My 1999 SL1 was running fine. Wife went shopping came home for 45 min went back out, started car and it stalled. Have not been able to start since. I have checked battery, fuses and relays. If you turn key dashboard lights up but it won't crank. Also the radio and power locks don't work but power windows do. Can anybody help?
Thanks

 

Have you tried to jump start it? You may need to clean the terminals. Have you load tested the battery?

 

Tried that, didn't work either

 

cleaned terminals or tested battery? or both?

 

Try to find wiring diagram for your year Saturn .... you might have a blown fuse-link ( a wire between the main fuse block and battery that's made to melt when it draws too much amps to save fuse block). Also test with a test-light if you have juice at the starter terminal and if so, try jumping from that to starter solenoid. if starter engages then you know you've got something blown elsewhere. However, if the car stalled, make sure you didn't break a timing chain (very unlikely on Saturns), Let me know what you find OK!!!

 

It was the fuse link. Apparently the wiring was stripped of insulation and shorted the link. All fixed now and good to go. Thanks for all your responses. God bless and have a great day!!

 

I am having the same problem with my '02 Saturn but is currently an intermittent issue (only does not start when I really need to be somewhere, Murphy's Law). Where can I find this fuse link on my vehicle?

 

MISaturn --

If your problem is an intermittant one, then it is unlikely to be the fusible link - that is a one-time device, and when it goes, ya gotta replace it. More likely a bad cable or loose connection

 

I tried to clean the connections and then use dielectric grease on them. I did this on the battery connections and the fuses. After reading some of the other posts, I believe that it may be my starter on the way out. It starts right up when it does decide to start. The strange thing is that when it does not, it makes no noise or effort as though it is trying to start at all. I read a few other posts that had nearly an identical issue as I have with the advice of replacing the starter. I just wanted to be sure that was the issue before I dropped the money (and time replacing it) on the new starter motor.

 

In most cases, the only way to be sure is to pull the starter and either have it tested or replace it with a known good one.
To test it on the car you need to be able to take voltage measurements on the car when you are trying to start the car while measuring voltages at the starter with a known good meter. Then though, you are still working with an element of doubt but it is a much smaller element.