Grey matter wont start help please.

Technical Topics specific to the Hatchback body - NOT where you post pics/build specs of your car.
 Reply
User avatar

Grey matter wont start help please.

By Cl9junky
- Thu Jun 21, 2012 1:40 pm #308971 Ill Try to make this short and detailed. Wife took car to work car not work anymore lol.

The car powers up IE lights, fuel pump all turns on but it wont crank. I checked all fuses and the relays seems to be clicking over. I tried jumping the car thinking maybe the battery weak but no luck. Starter wont click so I am guess somwhere between the ignition and the starter i have a problem. Any suggestions? Thanks
User avatar

By teal_dx
- Thu Jun 21, 2012 2:02 pm #308972 First check to see that all of the connections on the power/grounds are good.
Next, inspect the clutch pedal safety switch. If it is bad, you can bypass it by connecting the 2 wires together or jump them untill replacing the switch. Then tap the starter with a hammer. If there is a dead spot on the starter, the force may move it slightly to get past the dead spot.

By JohnRM
- Thu Jun 21, 2012 5:05 pm #308981 I had this problem a few weeks ago. My car did EXACTLY what yours did; everything turned on minus the car cranking itself. Check the neutral safety switch like teal said :thumb:

By JohnRM
- Thu Jun 21, 2012 5:06 pm #308982 I had this problem a few weeks ago. My car did EXACTLY what yours did; everything turned on minus the car cranking itself. Check the neutral safety switch like teal said :thumb:
User avatar

By newyorkhatch
- Thu Jun 21, 2012 5:14 pm #308984 Also had this problem, take the cover around your steering column off and unplug the biggest plug going into the column and check if anything is burnt out. That was my problem, i just wired up a start button to by pass all that until i could get it fixed, wire cost about $3 and a button is about $5 until you get a new harness..if thats your problem
User avatar

By Cl9junky
- Thu Jun 21, 2012 7:00 pm #308997 Thanks guys for the advice. I had to get it towed to the house because my wife's job was being very stupid about it being parked in there lot and didnt want me working on it. My insurance towed it for free so I was lucky. When I get home tonight from work I'll check all those out hopefully I can get her started.
User avatar

By suspendedHatch
- Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:32 am #309043 You can test the starter with a piece of wire. 18 gauge works fine. It helps if you crimp a speaker connector on one side. There's two wire connections to the starter. The larger cable goes direct to the battery positive, and the little plug (male spade connector) is what activates it (also positive). It grounds through the mount bolts to the trans.

Make sure the car is in neutral.

Unplug the little connector, then touch the wire between it and the big connection. If it doesn't crank, get your jumper cables and hook up the positive so that it pinches the 18 gauge wire which is still connected to the spade connector. Then touch the other end of the jumper cable positive to the positive battery post.
User avatar

By EG Love
- Sun Jun 24, 2012 2:55 am #309202 Same thing happened to me today, but it was just the main cable coming from the positive terminal wasnt bolted to the starter all the way. Probably not your case though since it was working fine to begin with. I have had luck hitting a starter before, started right up after hitting it. Then I replaced it when I got home.. good luck finding the issue
User avatar

By Cl9junky
- Sun Jun 24, 2012 9:10 pm #309254 So i found the issue i jumped the starter like suggested and the car cranked and started right up . :thumb: So it is the ignition that is giving me the problem. I am going to see if i can find another one and try to fix the one i got if not then i will be probably be getting a new one but dont really want to cause ill have to change keys and door locks unless i carry two keys with me :thumbdown:
User avatar

By Cl9junky
- Mon Jun 25, 2012 12:01 pm #309313 Yea I took the steering column cover off and seen that you can just replace the ignition switch (black plastic circle with 5 plugs attached) with the harness and get that replaced. Hopfully that would solve the peoblem
User avatar

By Cl9junky
- Wed Jun 27, 2012 4:12 am #309526 :x Still no luck i replace the ignition switch and still having the same problem. I doubled checked all the grounds, fuses and relays and still nothing. The neutral saftey switch was check and and jumped. I checked it and made sure all the connections, fuses and relays are getting power but everything checks out fine. I can hear the 12v relay in the fuse box in the engine bay clicking over but nothing after that. But the second i jump the starter it starts right up :? :? :? :? :? :? I need a beer lol

By b18hatched
- Thu Jun 28, 2012 9:37 pm #309676 Sounds like the issue i have been dealing with for the past few weeks.. Ive checked everything multiple times.. MASSIVE headache :thumbdown:
User avatar

By Rotary_EG4dr
- Mon Jul 02, 2012 4:46 pm #309949 have you checked your clutch safety switch?? you said it started when you bypassed the ingnition switch, remember that it bypasses the safety switch aswell. try jumping the safety switch ** MAKE SURE YOUR IN NEUTRAL ** and try and start the car again.
 Reply
Return to Chassis - Hatchback