated, though.
The Firehawk that came in had about the same milage...
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