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Starting issue - help?

7K views 58 replies 13 participants last post by  easyryderca 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello all,
Not sure what is happening with my 2007 “Mean Machine” GXP. Went to start her today. Depressed clutch, turned key and nothing. No sound or clicking like when you try to start her and battery is weak. Did it again and she started right up. Drove her and stopped after 30 minutes. Started her up again no prob. A bit of background....have had this happen a few times ( three or four times if memory is correct) over the last year. Battery died last week. I am guessing from a lack of driving ( I was away for a week in the Coupe). I boosted it, then trickle charged it and took her for a good 90 minute drive three days ago. All good. Put a new battery in her 4 years ago.

She is stored 6 months each year with battery disconnected. When I woke her up in the spring and connected the battery she started right up. A couple of weeks later battery died ( I had not driven her much since winter hibernation) Could my battery be on its last legs after four years? Appreciate all thoughts / feedback.
Thanks.
 
#4 ·
Check all the battery connections. Both battery terminals, chassis ground, starter cable, etc.
 
#5 ·
...Could my battery be on its last legs after four years? ...
I'd say 'yes'.

not all batteries are created equal.

some have lasted 12 years, others 12 weeks.


But double checking the battery connections as suggested above is a good idea too
 
#8 ·
The mistake is disconnecting the battery!!. It should be left on the car and a trickle charger put on it.
 
#9 ·
There are people, and I think NS is one of them, who do not have access to power where they store their car. For them, disconnecting is the only valid option.
And I assume that you mean battery maintainer and not literally a trickle charger, as a trickle charger can easily overcharge and damage a battery.

I do suggest disconnecting power at the underhood fuse block instead of at the battery.
 
#26 ·
Sorry you are correct is a battery maintainer. The battery needs to be replace is damaged period. If you have no power then try to take the battery some place where you can put a battery maintainer otherwise it will get damaged.
 
#11 ·
Happened again today. She started right up ...all good. Went to Supermarket ( parked in the middle of no where of course) .... came back and nothing. Turned the key again and she started right up.

By the way. Thank you to everyone for weighing in on this. This is a truly amazing forum with so many knowledgeable members. A tremendous resource.
 
#12 ·
My Father's Ford Escape had this problem for years. Finally chased down the ignition switch gremlin.

In my 1970 Buick, this will happen, and it's a mechanical transmission gear selector issue. If you burnish the contacts by going through the gears (auto on the column) it will start up in a nanosecond. But otherwise, it's like trying to start in 'drive'. This of course is not your problem, but I mention it to illustrate the wacko things that can happen that aren't the battery.
 
#14 ·
Nothing. Turn key...no sound no nothing. Turn her back and turn key again she starts right up as normal as can be?
 
#17 · (Edited)
Assuming that you have a manual transmission, the reverse issue is non-electrical, pretty common, and not related to your starting problem. For a manual, the clutch position is the only thing that inhibits starting, and nothing prevents the car from powering.

You said that there was no sound, no nothing. Does that include the radio? If the radio will not turn on with the key on the problem is almost certainly the switch. There is one switch contact that activates the BCM, and it is the BCM that enables the radio.

What I have found works best for getting into reverse is to push in the clutch and almost simultaneously shift into reverse. It seems to work every time. You want the gear to still be turning as it tries to engage, but not very much. If you shift too quickly you will hear or feel the slight catch or grind, and if you wait too long you may not get the gear to mesh.
 
#21 ·
This morning she did not start. I then restarted her and she fired up right away. As for the radio being on I can’t tell as it is a KENWOOD and takes a few seconds to light up when car starts. Drove her around today and started her with no issues three times. I might be up for the knucklehead of the year award. When I started her this morning and nothing happened I only had the clutch depressed but not the foot brake. The underground parking lot is flat hence me not using brake. The other starts I did today which all worked I had both the clutch and the foot brake depressed. Could this be it?
 
#24 ·
To aid in finding the problem I suggest that you change your routine a bit. Turn the key to on and wait to see what happens. Then try to start. If it doesn't start, wait a again before turning it off to try again. If it does start, try to remember what came on and when so that you will recognize what is different if it doesn't work.
 
#30 ·
Sorry I did not get back to you sooner. I missed this. Just went down to start her to check and of course she fired right up. My guess is the radio does not go off. This morning she took three times to start. Fourth time fired right up. Did some errands and two times she did not start then second time fired up. As I mentioned she now just started right away.
 
#31 ·
Whether or not the radio goes off will help pinpoint the problem, as the radio should go off while cranking. If it does not go off the problem is in the ignition switch contact that commands the BCM to operate the starter. If the radio does go off the command is being sent, but either the starter relay in the underhood fuse block or the starter itself are sticking.

I would turn the ignition on and make sure the radio is on, then turn the key to crank and check to see if it goes off while the key is in that position.
 
#34 ·
That is what should happen. Did that also happen when the engine didn't crank?

If the radio goes off when the key is turned to crank, the switch is OK. If it doesn't the switch has a problem.

Now I think it is down to the crank relay in the UFB and the starter itself. I would first reseat all of the fuses and relays in the UFB.
 
#35 ·
Yes. When the engine did not crank everything went off. Gauge cluster and radio. So, you are ruling out the battery?
Appreciate your help and knowledge on this. I will be taking her into my dealership this Wednesday and I now feel much more informed.?
 
#36 ·
I'm not sure that I would ever completely rule out anything, but this does not appear to me to be battery.

A sticking relay seems the most likely to me, but a corroded battery connector is always a possibility.

The only way to narrow it from here is going to be voltage measurements at various places, preferably while it doesn't crank.
 
#37 ·
Ok. Thanks again. I will go armed with this info and have them investigate. I will report back with outcome.
 
#38 ·
CLUTCH SWITCH!

There is a switch on your clutch pedal mechanism that must be made before the starter will engage. This is to keep your car from "lurching" forward or backward if you're in gear and the starter is engaged - you have to have the clutch fully depressed. When these switches start to go bad (or out of position, but usually bad) the contacts will not be made cleanly and repeatably. This is why sometimes it starts, sometimes it doesn't.
 
#40 ·
The Winner is?????

Chicken Wire. They have diagnosed it as a CLUTCH SWITCH. $12.00 part that they have to get from USA. Will take a week and a bit to get here. Having two Sols is paying off!!!!! I am bringing her home until part comes in. They have quoted hour and a half of labour. Looks like it will be around $200 total so not bad. Thanks again to everyone for their help on this and major kudos to JohnWR and Chickenwire.?
 
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#44 ·
Chicken Wire. They have diagnosed it as a CLUTCH SWITCH. $12.00 part that they have to get from USA. Will take a week and a bit to get here. Having two Sols is paying off!!!!! I am bringing her home until part comes in. They have quoted hour and a half of labour. Looks like it will be around $200 total so not bad. Thanks again to everyone for their help on this and major kudos to JohnWR and Chickenwire.?
Glad you found the solution. For $200.00 I'd come up to the great white north and change it out for you! lol
 
#41 ·
Good news. I'm glad that they found the problem so quickly. I am curious though, did the dealer call it a clutch switch? It is actually an analog position sensor.
 
#42 · (Edited)
I called it a clutch switch and they rolled with me. They did a search for the part and as I mentioned they had to order from USA. It is a back order here. They did not charge me for today and did a tire and fluid check to boot. I am going to mention to my service advisor that it is an “analog position sensor” just to be sure.
 
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#54 ·
Hi all. New to the forum partly because I'm at wits end. 2008 GXP that won't always start. As others have noted, dash lights and radio come on then I turn the ignition and nothing. I've had it towed 4 times because of this. Mechanic diagnosed as clutch ignition switch? He has replaced twice but it still is happening. He showed me that I can turn ignition and jump on clutch a few times until it cranks. That saved me a tow bill tonight but this is really frustrating. Thoughts?
 
#56 ·
If the radio turns off while you are holding the key in the start position, the ignition switch is working.

Pumping the clutch pedal suggests the the (switch or sensor) on the pedal is not working, and may need to be (adjusted or calibrated). It may also be loose, so you could contort yourself under the steering wheel to check it.
Went to dealership yesterday and the wrong part came in. Will go back in two weeks when new part arrives. I am not freaking out as she is not acting up as much. As per advice from dealership I make sure I depress clutch hard and all the way down. She then, 95% of the time starts up right away. Will update once part arrives.
Do you know what they ordered, or what it should have been? As I read the manuals, the '07 is supposed to be a switch, but the '08 is analog. TS had some different information, so I am really curious about what you actually have.
 
#55 ·
Went to dealership yesterday and the wrong part came in. Will go back in two weeks when new part arrives. I am not freaking out as she is not acting up as much. As per advice from dealership I make sure I depress clutch hard and all the way down. She then, 95% of the time starts up right away. Will update once part arrives.
 
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