There are time when I try to start my car but won't crank. I have to push the clutch real hard or pump it a few times to get it to start. What could be wrong?

Thanks...

I believe your car has a switch that checks if the clutch is depressed before juice can make it to starter. Sounds like it's the problem.

Yup check the starter enable switch for the clutch pedal. With our cars all you have to do is press the pedal to the floor and it starts.

Where Can I find the switch?

It should be mounted in the passenger compartment on the clutch pedal arm, very similar to the brake light switch or cruise cutout.

Thanks guys! I will work on this on the weekend...

I found 2 switches under the dash for this. One on the firewall (rectangle) and one where the clutch rests (round). I'm sure the problem is on the firewall but what is the other one for?

Where did you find the round one?

When the clutch is resting, the plate that hits the switch on the firewall also hits the round one. So if you're under the dash and push the clutch half way in, you can see the round one come out from where the clutch was.

Does your car have cruise control?

Yes is has cruise. Would that shut it off if I pressed in the clutch halfway?


This is getting odd. The car won't start in the morning, then I come home and try and it fires right up. I got a new switch from GM and same thing. I don't get it.

I'm thinking it has to have something to do with the clutch switch because it is doing exactly the same thing it would do normally when I try to crank it without pushing in the clutch.

Thanks....

One of the seitched on the clutch pedal arm is for the starter safety, and one is for the cruise control. The switch that actuates as soon as the clutch arm moves will disable the cruise control. The switch that closes at nearly the end of the clutch arm travel is the starter interlock. That's the one to look at closely.

That's the one I replaced. Still acts wierd. I never know when it's going to crank. Everything tells me it has to be that switch but now that it's replaced, I don't know what to think.

Is it possible to by pass that switch just to determine if it's the switch thats causing the problem?

Thanks

Anyone know a good way to try that??

Shouldn't be a problem jumping across the switch for testing purposes. DON'T leave it like that. I know a guy who was standing in front of a car when his buddy cranked while it was in gear. Broke both of his knees.

Anyone have details on how to run that?

OK! I just replaced that clutch starter switch and it still doing the same thing. Any suggestion on how to solve this problem?

Has anyone tried using a remote starter switch? How does it work? is it easy to intall? If I can't solve this problem I will go with this option but would like some other opinions first.

thanks