Please help!

[ignaro]

My Solstice didn't start today.

I have a tandem parking spot in my apartment. I started the Sol with no problems at all, backed it out and turned it off to put my girlfriend's Jetta (don't get my started on VWs) back in its spot. When I went to start the Solstice again, I got full electric response but no sound at all, not even the click of the starter motor trying to turn over.

I tried three or four more times, waited 3min, tried some more-- no luck. Called my girlfriend over to help me push it back, she tried and it started right up. Pulled it into the spot and shut it off, then started it 4 or 5 times in a row.

Since it's starting fine right now with no hesitation, I don't want to spend money replacing batteries and starters with the whole economy/unreliable income thing... what should I do?... Other than never going anywhere without my magical girlfriend.

It's a 2006 NA that I bought last June. It was raining today though not especially hard, never had any problems with rain water before. I'm hoping that though I didn't buy it from a GM dealer, the local place will honor that Pontiac extended service at least to do a diagnostic. The battery said 'made for GM' on it which leads me to believe it's the original from '06.

Is there any way I can self-test how good the battery is or whether it could be the starter, etc-- just to be better informed when I take it in?

Thanks for your help!!

[KappaNumber]

Was the key wet or damp at all? In the past, I have heard about some issues with the GM "pass key" anti-theft device when the keys are wet or damp. Something about the moisture changing the keys resistance and the computer won't recognize it because it expects a certain value. That might explain the no start condition.

[ignaro]

Nope, key was definitely dry... the car had been in the garage out of the rain for two hours so there was some water on the hood but it wasnt too bad.

[Smokescreen]

Most batteries will begin to crap out after 4 years or so, I'd swap that out first.

[lil goat]

There is a weird problem with GM keys and the chip in them, the exact same thing used to happen on my Yukon. it came down to being the key/security system. I found leaving the key in the ignition with it on for 10 minutes, then turning it off and back on usually helped. I got stranded more than once, but usually in 10 or 15 minutes everything worked fine until the next time.

Here is the security relearn procedure, it has something to do with this, sold the truck before I ever nailed it down.

10 Minute Learn Procedure
Tools Required:
None

Turn ON the ignition, with the engine OFF.
Attempt to start the engine, then release the key to ON (vehicle will not start).
Observe the SECURITY telltale, after approximately 10 minutes the telltale will turn OFF.
Turn OFF the ignition, and wait 5 seconds.
The vehicle is now ready to relearn the Passlock™ Sensor Data Code and/or passwords on the next ignition switch transition from OFF to CRANK.

Important
The vehicle learns the Passlock™ Sensor Data Code and/or password on the next ignition switch transition from OFF to CRANK. You must turn the ignition OFF before attempting to start the vehicle.


Start the engine. The vehicle has now learned the Passlock™ Sensor Data Code and/or password.

[ignaro]

Originally Posted by lil goat Observe the SECURITY telltale, after approximately 10 minutes the telltale will turn OFF.

Wow-- and this is exactly why I come to these forums.... That sounds like exactly what I inadvertently did. Is the "security telltale" something on the dash display? I don't remember it saying anything, just a check engine light after failing to start-- but I definitely could have missed it saying "Security" or something.

Glad to hear it is solvable! Thanks for the info!

[ignaro]

Update:

Since it stopped raining, I haven't had any problems. I tried to repeat the issue by playing the stereo with the engine off to tax the battery, then start it... tried starting it many times in a row... tried leaving it in the hot sun, then starting it... it always worked great!

If it was the rain getting to the starter or something, I probably won't know until next October-- LA probably won't get any major rain until then, what a shame!

I'm deciding to be thankful rather than skeptical and I'll just brace myself for the day it happens again.

[Silver_Ghost]

Are you sure you were not in a hurry and forgot to press the clutch in? If you put the key in the ignition and forget to press down on the clutch, the car will do what you describe. All electric stuff works of course but no starter noise and of course the car won't start. I bet you did this without knowing. I have done it when I was in a hurry a few times. Especially when going from an automatic and then back to a standard.

[ignaro]

While I wouldn't put it past myself to make an obvious mistake like that, I was trying for a long time when it wouldn't start and definitely had the clutch in. It's been two weeks of starting really well now-- I'm blaming it on the rain.

I read somewhere on here about a guy who got ambitious washing the engine-bay and it was determined that he got the starter wet. There are definitely tons of big puddles here in LA when it rains so I'm thinking one of those got up in there just wrong. Here's hoping!

[JLW]

I would start shopping for a new battery. I had one go bad once and had all sorts of intermittent problems happen before figuring out it was the battery.

Autozone has a tester they can hook up to it for free and tell if it is good or bad.

[ignaro]

I'm a fan of free-- thanks, I'll do that

[Radio Doc]

Originally Posted by JLW I would start shopping for a new battery. I had one go bad once and had all sorts of intermittent problems happen before figuring out it was the battery. Autozone has a tester they can hook up to it for free and tell if it is good or bad.

I agree with your first two sentences!

I would be a little cautious about your final sentence...

Back 15 or so years ago, had a daily driver with a battery that was several years old. I was taking the family for a winter weekend trip to Niagara Falls and because of the age of the battery, I actually had the foresight to take it to a battery shop where they used a load tester (huge wire/resistance element to put a LARGE load on the battery)...and it tested fine.

Well, I'm sure you can see this coming, but had to call AAA twice on the trip for a jump start and ended up needing a new battery anyway (even though it tested 'good').

Bottom lines:
1) I would be surprised if the Autozone tester is the kind that puts an actual big load on the battery.

2) You can't necessarily trust testers anyway -- especially due to the intermittent nature of the problem the OP is having.

3) OP says the car is an '06 that he recently purchased -- and therefore does not know the history of the battery. I would bet it's original and, like you, would recommend a new battery.

[ignaro]

Sounds like a new battery is just the way to go-- indeed, the battery says "Made for GM" on it. Shot in the dark here, but I think it's the original. Hey-- at least a battery is [relatively] cheap and simple!