Hey all! So. . . I've already put two starters in my 2003 Vibe. The last one was sometime between 2013 and 2015.
Now, it won't crank. Surely, surely it can't be the starter again, can it?
So of course I turn to you awesome folks at GenVibe.
I've had this car since '06. Put in a new alternator (and battery, because it killed the battery) in February. My previous starter was, I think, killed by a bad battery.
I think it may be the ignition switch, based on what I've read.
Anyway, i go to turn the key leaving work and the radio turns on and the dash lights up but the car doesn't start. No clicking like a dead battery. I hear nothing. I fiddle with contacts, and bang on starter, and eventually, with car in neutral it starts. But the next time, it didn't. A jump start didn't do anything. If I listen carefully, I can hear a slight humming when I turn the key. . . perhaps it's the fuel pump?
When the starter went out last time, it made a sound like a vacuum cleaner or hair dryer.
This time, only that very quiet him.
EDIT: About two months ago, I couldn't get it to crank one day, then it did, then a friend cleaned my battery contacts and tightened everything up and it's been cool since then
Somewhere I read that, if the lights don't dim when you turn the key, it may be the ignition switch. Well, the headlights didn't dim at at all when I tried to crank it last time.
I'd prefer not to have to spend several hundred dollars on tow (it's paralell parked beside the downtown post office in my town) . I'm fairly handy for a girl. But we have to have a car by Saturday for a funeral, so I may have to bite the bullet. Thankfully I just got my tax money.
*** I forgot to mention - it's becoming more common that I have a hard time turning the key. The other day I thought it was never going to turn * * * not sure if they are related
many thanks anybody! Sorry this is so long but I wanted to be thorough.