I have a four door 1999 Saturn SL2 Automatic that just recently started having electrical issues. About two months ago was driving in extreme heat, shut off to fill with gas, and would not restart. After sitting in shade for about an hour (jump did no good battery fine) it restarted and made it home and then died again. Helpful mechanic diagnosed it with testing meter to be Relay switch--and we replaced the main one and the one that controlls the AC to be safe (and even bought two spare just in case). Ran great for about a month. Then another scorcher....died....remote keys/alarm would not work/radio would not work/car would not start/ headlights work/interior light works/dash lights come on when try to start.....no fix when change out relay switches.....Let car sit for 2-3 hours....started and ran fine for 1-2 weeks (but radio/clock all reset) Happened again today...very hot and humid...all above symptoms...towed home....called mechanic and described...he wants me to research too as he's stumped. Luckily home and so is car...and can borrow if can...research seeming to say to start with Crank Position Sensor? Does this sound posible? I'm sure it will be tough to test as by the time he can look at it, it will probably start again...and I do not have much knowledge or meters...I just need advice to help point him and not empty my bank. Any/all help will be GREATLY appreciated!!! Thanks
Please describe the "no start" symptom and the "car died" symptom too. We have no idea based on what you wrote if the starter turns over the engine or not and at what speed and engine RPM it died. Did it stall out while at idle or completely cut out at 55MPH? It also would be useful to provide the vehicle mileage, battery age, maintenance history and any recent maintenance performed, etc. The bottom line is that the better and more detailed your description, the better the advice and discussion you will generate on this newsgroup. Bob
When I mean no start I mean completely dead. Started doesn't even click. It doesn't start only after the car has been hut off and it is very hot and humid out. If it is running it runs fine. This only happen when the car is turned off. I had a mechanic test the fuses and relays under the hood and on the passenger side consol. On the Passengers console he gound the ignition relay was dead. Replaced it and started right up. Worked great for a month and the next hot (over 90) and humid day it did it again, only to start a few hours later. Two weeks after that (yesterday) Hot and very humid it again did it. Replaced the relay with a new one but nothing. Wouldn't restart last night after sitting 10 hours. The car has 67,000 miles, a/c power locks factor "alarm"(horn beeper) and key fob remote. When it is in this state, the headlights and daytime running lights work. The remote does not. Will not unlock anything or sound off horn. Radio is dead and when you restart the car the radio is reset to factory. No work has been done on this car recently as we have not had any problems ever with it.
I had something very mildly like this, but in a different car that turn out to be a short in a "going bad" starter... When the starter was hot (or just hot / humid outside), when you turned the key to try start it, it would short out and pop fuses on me. (But for me, it also ground out the battery and I ended up having to eventually replace that too as battery's tend not to like that happening to them too many times before they crap out...) I replaced the starter (and the battery soon after that) and was fine...Not sure this is your issue, but you might try there if no one else has any thoughts for you... Good Luck IYM
Almost 100% certain indication that somehow the battery has become disconnected. You probably have a loose or corroded connection at one of the battery terminals, or at the opposite end of the negative battery cable.
Forgot to mention -- this could also be caused by a defective battery (loose internal connection, between the post and plate, for example). Do you have another car you could switch batteries with for a week or two? Also check your battery cables while you're at it. Not likely to be the cause, but a visual inspection for damage takes only a minute.
Doug, These were my initial thoughts as well since they are very common issues, but neither would account for the car dying when it was already started and running. (John has yet to provide any details on that failure mode...) Bob
Negative battery cable becoming disconnected certainly does cause the car to die while running. Some cars, anyway -- it's happened to me twice. Not on either of my Saturns, though...
It has never died when running. It runs fine once it has started. After you have turned it off it does this. I thought I had said that once it runs it runs and doesn't die
Thoroughly clean the battery posts and cable connectors and then re-tighten them. Also check to make sure the cables themselves are good and that the connection at he starter is also good. As good measure, you can also remove and clean all connections to the chassis and engine grounds too. If it then acts up again, you will know it is either the battery (Car should start off jump fine then) or a problem in the starting system (the starter, starter solenoid, starter relay, or ignition key switch). Good luck. Intermittent problems are a PITA to diagnose ... Bob
My mechanic friend came over today and we started testing everything. Think we have it narrowed down to the fuel pump may be starting to fail and is shorting the system somehow by drawing too many amps or the securuty block module located on the side of the rear passenger seat.
I do not see how the fuel pump could do what you describe. It would definitely blow a fuse before it could cause the type of short you describe. In addition, none of the other accessories (lights, etc.) that you described as working would operate. I am not familiar with the "securuty" block module so have no comment on that. Good luck. Bob
Doug, I definitely agree with you (battery connections/cables or battery). A resistive connection drops the voltage and prevents sufficient current to engage the starter. If not that then the next most likely cause would be the starter solenoid, followed by the starter relay, ignition switch, neutral/park safety interlock, or the engine and chassis grounds. Bob
Of that list, though, only the engine and chassis grounds would explain the radio resetting to factory settings. *That* is why I'm convinced that the OP either has a bad battery, or bad connections between the battery and ground.
Doug, From the post, it is not at all clear when the radio got reset to its factory settings ... I was simply assuming it could have been during earlier troubleshooting and diagnosis when the battery could have been temporarily disconnected. I figure better to give a more exhaustive list and let the OP make his own decisions from there. In any event, based on the limited info that has been provided, we seem to be in agreement that the mechanic may be overlooking the obvious. In any event, I wish the OP well and hope he posts a more descriptive failure mode and the ultimate root cause to benefit others. Bob
My mechanic had the car while I was on vacation and took the dash apart trying to trace it. He found a wire from the radio had rubbed against something metal causing a short. This in turn had melted a connection on the fuse block. Replaced the fuse block and fixed the wire. All seems to be well now.
