Won't Start After Listening to the Radio
 

My problem is that if I sit in my car without the engine running and listen to the radio or have the fans on for a period of time, Ex. just gone threw the drive threw at the local mcdonalds and decide to eat my lunch in the parking lot, :eek: When I'm done munching and turn the key, nothing happens. No Clicks, Snaps or Turns from the starter at all. Everything else works (electronicly speaking) but she just won't start. The odd part is, I'll have to wait 3-5 mins, turn they key again, and she'll start right up like nothing was wrong, and happily get me home without a problem. Why is it doing this????
The starter and altenator have both been replaced within the past year.

Thanks

Are you driving for a period of time, then turn it off, then try to start it and it does nothing. If so, more then likely its start heat soak, mine started doing this after i installed headers, i put a new starter on, and all went away. Heat soak usually means the starter is on its way out.

Kevin

The lenth of my journey doesn't seem to matter, that's the strange part. It will ONLY do it if i have the radio or the fans on (anything electronic I'm guessing) without the engine running, then I try to start and nothing. If I'm eating lunch without the radio or fans, she starts right up when it's time to go.

Honestly im clueless, have you had your alternator and battery checked?

this may seem like a way out there idea but i tried to relate the radio to an intermitant no start. is it possible that maybe the vats and the radio are related in some way. cause i know if you use the wrong vats key it takes a couple minutes to time out and work. maybe i'm reaching, but i tried.

Sure points to the starter I'm thinking. Voltage drops to a little under 12, no start. After a few minutes the battery reserve will bring the voltage up a little, starter cools down maybe, and it starts. Try swapping batteries if possible to a newer more powerful one if possible, but I'm guessing another new starter is in order, or a relay starter kit.

Couple of questions for you.

1. what position do you have the key in while sitting with the radio on, Accessory or run?

2. how large is your stereo system, what kind of power does it pull?

3. if you still have the pellet in the key, does the security light come on for 2 seconds and go out or does it stay on until you release the key.

if the vats key were teetering right on the edge of its resistance limit already, maybe the extra drain on the battery is causing the key not to read right and vats to disable the starter..
i believe its about a 5 minute wait until vats will let you try again
3rd edit now, by fans you mean blower or engine fans? heh..
if you mean the blower fan and your going from acc->start in the parking lot, yeah it would have to check the value once you got to run
sounds like it though, but you would have to unhook the 2 wires and bust out your multimeter to be sure..

I do both ways, the key one click forward for the fans (air vents), but if I just want the stereo I turn the key backwards. Altough I DO have an engine fan switch in my dash, but I never run it without the engine running, so I counted that out.

I only have a pretty normal 50w x 4 headunit stereo, no subs, amps or extra power drains. But when I'm chewing on lunch, im not head banging with my volume maxed out either.

The pellet is still in the key but a little worn down. And Yes the security light does go out after 2 seconds.

The 5 min Vat timeout does seem to make this sound like a Vat malfunction. But only once did i have to wait for about 5 mins, the other times it's more like 2-3 mins at the most.

Starter is 5k miles new after the last one ground all its teeth off, and I would hate to change it again (digging for the receipt).

...I hope this answers all your questions

Tomarrow I'm going to make a copy of my key and see if I can recreate my problem with a new key.

Having a new key made is a good idea, especially if the old one is starting to look a little worn. Being worn makes it harder for the contacts in the lock cylinder to read the resistance in the key.