Electrical Prolem Maybe, Car dies/wont start oddly

bluesubaru · Post by **bluesubaru** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 11:06 pm

My car about twice a month, will either just die while I am idling or just wont turn on when I get in it. I go to try and turn it back on sometimes it will turn on, sometimes it won't, and I have to wait an hr or so before she starts.
New starter in Decemeber, and red top battery are both good. I thought it was temp related, but the car is cool or has cooled down. Everything turns on, AC, power windows, lights etc, but the car does not attempt to turn on.
I wanna say its a Nuetral/Reverse Safety Switch, I have an auto, so what do you all think?

Post by **Legacy777** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 1:53 am

Will the starter crank when you're having this problem?

Have you checked ECU codes? I had a similar issue that turned out to be the MAF sensor.

bluesubaru · Post by **bluesubaru** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 5:41 am

the engine doesnt even try, the key just turns and then my radio turns on etc..
ecu codes yes, nothing bad

Post by **Legacy777** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 5:51 pm

Do you hear a click when you try to start it?

What codes?

bluesubaru · Post by **bluesubaru** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 6:03 pm

yes to I checked the ecu, no to no codes are there/came up
the only noticeable click noise I hear sounds like the starter, but its new, installed myself, I rechecked the wirirng to, nothing wrong.
but I ruled that out to becuase the car turns on fine an hr or two later. No struggle, nothing.

IronMonkeyL255 · Post by **IronMonkeyL255** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:01 am

Mine does something similar, but I can't even hear a solenoid click or anything.

bluesubaru · Post by **bluesubaru** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:10 pm

so what did you do IronMonkey?
There could be worse problems you know, but if I have to be somewhere and the car wont start for another hr, thats not good.

bluesubaru · Post by **bluesubaru** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:42 pm

well I am going with the idea its the nuetral safety switch. However looking at it on my tranny it does seem to be some work to replace. Any tips?

IronMonkeyL255 · Post by **IronMonkeyL255** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 1:10 am

I haven't done anything.

I un-installed a security system, and that seemed to do the trick for a few months. Now it's started back up again.

Post by **Legacy777** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 3:04 am

bluesubaru wrote:well I am going with the idea its the nuetral safety switch. However looking at it on my tranny it does seem to be some work to replace. Any tips?

There is a neutral switch in the transmission. That has no affect on starting.

I'm going to assume you have a MT. The clutch start interlock system is what keeps the car from starting if the clutch is not fully depressed. There is a switch down on the clutch. Check for continuity on that switch with the button pressed in.

Keep in mind there are two switches on the clutch. The one at the top is for the cruise control.

If you have an AT, the inhibitor switch in the transmission is what keeps the car from starting unless it's in park or neutral.

bluesubaru · Post by **bluesubaru** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 3:39 am

I have an auto, as stated above. Inhibitor switch...can't say I have heard of that?
The car will start, it just takes time or wont work the first time, and even some times it turns off while I am driving.

Post by **Legacy777** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 4:14 am

The inhibitor switch wouldn't cause the car to stall.

It's gotta be some electrical issue. I'd check cam, crank, MAF sensors.

IronMonkeyL255 · Post by **IronMonkeyL255** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 4:36 am

I've got an AT as well.

It really only seems to do it if I drive normal and don't have time to let it idle before turning it off (if I'm in a hurry). Once it cools down, it starts right up again.

scottzg · Post by **scottzg** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 6:14 am

I really think this is a weak ground.

IronMonkeyL255 · Post by **IronMonkeyL255** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 7:05 am

I'll have to look into that.

I know I have to tighten up the power lead to my starter.

My solenoid wire kept falling off before, but I crimped it closed a bit.

scottzg · Post by **scottzg** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 8:04 am

IronMonkeyL255 wrote:I know I have to tighten up the power lead to my starter.

ehh....

sand the contact points, they will oxidize very quickly if not tightened together.

bluesubaru · Post by **bluesubaru** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 3:28 pm

well it used to be that way, temperature I thought was the issue, if I didnt let the car cool, but then it happened after the car was sitting for a day, or while I just started drving. I think the switch is bad becuase its confused ast o what gear it was just in or something.

IronMonkeyL255 · Post by **IronMonkeyL255** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:49 am

Mine did it again today.

I was getting primer at autozone, and it wouldn't start when I tried. I called someone to give me a ride home, and I tried right after that and it worked.

How frustrating.

bluesubaru · Post by **bluesubaru** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 6:03 am

yeah I will let you know what happens

bluesubaru · Post by **bluesubaru** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 8:46 pm

okay I replaced the switch today and rechecked my starter wires again. So far from driving it around for about 30mins no problems. I will have to give it a week or two to see if the problem reoccurs.
Last night before I changed the switch, my car would drive and then just straight turn off, rpms would go to 0, restart idle fine, then boom turns off again. So I will keep you posted.

bluesubaru · Post by **bluesubaru** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 8:56 pm

well the car hasnt tuned off when I am driving, thank god, but it still acts up. It will drive great, then I park and the idle goes weird and slowly drops to 0, but I have had no problem turning it back on, but then it repeats, idle drops slowly down to 0, I have to give it gas or turn the a/c on to keep the idle up. This doesnt happen all the time.
But it is very annoying and its not making my car very reliable.
Some days it will drive fine, others it will do this once or twice.
No check engine lights either.

Manarius · Post by **Manarius** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 9:34 pm

bluesubaru wrote:well the car hasnt tuned off when I am driving, thank god, but it still acts up. It will drive great, then I park and the idle goes weird and slowly drops to 0, but I have had no problem turning it back on, but then it repeats, idle drops slowly down to 0, I have to give it gas or turn the a/c on to keep the idle up. This doesnt happen all the time.
But it is very annoying and its not making my car very reliable.
Some days it will drive fine, others it will do this once or twice.
No check engine lights either.

Check idler pully? Is that tight? Might does this random idle quit thing sometimes too. However, it does it only once and a while....not every day.

bluesubaru · Post by **bluesubaru** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 3:38 am

yeah pulleys are good, vacuum guage reads fine about 19inHg at idle 600rpm and about 14inHg when the a/c kicks on and the rpm goes to about 750. But today I just pulled into work and the car died on me, no rpm flow, car just turned off, rpms shot to zero.

bluesubaru · Post by **bluesubaru** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 6:43 am

anyone? read into the crank sensor, cam sensor, and ingniter?

mikem · Post by **mikem** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 9:05 am

This all sounds like a very familiar story to me. My 95 wagon would always start from cold and occasionally would stall at idle (but always start straight back up again). The problem wouyld was when you switched off and left it for 10-15 minutes - then she would crank just fine but no spark. This problem bugged me for nearly a year and I changed the plugs, coil and ignitor with no effect. My mechanic eventually discovered that the reason I never had any codes was that the CE light had been disabled. The cam position sensor eventually turned out to be the problem. Not sure why you haven't got any codes showing on yours though.

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Electrical Prolem Maybe, Car dies/wont start oddly

Electrical Prolem Maybe, Car dies/wont start oddly