Went to the local stop-n-rob for some gatorade and ice, got out locked the car... purchased my stuf went back out to the car, unlocked it with remote and it wouldn't start !!

After about 5 minutes of checking battery terminals and fuses... it started.

Any ideas as to what this could be ? Is car starting to not read thr security chip on the key ?

 

Hi, the best place to start looking is with the basics.
1, Confirm that your battery is good, don't take it for granted even if it is fairly new. Check the volts with an external volt meter, 12.2 is bare minimum at half charge, 12.65 is full charge. better yet is to have it load tested, places like pep boys, autozone, advance usually don't charge for this.
2, Check the cables for cleanliness and tightness, at the battery, and ground, and starter lug-- this is important as many have found the connection at the starter has loosened up, and the underhood fuse block.
3, those with headers should check the cables for integrity, as some have found the headers have burned the cables to the point that they weren't performing properly.
4, if the above check out,then you can look to the starter, tdr, and ig switch.
Good Luck

 

tdr ??

 

Hi tdr=Theft Deterrent Relay.
Theft Deterrent Relay
The theft deterrent relay is used to prevent the engine from cranking if the correct resistance is not sensed at the ignition key. It prevents the engine from cranking by opening the circuit to the starter solenoid.
But this is not the first place to look. Also it would help to pull codes and see if any can tell you something.
Good Luck

 

I agree. Pull the codes. Was the Security Light flashing?

 

Items 1, 2 and 3 worked out fine yesterday. So lets see where it goes from there.

 

Nope.

 

Maybe you've got a bad battery cable itself. There's been a couple of cases where the crimp in one of the battery contact lugs had failed. There is also the battery connection to the starter which has been known to come loose. When you went to start it, were the dash indications normal? Did the engine turn over at all and if not, what did you hear? I haven't looked at your profile to determine if its a manual or auto but in either case, the clutch switch or park switch will stop things from starting too.

 

Everything on the dash was normal. I pushed in the clutch pedal and turned the key and nothing happened.... Everything looks to be fine today, so far.... I'm a little confused...

 

Go back to what you were touching and checking, re-examine everything. It might be the clutch switch coming a little loose or needing adjustment. On the '99 that I recently gave away to my son, its happened to me twice where I went to start it and the starter wouldn't turn over. It was hot where I was both times that it happened and never happened past the two times. I never figured that one out but I suspect the clutch switch. The TDR is what will allow the engine to turn over therefore you could have an issue there. Have you pulled the codes yet? Send a PM to Bill Curlee and ask him.. he's the electrical expert.

 

If this happens again, listen for a faint "click" coming from the passenger side floor board when you turn the key to the crank position, this click will be the TDR relay making and letting you know that circuit is good.

I've seen this several times and each time it was the starter relay.

 

If it happened once, it will happen again. You need to do some physical inspection of the battery cables for starters.

 

If these experts ideas don't solve the problem, this car has two common intermittent no start no code issues. I solved mine by installing a Starter Solenoid Energized Idiot Light.

After replacing an ignition switch early 2007 (probably a bit early) my 2002 continued having random acts of no-starting. My office had moved to a building with a very hot underground garage -- often above 110 all day. The problem slowly worsened over a 2 year period, often leaving me to bum rides home and 4 times getting towed to dealer only to start fine the next morning. Sometimes it started after I held the key down; in these cases I heard a slow whirrrr with the key held down then it started. (Might not apply if you've been to too many rock concerts; I hear better than most people even at 50, was sonar eligible at 19 and never could abide cassette tapes as a kid in the 70s.) It was a no-start no code intermittent thing the dealer could not diagnose. Major guard got all the grounds cleaned and several parasitic draw tests and 3 new batteries. I was at my wits end. I posted a thread here and Bill Curlee suggested I think of the starter. Got the same advice at corvettemechanic.com. I bought a $4 12 volt LED at Frys. I had the dealer install it since major guard was only just expired and I wanted to keep their ownership of the problem. I showed them the wiring diagram from Bill Curlee's sticky. They ran it across the starter solenoid S-terminal to ground, and put the LED dropping down behind the trim by drivers right knee. They dropped the front panel of the dash to get a clean install, and now right next to my right knee is my little green "Starter Solenoid Energized Idiot Light." I paid 1 hr dealer labor. I don't feel bad about this because they have lost 10+ hours of unpaid diagnostic failure time. Two days later, the idiot light lit immediately and 5 seconds later -- it started. This idiot light is the only way to QUICKLY choose between a slowly failing starter solenoid or something upstream in the circuit.

The dealer replaced the starter, problem solved. The whirrr was the solenoid slowly, painfully, closing. The happiest ending of all -- I called the 800 # the dealer gave me for GM customer service, suffered through a couple long phone conversations, the dealer documented it was a multi-year problem started while under warranty, that I'd already spent $350 for ignition switch and $115 for the idiot light -- and Major Guard extended the warranty for the $550 starter.

The general ROCKS!

Premature starter failure is a problem with these cars, exacerbated by high-heat envrionments. I now drive my sturdy F150 to the office garage from hell most days of the week.

The old fashioned "starter relay" by the battery has been replaced by the "anti-theft" relay under the dash on the passenger's side, and unfortunately the solenoid is now an integrated part of the starter so it's a unitary replacement (or so I am told). Bill Curlee told me it's rebuildable and next time it goes, that's the route I'll take.

GM could make the diagnosis of this a snap for dealership electricians by flashing the PCM to set a code when it get's the fuel enable signal from the BCM but fails to get RPM after a few second interval... Anyone in Bowling Green listening? Optional TSB?

Unfortunately it's a pain getting the starter out -- manual says you have to drop the cat but people on the forum here have improvised around that. Requires garage, equpment, time.....If I get married again and have a house with a garage instead of this apartment.....

So (have someone) install this idiot light and you will be diagnosed your very next no-start. Either the starter, or something upstream in the circuit. The mod conclusively eliminates everything but the starter from being the cause of the problem. If it's not the starter its an intermittent in the clutch switch, theft relay (cheap) or failing those the BCM or ignition switch ($$). Bill has posted how you can DIY the igntion swith if you're up to it. The BCM, well, you're hosed. You can do it yourself easily but it's a $350 part.

Good luck and PM me if this works,
Eric