Several Issues W/99 Intrigue

[I'mIntrigued]

1.)Car wouldn't start (turn key, clunking sound, dash lights up then dims..nothing blinking) yesterday unless I wiggled the gear stick.(might be a coincidence) Started last night fine....then wouldn't start again this morning. Replaced battery (it's 6 months shy of 3 year warranty). Not it...car wouldn't start again. I'm thinking...ignition switch?

2.)Clunking sound when car is moving forward...gets louder the faster you go. Seems to be coming from the rear but hard to tell. Had rear end checked, mechanic couldn't find anything. Rear struts replaced about 25,000 miles ago.
Riding really rough lately....lots of bouncing. I suspect front struts. Would that cause the clunking?? Noticed a splatter of greasy stuff...not oil or trans.fluid on car behind front passenger wheel.

3.) Gas pedal sticking...sometimes I have to press it so hard car lurches forward. Not good.....

Any help would be appreciated.

[LittleHoov]

#1 does sound rather ignition switch-ish. Its been discussed over and over again on here, a search should yield you tons of info.

#2 what affect does turning have on it? My first thought was CV joints, you might check to see if the CV boots are torn (they are on the front axle). I just saw this:

Noticed a splatter of greasy stuff...not oil or trans.fluid on car behind front passenger wheel.

Quite likely a torn CV boot, caused the grease they are packed in to drain out. Im not sure if you can get away with just replacing the boot, or if you now need a whole new joint, I know they arent supposed to run "dry", so could be that its toast.

#3 Id start with a good cleaning of the throttle body, get some spray cleaner and have at it on the throttle plate surround areas, yada yada. Its not terribly difficult to remove entirely so you can get those hard to reach places. Give it a good cleaning, then spray some lube on the spring assembly on the side of the throttle body, and that should be taken care of. Mine did the same thing, until I did the above, Im not the only one either.

[dtownfb]

What engine do you have, 3.8L or 3.5L? The 1999 Intrigue came with the 3.8L the first half of the model year and then the 3.5L the second half.

1) Could be an ignition switch issue. Could also be the fuel pressure regulator. Once you get going, do you have any drivability issues like stalling, sputtering, etc.

2) Also have your mechanic check the wheel hub bearings as well

3) littlehoov has you covered on that one.

[I'mIntrigued]

It's a 3.8L. No problems running once it starts.
Thanks for your responses.

[LittleHoov]

Good call on the FPR, but that brings me to a question I should have asked earlier.

When you say "it wont start" Im assuming your saying it wont crank at all, especially since you said you replaced the battery.

A "doesnt crank at all" could quite likely be an ignition switch, a "cranks but doesnt start" could be many things, FPR included.

[dtownfb]

And with the 3.8L engine, it may be the beginnings of an issue with the Security system as well.

[LittleHoov]

So true, I'mIntrigued, does your Security light flash when it does this?

[I'mIntrigued]

Right...won't crank at all. It just makes a "clunk" sound...dash lights dim...don't recall anything blinking but will double check.
When you say security system you mean the passlock system? Can it be disabled?

[MTVerk]

Howdy. First time poster, long time fan of the forum.

If this does end up being an ignition switch issue, be aware that LittleHoov's directions to reach the switch still hold up well. I swapped out the switch yesterday on my 2000 Intrigue ($99 for a Duralast Switch from Autozone). My issue was that I couldn't turn my headlights on manually. I had to depend on the automatic headlight feature, but wanted to either turn my headlights on at dusk or in light rain, or turn them off in the dark in neutral with the engine running if I wanted to.

Here's LittleHoov's instructional post on the removal for old times sake:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=736656

A few notes on the ignition switch installation:
1) When I did my swap, I also popped off the main air vent cover next to the Hazard and Cruise switches. It makes it very easy to remove that switch, and gives more room to manuever the ignition switch around inside the dash. Not sure if that was LittleHoov's intent, but it worked for me. Side note: I replaced the Hazard and Cruise switches about a year ago when my blinkers stopped working intermittently . Worked like a charm (thanks to advice from some other forum). Be gentle in removing that vent cover since you can damage the dashboard around the edges (I used a small flat screwdriver). I also managed to break a clip on the top so the vent cover didn't reinstall perfectly, but it's not a big deal. With patience, one should be able to remove that cover without breaking the clips.
2) This may bring me grief, but I have to admit I had to ask my wife to unplug the wires from the back of the ignition switch to get it out of the dash. My hands are too big, and after struggling inside the dashboard for about 40 minutes, I made the call. Small hands make it a lot easier to guide a small flat screwdriver into the guts of the dash to get at those tabs to release the wires.
3) I did save removing the Parl/Lock cable from the back of the switch for last. It was easier for us to remove the other wires first and then rotated the switch inside the dash until we actually saw the tab to release the Parl/Lock cable. Again, removing the air vent cover next to the hazards made this a lot easier for me.
4) I am still scratching my head a bit regarding the small blue light that mounts to the plastic arm coming off the switch. What is its function? Dashboard light?

In any case, I was very happy to get the job done. Reassembly is a ton easier than disassembly on this task (I was able to get the reassembly done without the wifely assist). I would also recommend that you try starting the car before reinstalling the gage assembly and everything else in case something is messed up and you have to go back in. I believe I had to reinstall the Air Bag fuse to get the car to start. I certainly had to have all the wires installed on the ignition switch and have it remounted in position to turn it over. It was kind of cool to have the car running without the gages or radio installed (I didn't drive anywhere, of course). I imagine I ws risking something in starting the car before everything was reinstalled, but it didn't appear to be an issue.

Thanks for posting the instructions, LittleHoov! You rock!

[Oldsconnection.com]

Originally Posted by MTVerk

4) I am still scratching my head a bit regarding the small blue light that mounts to the plastic arm coming off the switch. What is its function? Dashboard light?

It illuminates the ignition switch when the courtesy lights are on...helps you find where to put the key.

[I'mIntrigued]

If anyone is interested...it was the starter motor. I am $300 lighter but it starts first time.

[harmankardon35]

had this problem with my nissan. The starter gear would not 'retreat' and therefore it would often not start and when it did start it would occasionally hit the flywheel in the first few minutes of driving making a click/grind noise. You did mention the grease in the wheel well, this could be a CV boot and you defiantly should get that replaced if it is ripped so you don't have to replace the entire half shaft

[MTVerk]

Ah, the lighted keyswitch seems obvious now that you say it, Oldsconnection. Thanks for the picture. Congrats on fixing your starting issue, ImIntrigued.