Anyone ever had a starting problem?

[merlinx]

OK, so I went to Office Depot, came out and my 97 Pathy would not start. I heard the relays click when I turned the key (not the starter solonoid) but nothing!!!! I tried several times. Battery is new and was fine. Didnt have the stereo blasting or anything to weaken the battery. It wasnt like the battery was low and the solonoid clicked or anything just the relays from the fuse box clicked/ I shifted gears (automatic) and still nothing. I called AAA and they came, the guy told me to turn the ignition and woala!!!! it starts!!! WTH!@!!! any ideas? I have not been able to recreate the problem the whole day. anyone have any ideas? Im pretty mechanialy experienced and I can tell you its not the battery.

 

It scares me, Ive always had a manual transmission and could always push start my vehicle but this one is an automatic.

 

Any help is appriciated thanx

 

Jason

[Filthy Luker]

Maybe just a loose connection. Check battery, ground, starter wires. Wiggle stuff around the engine bay.

 

also: voila sly

[94extreme]

Maybe just a loose connection. Check battery, ground, starter wires. Wiggle stuff around the engine bay.

 

also: voila sly

look where?

[k9sar]

crawl under and smack your starter with a hammer.

 

Symptoms similar to mine and it was a bad starter which finally failed after about a month of "repair procedure #1"

[merlinx]

is it hard to replace the starter? How bad is it?

 

Tried the battery wires that wasnt it.

[k9sar]

not sure about the 97's but a 95 4WD is a PITA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[herm]

merlinx,

 

my 97 did something just like that at the post office one day - it was the ground wire on the battery. It seems tight when you grab it, but on closer inspection the bolt was bottomed out and there wasn't a solid ground. Drove me crazy for about 2 hours! Put a new ground strap on it and you'll be set.

 

m.

[Casey.T]

I have had many occurences of getting in turning the key and nothing.....

 

I have had a couple of occasions where it was towed and started right up, could not duplicate.

 

4x dead starters, on 2 different Pathy's over 15 years.

 

Ohhh and the one I dropped last month...

 

Once i had a starter that would not disengauge after starting the motor..... that was a fun one.

 

Low battery, loose terminal, blown ignition fuse... Bad Solinoid.

 

The gummed up gear selector sensor/switch was the most fun.

 

Not sure any of this will help, but it will give you some places to look

[DJ Dank]

I used to have that happen to me periodically and giving my battery connections a couple of taps will usually fix it.

[IndianRider]

replacing starter doesnt seem to be too hard at all on my 96 pathy althought ive never replaced it..i looked it up once, and it looks like there are only 2 long bolts to remove under/side of the tranny housing with wiring of course ..