2004 Saturn Vue won't start (sometimes)
 

Hey Yall, I sure could use some advice. I have had my Saturn towed twice in two weeks for not starting.
The first time it was towed, my friend (who has worked on my crown vic before)
towed it to his shop, and said the fly wheel was stuck, so I guess he tinkered with it and got it to start again. While he had, it I had him change oil and do brakes.
Fast forward to the second time it wouldn't start, got it towed back to his shop, and he put a new starter on it
Now here I am new starter, and the darn thing is doing the same thing tonight, it wont start. The lights come on, sometimes you hear a click, sometimes nothing. I drove it all around today shopping, turning it off at 3 separate stores, the 4th Store Kroger , it wouldn't start.
So he was able to get it started tonight by jumping off the starter solenoid with a long screw driver.
I told him I would get on here tonight to ask for advice. He wanted me to tell yall, that he was able to start it with the screwdriver.

Possible ignition switch/cylinder electrical contact issue. It may have developed play and may be making intermittent contact.

How worn down is your key?

What is the status of the security light before trying to crank, during, and after crank attempt?

1) I can only think he meant the flywheel was "stuck" so to speak in the sense it wouldn't engage teeth with the starter due to the fact that a bunch of sequential teeth on the flywheel are literally missing, and the flywheel came to rest in such a perfectly aligned manner that the starter gear teeth get inserted in that damaged gap of flywheel. Since there are no flywheel teeth there, the starter spins freely but the flywheel never moves.

2) Even a new starter will suffer from the same issues as 1) above. Maybe he got a dud starter with a bad solenoid. Maybe the ignition switch contacts are worn and the voltage to engage the starter solenoid is not reaching the solenoid. Using a screwdriver is just jumping over the starter solenoid and connecting the battery current directly to the starter motor. Sounds like the starter solenoid is not getting V from the pink(?) wire from the ignition cyl to the starter, or the connection is intermittent.

3) Do not forget to check the obvious things like a good clean connection from the NEG battery terminal to ground. A corroded ground at the battery or especially where it meets the chassis will wreak havoc. Be sure the battery terminals are clean and the connections are clean and tight.

4) outside chance of battery issue or alternator beginning to fail, not always charging battery sufficiently for next trip. This often shows up when running errands since the alt is not replenishing charge to the battery properly and this adds up to a combined deficit in available current deliverable by the battery. Also maybe that battery is no longer able to handle a charge.

I have already thrown enough possibilities out there.

Star SIMPLE, then work your way through the rest.

Thanks Derf for the suggestions, we started with replacing the ground battery cable. It actually looked like there was some of the little wires had broken off, and he said he it looked like there was some (white or corrosion on the wires once he took it off. I will keep you updated. ( he also loaned me a long screwdriver/crowbar looking thing and I practiced hitting the two screw things to jump it myself if I get stranded again)