My friend has a '97 saturn SL2 with a 1.9l 4 cylinder & 5 speed. It will start just fine, but when
u turn it off It will crank but not fire up for 15-20 minutes. Any ideas what
this could be? Oh, It can be push started but just won't crank
with the key
Edited by: deathtorice

I have a 99 SL2 that has recently developed the same problem you described. It will always start immediately when cold but sometimes after shutting off engine and returning in an hour or two the engine will crank but not fire at all. If I try it intermittently ten or 12 times cranking for 5-10 seconds it will usually suddenly start and run as if nothing happened. Once I left it overnight and when I returned in the morning it started with no hesitation. I have not tried push starting but I will next time it happens. Would appreciate any news. I dont want the mechanic to just start replacing parts.

I'm having somewhat of the same problem with my '94 SC2, but it's to the point where its not cranking at all. Last night it cut off on me twice while coming to a stop. While I was in a store for an hour or so, my car would not start at all, even with a jump. I had to push start it.

I have since discovered what caused the problem I described in my first post. The crank position sensor was bad. It would work ok when cold but when shut off and attempted to restart later it sometimes would crank but not fire up at all. Saturn apparently had a bad run of crankshaft sensors for that year for it turned out to be a fairly common problem. If your Saturn sometimes won't start after being run...do yourselfa favor before you start replacing all the expensive stuff like ignition modules etc....replace the crank position sensor. It costs under $20 and your mechanic can replace it in 10 minutes.

Interesting. Typically such a problem would indicate a temperature sensor failure. What is it about the crank position sensor that is affected by the temperature? Does heat separate a connection?


Was the REASON for the CPS failure explained? Just curious.

i have a 96 SL2 and I'm also having problems with starting the car. I've been having the same problems and have been stranded more than once because of it. Mine problem has been evn more extreme though. After driving, I'll shut the car off. When i come back, the thing won't start. I'll leave it for a couple hours, still won't start. I'll come back in the morning, and it'll start up just fine. After letting it sit, it'll start up multiple times in a row, but as soon as I take it somewhere and leave it for awhile, it dies and won't start up again. Does this have anything to do with the crak position sensor? Or would it be the starter that's giving me problems...

Could be any of a number of possible problems. Once again, though, your problem sounds as if it's temperature related.


My 2001 SC2 has recently been having starting difficulties, not temperature related.


I replaced the battery due to noting the clicking noise which is common with battery problems. The car started fine. A few days later I went to start it and I couldn't even get a click.


The alternator seems okay, the security system stays on, and the windows and radio work, so now I suspect the ignition switchto befaulty.

I drive a 92 SL2 and experienced the same problem last night. After driving the car for about an hour, I shut the car off, came back in about 5 minutes, the car would crank but it wouldn't turn over. So i let it sit for about 2 hours and it started, although the rpm went up to about 3000 for about 10 seconds before slowly coming back down. I work at a car dealership so I had my mechanics change the temperature sensor (part was about CAD $20) thinking it's the logical choice because the problem is temperature related. Well, same problem happened tonight. This time I opened up the hood to allow it to cool down faster and it started in about 15 minutes. So I am going to change the crank shaft position sensor tommorrow and we'll see what happens. I will ost updates afterwards.

We'll await your update.


Something I found with my car is that the positive battery cable and screw-postdevelops corrosion very quickly. Using a brush, I've had to dremel out the inside of the cable to remove the corrosion, dremel brush the actual screw-post, and then coat it with dielectric grease prior to reconnecting the battery. This tends to slow the corrosion process for more reliable starting.

Well, I changed the crank sensor today and same thing, it won't start. But it just started last night, even when it's cold, it won't start. Any suggestions would be appreciated...smileys/smiley19.gif

I suggest you get a Haynes Saturn Manual for your year car and check the troubleshooting guide. There may be something in there that can point to a resolution to the problem.


However, if the car can be push started but simply won't start while cranking, it points to three possible problems:


(1) The battery has drained to the point there are not enough cranking amps remaining,
(2) Your plugs and wires may not be carrying full current, although this seems unlikely in regard to the hot/cold aspect,
(3) compression may be slow to build for some reason.
Have no other ideas at the moment, unless your ignition switch is failing and when you jiggle it just right, it catches and starts.Do you typically carry a heavy keychain, ya know, a lot of keys on it? Heavy key chains tend to damage ignition switches.
Edited by: LGO-SC2

BTW, I forgot to mention that my car is an automatic, so it can't be pushed started. Also, now it's not a hot/cold problem anymore, it just won't start at all. And no , I don't have a heavy keychain, just a single car key. But I really appreciate the feedback...smileys/smiley6.gif

Well, a crank sensor and a coolant temp sensor later, I am still not sure what the problem is. But my mechanics at Kia have narrowed it down to either a fuel pump or fuel filter. I found a used fuel pump on ebay and I am just waiting for it to arrive. He thinks it's the fuel pump because we banged on the gas tank while he was cranking it and it started. So we put the car on the hoist to listen for the fuel pump and it made no noise when we turn the key to the "on" position, and hence the conclusion. I will post updates after I install the new "use" fuel pump.

Unfortunately, you've taken your car to a place that wants to charge you by the part.


If the car won't start, the first thing you should check is fuel, air, spark, and compression.


If any one of those is missing, the car won't start.


A fuel filter is CHEAP. Why not change THAT first, and then worry about the fuel pump? You can TELL whether or not the pump is working simply by listening for it to come on. If it is not coming on, then either your pump is bad (less likely), or the pump RELAY is bad (very likely!), or a FUSE is bad. With electronically fuel injected cars, if the fuel injection relay or fuse is bad, the fuel pump may not come oneither! This is a safety feature.


Relays and fuses are relatively inexpensive and should ALWAYS be checked before replacing more expensive parts like fuel pumps.


Yourshop is either uninformed, or simply taking advantage of you. I'd guess uninformed... For every good mechanic at a dealership, there are 5 that don't know how to read a manual and won't bother to do it.Edited by: LGO-SC2

Thanks for the input. I actually work a car dealership so I get free labour. I forgot about the relay so I will check the relay first thing tommorrow. Thanks again.

btw, just out of curiousity, how do you check if the relay is working fine or not. I am sure my mechanics would know how, but I am just curious myself.smileys/smiley5.gif

Here is wherea manual really comes in handy.


You check for continuity using a multi-meter. The manual would tell youwhich poles/tabs on the relayto connectvia themeter to check for continuity.


Either that, or even easier, replace the relay with a fresh one and if the car starts you know that was the problem.


Checking for continuity will tell you whether the relay is working. One problem you may have, rarely, is that more than one of those relays or fuses could have failed. I've never experienced that, though. Relays and fuses seem to stagger in their demise... one at a time.


Free labor will definitely keep the costs down!


If you check the trouble shooting section of a shop manual or even the Haynes manual, you'll cover the majority of possibilities.


If you're certain the relays and fuses for the fuel pump and injectors are good, and the fuel pump still doesn't come on, either the pump is bad or it isn't recieving the electrical signal to come on.


If you have spark, if the air filter is clean and there is no obstruction blocking the air intake, and if you have fuel and compression, the engine must start, assuming it cranks over fast enough to build compression, and the spark and fuel are delivered at the right time.


It's likely something very minor, like a relay or fuse.


Let us know what it turns out to be.





Edited by: LGO-SC2

My mechanics did check for continuity when we took the fuel pump out and it seemed ok. So hopefully it is the fuel pump. Still waiting for the fuel pump to arrive. But thanks fot the input.

So you're certain that the engine isn't getting fuel?


Did anyone check the fuel injection relay or fuse?

Finally, I am glad to say that my car is fixed. For those of you whose has been following my story, it was the fuel pump. I sincerely "thank you" to all those who have tried to help. Have a good one.smileys/smiley1.gif

Glad your car is working now.

I think I spoke too soon. Well, the car is running BUT, for some reason, it only fires on the second try, first crank never starts the engine. I think the used fuel pump is not holding pressure??? Any inputs, anyone???smileys/smiley24.gif

It could be that the pump is fine, but your plugs are worn.

After driving the car for a couple of weeks now, my car seems to be starting fine.smileys/smiley2.gif