I have a 86 lg4 iroc and for about 2 years I have had this problem.Every once in awhile the car wont crank.Its happen about 4-10 times in 2 years.When it has happen in the past I just wiggled the battery wires under the hood and it started.One time that didnt work so I wiggled the wires under the dash and that worked,so I think.Now it wont do nothing again.The battery is fine and all wires look good in that area.I have tried moving the shifter.I looked in the fuse box and noticed I have no crank fuse at all.My manual shows I shoud have one but its empty.I havnt gone back out to see if its fell out or something.I sould have on right?Looks to me like there are no contacts even there for a fuse but it is marked "crank".Whats the deal.I will check the fusible links at the starter next but wanted to check on this first.The bad thing is it hasnt done this no crank thing for about 6 months now until this morning.Could something have forced this fuse out,heat,ect?thanks

 

I checked the fusible links at the starter and they look new.I havnt put a light on them yet but they look okay and tight.When I turn the key to crank I can hear a clicking under the dash(drivers)but cant tell where its coming from(not the starter).My wife has been driving the car because her firebird died and she said for a couple days when she went to crank it she heard a dinging sound from under the dash,like a buzzer or something,who knows.Whats that little white thing under the steering column with the metal rod going to it?Looks like it should move when the key is turned.Maybe its for the tilt?Im stumped

 

The crank fuse is for the cold start injector. I'm guessing you don't have one of those. It sounds to me like something has drained your battery. Do the lights and everything else work properly? (windows, etc).

 

when I went out this morning the lights,radio,etc were working,the lights were kinda dim though.I went back out to do some more checking about a hour later and now I have nothing.the dome light is even real dim,barely on and no lights.Would the daed battery have done this even if I had enough juice to run the radio and lights the first time.I figured if the lights would come on I would get a click from the starter or something.I had no clicking or anything from the starter. when I had lights the first go around but now the battery is gone,no juice.The battery is a interstate and is about 3 years old but has been working fine except for the winter when the car sat I had to jump it,no problems since though.thanks alot

 

well I think I may be dealing with 2 differant problems but Im not sure.Because I havnt had the shorting out problem in so long Im thinking I fixed that with a new main battery cable about 5-6 months ago.I dont know what wouldve killed the battery overnight though.The car cranked over fine all day yesterday and before.Maybe I killed the battery this morning when I was checking things,I had the door open and underhood light on but it was only for about 10 minutes,plus I was trying to crank it with no luck during this time.Like I said though I never got a click from the starter,only a clicking under the dash.Guess I will buy a new battery anyway.

 

Zee,

Charge the one you have an load test it. I usually get 5-6 years from a battery.

 

Could be the neutral safety switch.Try starting it in neutral instead of park.

 

well I know the battery is good.My wife got home and I jumped it with her car and the alternator started smoking and sounded bad(bearing).The car did start though.So I went to get a new alt. and put it on.I hooked up the cables to jump it again and waited a few minutes and nothing.So I messed with the fusable links by the starter and waited a little longer(other car still running)then turned the key and it started like new.My problem now is I dont know if the new alt. and charging(jumping) the battery fixed it or messing wih the fusable links did it.I do know the alt. was bad because it was burning and smelling.Can it take awhile for the car to crank on a jump start?The battery was dead-dead(lights wouldnt come on).I ran the jumping car for about 3 minutes before trying my car and got nothing,not even a click.Then messed with the wires(fuse links) and waited about 2-3 more minutes and it cranked.Can someone explain a fusable link.Why not a plain fuse?Anyway now I will have to wait and see if it does it anymore,and if it does I will then be sure theres a wire problem somewhere.I would hate to find this out far from home though.any thoughts?If it works now isnt checking the wires gonna show they are good.cant fix it if its not broke.thanks

 

yeah sounds like the alternator allright. It always takes a little while when trying to jump a totally dead battery, your battery has to charge a little first.
I don't think the problem is in the fusible links, but anything's possible I guess.

 

I figured if I had enough juice to run the lights,acc.that I would atleast get a clicking from the starter.Anyway I hope this is it.My wife will be driving it for a few days and Im scared its gonna do it again as soon as she gets somewhere.As everyone knows it rarely happens in the driveway.thanks to all.

 

My wife's Grand Am is in the same boat right now... the lights/ windows, etc. work, but only clicking a relay under the dash, no crank

 

You said the wires look fine; but they might not be. One end might have corrosion inside the connector. Couldn't hurt to replace them!