Randomly decides to not start (not passlock)

[storm83]

I drove to the grocery store friday night, no problems no lights. I parked the car for 10 minutes. When I tried to start it again it just turned over but did not fire. I tried for a couple of minutes then I did the passlock reset, no luck. I then called a friend and left it in the parking for a couple of hours, came back but no luck and I ran out of battery so I left it overnight. Next day I charged up the battery and when I tried again it fired right up. Drove home and parked it. I went and bought a new battery thinking that could have been the problem (even though I really didnt since it turned over well from the beginning). Today (Sunday) it happened again. driving well, parked for about 3h. Just didn't fire up (but turned over nicely). I tried passlock again no luck. I disconnected the battery for 30mins tried again no luck, then I cursed and told my girlfriend that it was dead but I tried once more and it fired right up. I have no idea what this might be. I changed the fuel pump three months ago so it should be good. It's a 03 GLS coupe with 80000mls on it. Does anyone have any ideas? I would so need some help here.

One more clue, when I left it in on to do the passlock thing the doors kept unlocking themselves as it does when you put it to D.

Marcus

[Kilroy]

Mine did the door unlocking thing when my battery went. Does it do the same door unlocking with the new battery?? Then again, since you replaced the battery, it doesn't appear to be that. I would maybe check all the battery connections to insure they are clean?????

[alerogls001]

I had the same prob once. It was the fuel pump like u said u already replaced. Next day after the new pump was in it did it again.. It was another bad fuel pump even though brand new so I wouldn't completely rule that out. Do u hear the fuel pump kick in when u turn the key to the on position? (when it's at a time it won't start)

[storm83]

Yes it did the same unlocking the doors with the new battery, I guess it could be a bad connection such as a bad ground. Does anyone know where the ground from the fuel pump attaches to the frame (and where other important ground connections are as well)? I have been considering that my new (delphi) fuel pump could be bad, but it doesnt really make sense that it works beautifully sometimes (I could accelerate quickly and it is strange that it only happened when it was parked if it was the pump, right?)

[Fenderxcore]

Most likely a bad connection...Next time it happens...Pop the hood an start wigglin wires around the battery till you hear your door start chiming or have someone sit in it and let you know when the dash lights up

[DansGen1Alero]

http://www.aleromod.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23863

a similar thing happened to my ex girls truck, read the post, maybe get you some new ideas, and maybe 1 will work.

for my exs it was some relay I beleive.

but bad fuel pump, ignition coil....... all in the thread

[undersc0re]

You can try replacing the fuel pump relay, its in the engine compartment.

[storm83]

I did that, no success. Could it be some computer that is acting up not letting me start it. What really bothers me is that when it's started it works perfectly, like if something is telling it not to start.

[DansGen1Alero]

did you read the above thread I posted?....did you try the relay, ignition coil, pulsator, is the fuel pump an off brand? it is possible it is a dud?

[storm83]

I did read it, thank you very much. The fuel pump is not an off-brand one I tried the relay. I will take a look at the ignition coil. What I also will do next time it happens is to try to jump start it even if the battery is good to see if the extra voltage helps (that would explain why it works great while running).

[undersc0re]

Check the bcm under glove box for corroded/bad connections.

[dj01alero]

it might be the wiring harness maybe a bad ground thats what was wrong with my car but it was in a front end collision i got my car from my grandfather. he owns a bodyshop he bought it from the lady who crashed it. it was a grad present

[storm83]

A little update,

I checked the BCM and it looks like new. But what I noticed was that if I went from acc to on 30 times 5 or so times the fuel pump would not start up (no humming) and of course those times the car didn't start, also those times the doors tried to unlock themselves. When I checked the battery connections I noticed that the ground cable that attaches to the engine compartment was very rusty. I cleaned it up and replaced the screw, this was just an hour ago so I don't want to say too much, but in 30 acc to on the fuel pump started up everytime. I cross my fingers and hope that was it.

Thanks everyone!

[undersc0re]

Low voltage, voltage drops, and bad grounds cause crazy things! Gotta love those intermittent problems!

[storm83]

After two good days, the car suddenly refused to start yesterday evening again. I have learnt a lot now though. I hear immediately that the car wont start when there is no humming from the fuel pump, I turn the key from acc to on until I hear the pump humming, and I am good to go. It took me about 4 turns yesterday. So my theory about the ground was wrong.

Do you have any other ideas, I am not starting to believe that it might be a bad connection inside the ignition cylinder, it does not trip the passlock but rather does not understand that it is in on. When I turn it slowly from acc to on there seems to be two things that happens, first the fan and lights go on, and when I am at on the pump starts. It is almost like if I never reach the second position when I have this problem.

What do you think guys, is it worth ripping the dash apart to take a look/replace it. I know this ignition cylinder is a trouble spot on these cars.

[AftermathAlero]

sounds like a bad fuel pump.

I had an experience .. I just drove in from a car show 8 hrs away. Got home.. Next morning .. the car didn't start up. just turned over.

Have someone crank the motor while you put a screwdriver in the scredder valve on the fuel rail. See if fuel comes out. if not.. its a bad fuel pump.

[storm83]

That is a good point, but what I am afraid of, which I will try to figure out this weekend is that the fuel pump does not get any power, of course will it act like a bad fuel pump if this is the case.

I have noticed that if you turn the key slowly from acc to on first the fan and the lights come on, then a couple of degrees keyturn later the fuel pump engage, it might be so that when I run into problems this last step is not recognized, it would also make sense since when you go from the fuel pump engaging position back to the fan on position the doors try to unlock, this is also what happens when I have this problem.

So I will take a look at the ignition cylinder/switch this weekend to see if there is anything obvious. Has anyone been working with this unit?

[AftermathAlero]

When my fuel pump went bad.. it still make the noise of when it primes when the is at acc. It just went out like a weak pump. But still made noise as in not completely dead tho.

you can always spray starting fluid into the throttle body. If it fires right up, then you know its the fuel pump for sure.

[brim]

When my fuel pump went bad.. it still make the noise of when it primes when the is at acc. It just went out like a weak pump. But still made noise as in not completely dead tho.

you can always spray starting fluid into the throttle body. If it fires right up, then you know its the fuel pump for sure.

fires up then dies :lol:

but it's an indicator

like everyone else said, fuel pump, check for pressure, if it's on and off as far as pressure goes or you don't hear the hum each time as well as get pressure at the rail, then it's a connection, faulty pump, possibly cam sensor issue.

If you have pressure every time check for spark, if no spark see crank sensor, control module.

[storm83]

Update: I finally solved the problem after several attempts. It was the ignition switch part no (2002+): D1470E or 22737173. I paid 25 dollar for a new one on ebay, change was pretty easy, just remove the radio and instrument cluster, from there is it pretty self-instructive.

Thanks for all your help.

[Dave_Stumph]

Update: I finally solved the problem after several attempts. It was the ignition switch part no (2002+): D1470E or 22737173. I paid 25 dollar for a new one on ebay, change was pretty easy, just remove the radio and instrument cluster, from there is it pretty self-instructive.

Thanks for all your help.


That's exactly what I had happen to me!!! Here's the kicker. When you have a bad ignition switch....and drive on the freeway at high speeds and hit a bump in the road and it manages to cut the signal to the bcm guess what happens??? The car shuts down and stalls going 120-130kph (80mph) with a car full people and transport trucks infront/behind/beside you. Scary shit man.....this is a serious issues with these cars and no recall!?!?!? Come on kids, hop in, lets hope we don't get into an accident today???