I have a 2011 GS. I've experienced what you're talking about with the starter switch, I think: try to start it, but it's like the switch doesn't work. It's happened to me three or four times. Since it's always started fine and I've never had a situation where it didn't start on the second try, I chalked it up to a random glitch. However, your situation sounds like it occurs frequently. I guess what I'm saying is: if it happens once or twice, I wouldn't worry, but if it's happening frequently, I would get it checked out.

 

And regarding the rapid clicking sound I usually hear, unless it starts so fast you never hear any clicks. Anyone know what those clicks are???

I've noticed if you try to start the car without a FOB nearby, you'll hear tons of these clicks for many seconds before it finally puts up NO FOB DETECTED on the DIC.

What are those clicks?? What makes the noise??? Contacts on switches??? Relays??? What??? Just curious on that point. bob

 

I would say its a bad connection, check all connections and grounds. As someone showed us here, the connection at the starter is a real popular spot for trouble. you need to physically check it for tightness. It never hurts to get new fob batteries and have the battery checked correctly.

 

and, did I mention ANY issue with the FOB would not result in the symptoms described. ANY FOB issue would result in "No FOB Detected". It also isn't an issue with anything in the starter. If the signal to start was sent then the dash lights would go out as the first step. There are a lot of other things happening also which is what all the clicking is. Yes, there are a lot of mechanical relays all controlled by the BCM and ECM.

The issues described would indicate to me that the car never thought you had any intention of starting the car. The button push only has to last a few milliseconds for the BCM to understand that you want to start. If nothing at all happens when you pushed the button, then that indicates that the BCM never saw any button push at all. The fact that repeated pushing of the button does initiate a start procedure tells me it is the button internals or the connector at the button that is the issue.

 

I have had the exact same thing happen with me ('13 GS Mt) about a dozen times in the last yr. I normally release the clutch & then depress it again & it starts right up. dealer was clueless & no codes where found,
BTW,, I don't touch or move the fob between tries, just the clutch pedal always starts on 2nd attempt.

 

I agree with FortMorgan. Clearly the car sees the fob, or else you could not open the door. Sounds like to me you car is not receiving the "Start" Command.

 

It seems as if the car doesn't know that you want it to start. The first thing I would try is to pull the button and spray all the contacts with contact cleaner and re-plug the connector carefully. It is not a simple DPST switch, there are many wires going into it. Did I mention that

 

with you agreeing with me!

 

Now I'm bummed as clearly something isn't right with my 2012 GS starter system. I've now had three events as follows and let me summarize.

Jan 12th -- Started the car fine in the garage. Drove 5 miles. Stopped to get a cup of coffee. Got back in the car five minutes later and then sat drinking coffee for 5 more minutes. Then went to start the car (6MT) with clutch fully depressed... Nothing. No messages on the DIC. No lights, nothing. Can't say if the normal "relay clicking" sounds occurred as the top was down and lots of background noise. Waited 5 seconds, pushed the start button again. Still nothing. Then, while pondering, about another five seconds later, suddenly the gages all came to life with me touching nothing. I then pushed the starter button a third time and the car started normally.

Jan 27th -- Started the car fine in the garage and drove maybe five miles and stopped at a grocery store. When I came out 20 minutes later, I held the clutch to the floor, pushed the starter button and this time, the car didn't start but the engine light (the light I've noticed that always lights first in a normal sequence) did light and stayed lit. I did hear the normal clicking sounds of what I assumed are switches or relays. I then pushed the starter button a second time and this time the car started.

Feb 1st -- Exactly the same as above happened except that this time it was at the end of a half hour drive. We had stopped and I had shut the car off for about 10 minutes. I stayed in the car while my wife got us something to take home to eat. When I went to start the car, exactly what happened above happened again.

I've been looking at code readers but haven't figured out what to buy yet. And tomorrow I intend to call the Chevy dealer that has done my two previous oil changes. The service manager there posts on this forum and I PM'd him previously about the first event. He said he'd never heard of that exact issue (my first event above) on a C6 before. But tomorrow I am going to make an appointment and take it in soon. For starters, many have suggested I tell them to check all connections. That I will do for sure.

Any other suggestions??? I am now becoming fearful of being out on the road and having a dead car. That would not please me...

thanks for any suggestions. bob...

 

Code readers - no need to get an expensive one (as I did). They all read the codes. You can pay more to get one that tells you what the code means but if doesn't really do any good because all that information and a lot more is available for free on the Internet. If you are working as a professional mechanic it can save a few minutes to not have to go look up what the codes mean and time is money. For the person who has once every few years usage, the time to figure out what a code means and how to repair it is trivial.