think this is a starter issue?

[sh40674]

new to the forum, been stalking the place a while.. alot of good info here!

so my wifes 2008 saturn aura (chevy malibu) wouldnt start friday. shed been driving all day and stopped at her moms house and when she came out, full power but no crank. no clicking or buzzing. my immediate thoughts were ignition switch, neutral safety switch, computer or starter. after trying a jump and trying to charge the battery, nothing. left it overnight. next day wouldnt start. tinkered more with the key (pass key system) but the security light wasnt on. i finally tapped on the neutral safety switch and slammed the hood shut and it started. so i assumed maybe i jarmed the insides of the switch some and that was the issue. she drove all day saturday, sunday morning it fired up. decided to take my truck to easter dinner instead. went to start it later, nothing. same issue again. tapped on the switch, nothing. jacked it up and hit the starter a few times with a screwdriver and it fired up. shut it down, wouldn't start again. jacked it up and hit the starter a few times pretty good and its been starting ever since. sound like the starter may be bad? the only way i can think for sure without taking it off the car is to wait until it wont start again, have her hold the key over to start it, then tap it and see if it fires up while shes holding the key to the start position.

any advice?

 

[Olas]

Use some spare wire to take battry live straight to the starter - you'll hear the pinion throw out, and on the other pin you make the starter spin. Quickest way to diagnose a starter if you know all your earths are clean and tight.

 

[charbaby]

 

[The_Eric]

Sounds like a starter to me.

Double check battery connections first, then take a test light and probe the large cable at the starter- should be hot. Next have a helper turn the key to start while you probe the little wire at the starter- it should light up with operation of the key. If it does, then you're due for a starter.

 

[Falken]

IIRC Chevys get problems with their Anti-Theft systems.

If a fuse blows, say on rear defroster that is linked to the anti-theft, the car won't start.

Try disabling the Anti-Theft, look in the manual if it has it.

I had a 2000 Chev Cav that had the describe symptoms, had to disable the Anti-Theft and no more problems.

 

[WobblyElvis]

I have an 06 Malibu with electric power steering. In the fuse box under the hood there is a large fusible link near the rear of the box. Sometimes the connections to the link get dirty and can cause a no crank situation. Disconnect the battery, remove and clean the link and it's connections then re-install everything.
If you don't have electric power steering just pretend this never happened.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: The_Eric
Sounds like a starter to me.

Double check battery connections first, then take a test light and probe the large cable at the starter- should be hot. Next have a helper turn the key to start while you probe the little wire at the starter- it should light up with operation of the key. If it does, then you're due for a starter.


+1.

 

[BigD1]

Sounds like what was happening on my sons 2008 Honda Civic, and we had to replace the starter. The starter would turn the engine over some times and crank, and at other times just a click or nothing at all. It was all very random, but it got worse and worse over a period of three weeks.

Took the old starter off, and took it to Advance to have it checked, and it did pass, but during the test it did make a whining sound a few times. I bought a new rebuilt starter, and it has been working great for the last two weeks.

Do make sure to check it per The_Eric instructions because it could possibly be a bad ignition switch.