Intermittent Starting Problem

[authenticy]

I have a 2000 chevy venture that is starting to not be my most favorite car! I have been having some trouble with it not wanting to crank over, and of course it doesn't do it all the time so it is hard to pin down. I have had the battery tested, cables cleaned, starter checked, neutral safety switch checked, and the pk3 scanned at the dealer all coming back fine. When I go to start it and turn the key all the lights come on but absolutely nothing happens when I turn the key, no clicking no nothing. I am losing my patience. Also they have replaced the ignition switch. Just curious if the dealer would get an error on the pk3 if it isn't acting up at the time it is being scanned? I have also switched keys with my husband thinking that the key might be the problem but it still did it. Any help would be greatly appreciated...

[gls02]

The next time this happens try this. Put your foot on the brake, turn the ignition to "ON" (not the start position) move the gearshift lever to the "Neutral" position and then try to start the engine. Your neutral safety switch could be slightly out of adjustment and depending on a number of things, air temp, humidity or just the final position after shifting into the park position is causing it to act as if the transmission lever is in gear.

If this works tell your dealer to replace or adjust the neutral switch.

[authenticy]

They have bypassed the neutral safety switch and it is still doing it. I am taking it back to the dealer tomorrow to have the PK3 checked again. The problem is that it doesn't do it all the time so if they check it and its working properly it won't give an error. I don't know what else to have checked. The mechanic I normally take it to is stumped so this will be my 2nd trip back to the dealer.

[gls02]

Are you saying that the Dealer disconnected the Neutral Safety Switch and allowed you to take the car home and drive it this way?

Let us know if they find out what's wrong, Thanks.

[bobof15c]

I had very similar problem. Checked the grounds, Neutral safety switch and still had an intermittent start. Problem was it never happened when I was jumping it. Local elec shop trouble shot the lines and I had a very slight short in the starter whereby with a jump (two batteries) it'd start, but without a jump it was a dice roll. Got a new starter and all was well... for a while...

Update--After 2 weeks same problem--took it to Chevy Dealer, who thought it was a bad (new) starter or ignition switch but then found it was a loose wire to starter connection AS WELL AS corrosion in between the battery cable bolts and the connection cover over the bolts. Even though I had cleaned the wall of the battery and the bolt threads, there was poor continuity from bolt to cable... Has worked perfect for 3 weeks and 30 starts.

[DRW1000]

I had a similar problem where the vehicle would be completely dead some times and great other times. It always accepted a boost and never acted as if there was a bad battery loading the system down during boosting.

Turned out to be the terminal in the battery. The female terminal of the battery was broken/cracked. I tugged on the negative side of the battery and the cable and the female insert of the battery fell right off. I ended up replacing the battery and have had no troubles since.