Hey all--I had some issues with my 2002 2.2L manual Vue a month or so ago. The car sat until I had some extra money I could put into it. Initially my issue was this: the car had been idling low (800 RMP) with some shaking. No real issues as I drove it. I came out one (very cold Chicago morning) and started the car and it was shaking violently with flashing SES light. I could put the peddle to the floor and nothing really happened…the car had little power to move. So I parked it and did nothing to it for a month. Two weekends ago I replaced all 4 spark plugs, boots, and springs. That helped a bit, but then I gave it a new ignition control module (with the help of 4 beers). VIOLA! It worked. Still idled low, but it was driving fine. Flash forward to today. I drove the car the most it's been driven since the fix (25 miles?). Lots of stopping and starting as I was out and about, with no issues. However, an hour ago I went to drive it home, turned the ignition and heard a "clunk" and then the car died. Now it won't turn over. It makes no attempt at turning over, no noise…nothing. The SES light came on a few days ago (not flashing) but I didn't check it out as the computer at AutoZone can't read my car and comes up with a blank screen. I'm looking for some insight as I'm new at fixing these issues and need to know where to start (and if that's at a mechanic, I want to know I'm not getting *as* screwed as I could). Any help is appreciated!

 

Sounds like a loose connection somewhere to me. The obvious place to look first it at your battery cables. I'm sure you disconnected the battery when you did the swap. If not one of them, remove them and start tracing all of your wiring connections.

 

Not having much in the way of money, not experience in repairing an automobile puts one at a major disadvantage when something that at this point in tme is as high tech as an automobile is requiring basic (not only) mechanical knowledge, but some electrical knowledge and a means to go about troubleshooting something that could be any kind of a problem.
I don't know based on the report of the symptom as:
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turned the ignition and heard a "clunk" and then the car died. Now it won't turn over. It makes no attempt at turning over, no noise…nothing. The SES light came on a few days ago (not flashing) but I didn't check it out as the computer Autozone can't read my car and comes up with a blank screen.
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The first question, unanswered with the report of the problem is where is the car now? Parked in some place where when reported as an abandoned vehicle it will be towed off?
And it continues on.
Such as do you have a manual for your car? A Chiltons or equivalent that gives you some information about parts and how to go about taking thing apart and so on.
What happens when you turn the key on? What are the displays? Or is everything just dead?
Did you know that you can read the error codes out yourself? Why is that important? Simply because you pretty much stated that things are wrong, flashing lights are indicating problems and they have gone un-addressed.
A clunk can mean that a noise was made because something tried to work all the way up to and including some major piece fell out of the car due to massive destructive self inflicted damage and is now lying on the ground.
You want a place to start? I can understand that. But what are your skills? If none I really do not know how to help you.
But the place I would suggest starting is having an Aprox. $25.00 Chilton or Mitchel or some ones paperback service manual which will give you valuable information and including the ability to diddle with the ignition key to get the check engine light to flash the code sequence at you and a $2.00 (on sale generally and free last week end just for walking into the store) digital volt meter from HarborFreight and the ability to use it an understand what the readings are telling you.
I'm sorry I can not hazard a guess as to how to began informing you as to what to do. A forum thread format has limitations in both giving instructions and receiving answers and the description of your symptom is so vague that I have no idea where to start or any understanding what you are able to do with minimum instructions. Ruby's suggestion is a place to start but if you do not know how to do that? Nor have any clue what wires to trace than it is pointless.
You have mine, what is going on when the key is turned on?
What are voltages that are being read at the key important points, and look up in your for cheap service literature to get the codes out.
Actually a proper scan meter would read the codes. Autozone is not using one for your car, although they have them to sell.
I don't have on either, mostly because I have been able to get the check engine light to tell me what is going on. It is not as good as a scan tool but it is better than nothing.
However if I ever have a need to use on I will have to buy it no matter how broke I am and my budget is about as thin as it can be and still be a budget.
Why? If I am going to do my own work on my own car because I can not afford to drop it off at Arthur Fartz Automotive Emporium and Screen Door Repair where I will spend the national debt and then some like the existing government does to get nothing done but a request for more money? I had better have the $200.00 or so to buy a good grade scan tool to help me diagnose my own problems because letting Arthur do it will cost me enough money to actually purchase another klunker that runs.
So to help you at all, a better definition of what is going on is needed. It might help to know or have some idea of your capabilities too. And I guess if this thing broke down some where on a road trip where is it now?

 

Thanks both Rube and UnclJohn:

The car is parked out of harms way. I'm headed over to take a look now. While I don't have much mechanical experience, I'm a smart, patient individual with Google, so I'm confident that I can repair most anything with time and sanity (an infinite number of monkeys with an infinite number of typewriters will eventually write Shakespeare). When the key is turned, the dash lights up. Radio, interior lights, etc. all work fine, it just doesn't turn over, or make any attempt. The car died while trying to start it; i.e. it's sitting where it broke down, so nothing "fell off". The SES light had gone off once I completed the initial repairs, only to come back on without the flashing. I figured it was nothing, since the car wasn't running hard/hot. I'll take a look at the oil today to make sure it wasn't a blown head gasket and keep you posted on anything else I find. If you have any ideas of what I should be looking for, let me know!

Thanks again for the help guys.

 

Check the clutch safety switch ........ unplug put a jumper wire across the plug and see if it turns over.

 

The key here is that it died while trying to start. Hmmmm, it still seems like a loose connection to me as I don't think they put fusible links in cars anymore. Of course, I'm not a mechanic by trade, so don't take my word for it. Perhaps you burned the starter up or it simply locked up on you. Try tapping on it "lightly" with a hammer and then see if it cranks. You also need to see if the engine will turn over by putting a large socket on the crankshaft bolt and turning it with a ratchet. If the engine is locked up, you're pretty well screwed and will have to replace or rebuild it.

 

Well - on the "L" series they did use a 30A fuse in the engine compartment fuse box labelled "IGNITION", which if blown, would totally disable the starting circuit. Might be a really good place to start