My '05 Base is having an issue. When cold it cranks and starts without any hesitation. When I turn it off and want to start again it doesn't even click. Battery is good. I just have to wait until it has cooled off again, like 1 or 2 hours.
After restarting yesterday it threw a P0340 code related to the camshaft position sensor circuit. I erased it before starting this morning. At lunchtime it did not restart while warm but it did not trigger a code.
Where would you begin looking? Starter circuits? Starter itself?
Thanks in advance!
Vibrologist
'05 Vibe
"It is important to know the difference between 'accurate' and 'precise' even if you are neither!"
I don't think the symptoms match up with this bulletin. It says :"This may be caused by insufficient fuel pressure after the vehicle has been parked for a period of time." I read this as "extended period of time". My case is a short period of time and most likely tied to the temperature.
Also: the code came up after I tried several times to crank the engine. I can imagine that the computer looked for the cam position and did not get any info from the sensor because the cam did not move. All the other times there was no CEL. --A lack of fuel pressure is not likely to cause a cam position code.
I think I am going to clean the contacts at the starter before doing anything else.
Thanks again for your input!
Vibrologist
'05 Vibe
"It is important to know the difference between 'accurate' and 'precise' even if you are neither!"
I would check for voltage at the starter solenoid. First check that the supply cable has voltage at the starter stud into the solenoid, then check for a voltage signal at the solenoid from the ignition switch. You will have to get someone to turn the key to the start position as you measure the voltage signal at the solenoid. Next, check for voltage out from the solenoid to the starter. If you have voltage (signal) from the ignition switch but do not have voltage out of the solenoid to the starter, you have a bad solenoid. If you do not have a signal (voltage) from the key switch when in the start position, you will have to back track from that point at the starter to the key switch to find the problem. Starters draw more current when hot so the problem has better odds of being the solenoid and/or starter.
Ground your meter to the engine block and not to the battery when checking your voltages at the starter solenoid. If the voltage reading at the battery supply cable on the solenoid does not match the voltage across the battery terminals, then you have a bad ground or cables.
Thanks guys!
When it happened again I couldn't perform Jolt's procedure. I used a hammer to tap on the solenoid. After that it started. I got a new starter and put it in in about 40 minutes. Easy job. All is fine now!
Vibrologist
'05 Vibe
"It is important to know the difference between 'accurate' and 'precise' even if you are neither!"
I forgot to mention that if you have a manual transmission, a bad clutch pedal switch will cause the starter not to work too. The clutch pedal switch is in the circuit with the key switch and starter relay so you would have no voltage from the key switch to the starter relay if the clutch pedal switch was bad. It is good to see that you got it working.
Most of the time if tapping on the starter gets it working, it is that the brushes are bad in the starter motor. The bushes wear out and do not make good contact with the armature so the motor does not run. By tapping on the motor, or in this case the solenoid on the starter motor, you cause the bushes to move inside the motor and make contact on the armature again. The motor will now run and work for awhile. This works for a few times but at some point will fail completely.