So I read several posts on this matter, and I suspect the replacing of the Steering Column Lock Motor As Per TSB #PIC5367. Here's the symptoms of the 2012 3LT GS Centennial (with 2500 miles or so):

Jumping the car starts it every time.

Floored-clutch, shifter in a neutral, unengaged center.. pressing Engine Start will have the gauges sweep and initialize, lights, radio, all come on, but the engine doesn't turn. After several presses, usually under 6, one every 5 seconds or so, it'll turn over as the starter seems to engage.

Checked the Starter Fuse #30 and it's good. Checked the battery giving it a full diagnostic (second battery since birth) and it's fully charged (I still have the printout, 700 out of 680). While running, alternator shows 13.8 on the gauge cluster, when trying to start, it's around 12.8. There's no appreciative dip from the draw when starting.

Disconnecting and reconnecting the battery leads does not always solve the problem.

The only solution is repeated presses and re-engaging the clutch several times. It's started on the first try a few times, and usually starts on the 3rd.

Running a computer diagnostic at a shop indicated no short in the system.

I noticed the alternator has 4 wires connected of which one seems snipped-off (orange) as if it was an afterthought (the plastic casing of the thin-gauge wire is still in the harness but there's no copper actual wire there, nor is there a lead connecting from the black-wrapped other three wires). I suspect it's not a vital wire in the harness as everything works great other than starting, but it's a bit unusual. It doesn't seem there was a wire ever there but there is a casing still in the alternator's wiring harness for one. Odd.

On a side note, I noticed that the passenger side mirror doesn't auto-dim.

The car handles fine, everything works perfectly, it's just this little gremlin. I've read posts on the matter and the steering-lock column seems to possibly be the culprit. Playing the steering wheel a bit while trying to start the car by centering it doesn't seem to make an impact, but it's hard to tell.

Suggestions?

 

Sorry to hear that man. First of all, there's no 'steering lock' on C6s since 2005, so forget about that.

You didn't say if you bought the car new and just started doing this. Or if you just bought the car and found that 'feature' . At any rate, if you're absolutely sure the battery is fine, it sounds like a clutch switch issue to me. Did you try reading codes with a scanner? I'd start there. If the car didn't recognize the fob, it wouldn't switch to ignition mode. Hope somebody with better knowledge of your issue chimes in. Good luck.

EDIT: Now that I think of it, my car also failed to crank a couple of times when new. I only heard that litany of relay noise behind the start switch. But it started fine the second time. I was baffled too. After much research, I chalked it off to interference, since there were high-power lines above me in those 2 occasions. Are you getting that relay noise when pushing the start button?

 

Probably the clutch pedal switch that lets the car know the clutch is pushed in and can start. You get the same effect if you try to start the car without the clutch pedal pushed in. Maybe that pedal switch is bad????

 

Hmm this is very interesting. I have had this happen randomly three times now. I have a new 2013 GS M6 with 6k miles. I press the clutch in throw it in neutral and press the start button and nothing happens. I hit the start button again and I see an engine light on the dash. I am not sure what specific light it is but it looks like the engine light. If I press the off button and try again it starts no problem. It has happened a total of three times with a lot of time elapsed between each occurance. It has never not started on the second attempt though.

 

Hey, thanks guys. It looks like the clutch switch is connected properly but it could be the relay for that is faulty as it will start only sometimes. I wonder why a jumpstart will always get it to work? Maybe the extra charge arcs the connection? I'm taking her in Thursday and I'll mention the relay switch to them.

 

let me know how that turns out at the shop. I hope mine doesn't get any worse.

I am curious if the next time it happens, can you try pressing the off and releasing the clutch then depress the clutch and try again? That is what I did each time as soon as it happened and it started right up the next press. Curious if you have the same results.

 

I've had exactly the same thing happen twice now. `13 GS M6 I got back in March with 1500 miles. I'm curious as to what caused this or if there's others with this issue.

 

Funny this has happened to several of us, but only twice or so. In my case, it was early on; hasn't happened in a while... but only have 4,200 miles now. By the way, I only released the clutch, while thinking what the hell just happened. Pushed it again, hit 'start' again, and it fired right up both times. So no need to turn ignition off IMO.

Oh, and there's no relay on the clutch 'switch'. Unfortunately, the clutch 'switch' is not a switch, but a rheostat, probably due to launch control (can't think of anything else, since this car does not have the 'hill climb' feature). But if you FULLY depress the clutch pedal, that shouldn't be the issue.

Finally, remember the keyless ignition on this car is FAR from perfect. It might not recognize the key all of a sudden due to interference. Or some other electronic gremlin like that. My stupid car 'bongs' like if I had left the lights on when I open a door very often, and it's plain embarrassing when you have a passenger. And it just doesn't shut off. It supposedly happens if you don't run away from the car when you shut the engine off. How stupid is that? And if you open a locked door, obviously with a fob in your pocket, why the hell does it have to bong? With that stupid behavior, it just doesn't surprise me we also have random issues like the one we're discussing. Oh, and I always have my battery fully charged, so that's not the issue, at least in my case. Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

Ugh mine does the stupid bong noise as well. This morning I was getting gas I got out shut my door, filled the car up, opened the door and that anoying bong alarm went off. I notice this usually is always if I stand outside the car with the door closed and get back in without walking out of range?

 

I took her in to my local Chevy dealer here in Colorado (Daniels Long Chevrolet) yesterday morning to explain the issue but when I tried to simulate it, she started every time, first time!!! I started it 10 times and the starter caught each time. Very bizarre. Maybe she has separation anxiety issues? I did nothing different. Been working great for the last 48 hours.

I can't think of anything I did differently except making sure I mashed the clutch deep to the firewall super-hard. Been starting like a charm ever since.

Sometimes the car will bong if, yes, I don't run away from her immediately after stopping, like if I get out and park, then change my mind, go back in and re-start, I get a few annoyed "bongs" like, "Why can't you make up your mind?" Funny.

I have a bit of a blog that talks about my adventure of getting her from Wisconsin in detail if anyone's interested:

http://mikecronis.blogspot.com/2013/...al-part-1.html