96 grandam wont turnover, got lights and radio

[scpalmers]

My daughters grandam wont start. the starter motor does not turnover. the starter is good. when i turn the key all the interior items work. there is no clicking noise at all. i have power to the red ignition wire on the switch, when i turn the key there is no power transferred to the yellow starter wire. i can run a jumper between the two and the engine turns over. i have replaced the ignition switch and have the same problem. no starter motor turning over. any inputs would be appreciated

[cfaris]

sounds like a bad battery

[Slade901]

Where did you connect the jumper wire at the starter solenoid connector for the yellow wire?

The yellow wire might have a broken link along its line. Make sure you check for continuity from end to end of the yellow wire.

[scpalmers]

The jumper went from the ignition switch connector (top) red to the bottom connector on the ignitions switch (yellow). The ignition switch that is on the steering collum. The car will turn over (normal rate) when i jumper it so the batt is good, starter good. Put a new ignition mod in the colum and still no good. The haynes book does not address the other wires in the two ignition connectors. I hear the fuel pump wind up when the ignition is on. Seems there is a switch or something not allowing the ignition to work.

[dlwdkh]

i have had a very similar situation but my grand am will only do this when the engine is hot. I have not the slightest clue to the fix. I have just dealt with it after putting several new (not rebuilt) parts on it and the car still fails to start after it has warmed up and then is shut off. I now just dont shut it off if i am only stopping for a few minutes. If it cools off some it will start fine, but if it is still warm you can hit the key all you want and it will do nothing at all.

[catback23]

Perhaps another dud ignition switch. A working ignition switch should flow electric between the red battery positive battery feed and the yellow starter wire when you turn it to the start position. If it doesn't do this the switch is bad. Also my 93 grand am there are two red battery feeds to the switch and I believe they never combine, they just feed different circuits so maybe one of the battery feeds isn't working. As I said though I have a 93 and I don't know how they setup a 96 as I don't have one. Hope this helps, good luck.

[fluffybunny]

how about the neutral safety switch? im assuming its an automatic? switch sits on top of the tranny replaced mine before the ingition sends signal through the switch to ensure its not in gear then the switch sends signal back to ign to relay back to the starter.........just a thought........

[Car Guy]

Last night I posted a similar problem that I'm having on my 90' GA/Auto. I have replaced EVERYTHING that I can think of that would have something to do with the starting/electrical system. A friend of mine who has been in the repair business for 35 yrs. with his own shop looked at it this morning and even he can't figure it out. Something which I've never seen happen before because he is one of the smartest repair techs around and I've known him for ten years. We've tested every wire, solenoid, relay, and so forth and can't find anything out of the ordinary. Everything that has been discussed already in this thread is happening to me, turn the key forward, you hear the fuel pump, lights come on, everything else works but it just won't start. I am totally stumped on this one and I'm ready to take it to the shredder, not really but I've had it and don't know what else to do. Throwing parts at it is costing ME a lot of money because I'm actually fixing it for my sister-in-law and can't charge her for every single part. Even she, who doesn't even know how to check her oil most times, would question all the parts I've replaced.

Well if I figure something out I'll let you know and if anybody has ANY other ideas, PLEASE show us the light. Hell at this point I'd even pay someone with the problem solving answer!!! Then maybe I could clean all the parts up and take them back (the ones I don't need of course).

Thanks

[fluffybunny]

have yall tried to put it into neutral and start it? i was able to get mine started by by passing the ignition switch and the neutral safety switch..... are you able to start it by jumping the starter?

[jgionet]

this must be the "I can't get my Grand Am" started month!

[catback23]

The starting system is real simple and the electrical is a pretty standard and old design, I'm surprized to see a mechanic of 10 years that can't fix it. I'm still gonna have to say his ignition switch is defective and the replacement is wrong part or defective also.

The circuit for the starter is simple

[Battery +]--->[In Red-Ignition Switch Start-Output-Yellow]--->[Neutral Safety Switch on A/T, Clutch Pedal Switch on M/T]--->[Starter Solenoid/Starter]

This applies to almost all GM vehicles and is similar to any other car make in existance, like I said this is an old and pretty standard wiring scheme aside from changes in wire colors.

[Car Guy]

Well, I fixed it and I don't know if I'm blaming myself or not? I originally thought it was the starter and it ended up being just that! I installed a brand new one and it ended up being defective. Around here there know as Checker Auto Parts (aka Shucks or Kragen in other areas) and that's where I went for the starter. I hate going to these places to begin with for many reasons, but Car Quest was closed and that's where I usually go. I even bought a brand new one, not a reman and it still was junk which is not a surprise and is why I try my best not to go there, just had too many experiences like this. I'm just happy it's fixed and not going to beat myself up too much for this one. Some of you are probably saying if he checked all electrical circuits why didn't he find the 'dead' solenoid. To be honest I don't know and don't care to find out because I know it checked out good when we tested it in and out of the car. My best advice, which I don’t even use sometimes, is go back to the basics and make sure you didn’t overlook something easy.

Thanks

[Car Guy]

Originally Posted by jgionet

this must be the "I can't get my Grand Am" started month!

Must be!!!

[catback23]

"I can't get my Grand Am started" month yup must be cuse I see all you participating in the festivities. Not me though cuse my grand am starts up each and everytime with no problems and I don't think I wanna change that just to participate.

[april15_]

Car Guy,
Same thing happened to me, starter tested fine by three different mechanics, but it was bad. After replacing several other parts which weren't the problem, we finally replaced the starter (which we suspected from the start). Only then could the mechanic say that the starter was bad. Very simple problem that caused us alot of grief for months.