Last week, I went to start it, and the starter clicked on, didn't engage, and after I pulled the key out even, ran and ran to it's untimely demise (about 10 minutes and a cloud of smoke later).

I replaced starter and solenoid, and now sometimes it starts, and sometimes it does nothing. I put the key in, turn to accessory, lights come on in the dash, warning tone for safety belt, turn it the rest of the way, and I get three different reactions, seemingly at random.

1. Starts. Strong, fine, better then before, really.

2. Nothing. SES light stays on, but no sound or response form the engine.

3. A click, then flatline nothing. Like I popped a fuse or something, no lights, no radio, no dome light, totally dead. But within 5-10 minutes of this, without fail, it resets itself and takes me back to the beginning of the three options.

Like I said, these seem to be at random. the only pattern is that when I need the car to go somewhere (errands, work, date, etc), is when it pops and does nothing. when I'm just checking it for the heck of it, it starts usually. go figure.

Any advice or pointers would be great. I need this thing for a daily driver for a few more seasons!!!

-Reno

 

loose wire to batt. Check your connection at starter, and batt terminal. Then check your negative cble at the bat and it's ground.

 

Good call, but any other possible ideas? Anyone?

Guess I"ll be wiring tonight, JOY!

-Reno

 

I'll second what 5-pt said, and add that you should check the fusible links at the battery and near the starter (blue wires) and connections at the power and ground nodes on the inner fender terminal posts.

 

yup...sounds like a crappy batt connection. or a crappy wire... that happened to me, same thing...except for the killin of the first starter part.