hi all,


we have a 01sl1 with about 95k miles on it. yesterday i stopped at the store and came out 5 minutes later, put key in went to start car and it wouldnt turn over. all lights, dash lights, etc worked just would not turn over. after about 10 minutes it started right up and i drove home. i started it 3 more times at home with no issues and it started fine this morning.


any ideas what this would be? someone said the starter could be going bad but to me it seems like something leading to the starter but i am no expert when it comes to cars. any help would be appreciated. we replaced the crank position sensor about 6 months ago due to a starting problem that i think is totally unrelated to this one.


thanks, JOE

Battery cables?

Battery cables are a definite possibility. Positive cable is worse.

Other points to look at are the safety switch if automatic, or clutch switch if manual. Loose wires can be a real pain.

Defective ignition switch is a remote possibility.

Years and years ago, a defective starter winding would do this too, but I have not heard/seen this type of failure lately ...

I say either bad starter or internal corrosion of the positive battery cable. Could be a bad ECTS as well.

Mike (Lo Saturn) ...

I am confused ... I can see the ECTS making it hard to start the car, but he says it will not crank. How is the ECTS gonna affect cranking ??

Ocean Archer

thanks guys fr allt he ideas. i am in the process of egtting the starter checked first then will go from there. battery cables look good as far as corrosion and that goes.

It could be causing the PCM to think the engine is wayyyyyy hotter than it really is.

To Low Saturn (Mike) ...

Kindly excuse my stupidity, but is there an interlock or other device that will disable the starter motor and prevent it from operating ?? (other than the transmission lockout and the clutch switch, that is)

I know the ECTS can prevent starting by telling the PCM the engine is wayyyyy hotter, but in that condition the engine will crank, it just will not run ...

it''s funny the same thing happend to me 2 days ago, I just jump started it (it''s a 5 speed) and went and picked my summer car up hoping not to stall the car on the way there... my buddy is going to look at it but if you''ve checked all the fuses and starter motor, let me know what you have done