2003 Saturn l200 crank no start intermittently
So about a week ago I put fuel in car wouldn't start up right away about 15 minutes later it started up. So I drove it home shut it off the next morning I went to go try to start it and it would not start. At 5:30 in the afternoon I tried to start it again and it started right up so then on Sunday I went to the grocery store and it died at the grocery store wouldn't start sat in a parking lot from Sunday to Tuesday when I got towed home on Tuesday it cranked up right after getting off the tow truck. So yesterday went to the courthouse would not start when I got out of the courthouse and still will not start has a decently new fuel pump three months old just put a new ignition control module in and I'm at my Wit's end I don't know what else is wrong with it fuel pump is not getting power when it will not turn over but when it does start it fires right up no issues anybody else have this issue. I do have an extremely worn down key for the ignition but it still turns and will start the car when it decides it wants to start my apologies I forgot to add it as a 2.2 L engine I do have a cel on but for an 02 sensor
Last edited by Outlookxr08; Nov 13, 2025 at 09:45 PM.
So last night I put in a crank shaft position sensor and replaced the fuel pump fuse. I took it on a drive to "reprogram" crank sensor and it did just fine. Went to go take kids to school this morning and back to crank no start. Security light is not on.
DO NOT start shot gunning parts at it. You'll end up spending more money than necessary and MIGHT not even hit on what is wrong with it. I don't have a clue, but I'm sure Andy or one of the other mechanics here will be able to help you figure it out.
Yeah, I hear ya. But wouldn't you know it started right up for me to put it up on ramps and not thinking I shut it off and now it won't start again. Somebody please tell me you have some sort of idea what's going on.
But as far as parts go I put a new fuel pump in because the output line had cracked on the other one and then the ICM was under recall that nobody had fixed in 20 years. And I did put a new crankshaft position sensor in so really that's the only part that I dumped money into it without having a diagnosis thankfully
The answer is in the first line of your first post. When you add fuel to your car and it fails to start the fuel pump is not doing its job. Cold fuel into a hot tank, the brushes loose contact and the pump fails to start. Everything equalizes and it starts. Buy a name brand pump and try again. This is what a mechanic learns early in his career after changing a couple customers fuel pumps for free.
The answer is in the first line of your first post. When you add fuel to your car and it fails to start the fuel pump is not doing its job. Cold fuel into a hot tank, the brushes loose contact and the pump fails to start. Everything equalizes and it starts. Buy a name brand pump and try again. This is what a mechanic learns early in his career after changing a couple customers fuel pumps for free.
Yes it has a warranty but if it were going bad or if it were bad there would have been signs or symptoms beforehand and I don't feel like it would be as intermittent as it is. I'm thinking more along the lines of a ignition cylinder or ignition switch cuz those will keep the fuel pump from kicking on if they're not properly engaged with the key. or am I just completely 100% off base


