I'm having a problem where my car will randomly decide not to crank at all sometimes. Other times it will start right up without issue. The battery was checked and is good and I replaced the rusty battery connectors with new ones that are on nice and tight. When it does start, the starter seems to work immediately and with no problem at all. I'm wondering if it's the starter or ignition switch. Possibly related, a few days ago when this problem was occurring, I tried to clear the SES light with my scanner and it failed to clear and made popping noises somewhere. The car has never died on me or given me any other trouble recently that could be related.

 

any other lights on in the dash, could be vats acting up.

 

No other lights. Security light goes off as usual.

 

could be your fuel pump check valve going ,just turn the key on wait about 5 to 10 seconds ,do that 10 times over a few days ,if it starts every time could be it it ,is it 3.8l 5.7l

 

could be ignition switch is failing or shaft is getting stuck. theres a bar/shaft that goes from the upper steering coluum to the lower coluum where the ignition switch is.

 

What you need to do is to get a test light on the small wire on the start when the engine will not crank. As you may know this can be tuff to do. I would be tempted to connect a jumper to the small terminal and Carefully run it up to a place you and access it on the inner fender then tape it up so you are sure it will not ground. Then the next time it will not crank you can probe that wire for power. If you get power your starter has a bad spot in it. If not it is something deeper in your cranking system.

 

Thanks for the replies everyone. I already have a brand new ignition switch to put in but I've been too busy to do it, and I haven't had the issue occur in the past few days. I'll keep you updated though.

 

when mine went it would not work unless i tilted the steering wheel or moved the key just right then one day driving down the road the engine died. i had to hold the key in a certain position to get it to run, luckily it ran. dont know if it would have if i would have had to turn to the start position.