98 intrepid starting problem

[akim]

i`ve noticed quite a few of you with the same problem. turning the ignition key and not getting anything but a click out of it , so i had it towed by triple a and my mechanic changed the starter at a $200 total cost. one week later i had the same problem. took it back to mechanic he said he wants to change starter again. i said wait how can it be starter again , i didnt let him change , please tell me if anyone found a solution to this problem.

thanx

[theFREAKnasty82]

have you had your battery checked to make sure it's putting out the right amount of voltage to start the car up?

[akim]

no but i can and i will but i still have all my power just nothing but a click

[1thunder]

also 1998 intrepids have a very cheap + battery cable terminal at battery and because of location of battery this terminal rots really bad leaving your electrical very weak pull air cleaner housing off to check

[theFREAKnasty82]

Originally Posted by akim

no but i can and i will but i still have all my power just nothing but a click

funny thing with electricity, it has a mind of its own sometimes. If your dome lights work (though somewhat dim) and have other electrical accesories, but the car won't start or just click, you don't have the voltage/amperage to crank your car up. If you have access to a voltmeter, w/ the engine off, see what your voltage is: should be around 12.6. With the engine off, key on, you should have 12.4-12.5 volts. While cranking, if you can, have someone else turn the car over and look for voltage: if it drops below 9.6 volts while cranking, you have a bad battery.

[akim]

i took to pep boys for a starting diagnostic and everything was fine. my battery voltage was 12.7 ,it also test alternator and starter , also what does it mean by system too rich in bank 1 and 2. thats what my trouble codes mean .and another trouble code says battery disconnected within last fifty starts

[theFREAKnasty82]

your car has 4 oxygen sensors, two on each manifold before the catalytic converter(s) and two after the catalytic converter(s). If it said bank 1 sensor 1 or bank 2 sensor 1. those are your upstream oxygen sensors located before the catalytic converters. What the PCM (powertrain control module) has seen is that your oxygen sensors are either not fluctuating are staying at a constant voltage above 0.5V i.e. corresponds to the rich condition the sensors have detected. My suggestion, when you get the starting situation fixed, replace both of those sensors. The battery disconnected thing, that's nothing major; just means like it says your battery was disconneted w/in the last 50 starts.

[akim]

thanx i`ll check my battery connection and the o2 sensors and see what happens , as for my starting problem could it be something in the fuel line or fuel pump

[Irishby14]

Originally Posted by akim

i`ve noticed quite a few of you with the same problem. turning the ignition key and not getting anything but a click out of it , so i had it towed by triple a and my mechanic changed the starter at a $200 total cost. one week later i had the same problem. took it back to mechanic he said he wants to change starter again. i said wait how can it be starter again , i didnt let him change , please tell me if anyone found a solution to this problem.

thanx

Akim:

Seems I have the same problem! Yesterday it started. Today it just clicks, clicks, clicks, and all the lights on the dashboard flash on and off like a Christmas tree.. Did you ever learn the cause of the problem and is your car running today? Thanks.

[theFREAKnasty82]

Originally Posted by Irishby14

Akim:

Seems I have the same problem! Yesterday it started. Today it just clicks, clicks, clicks, and all the lights on the dashboard flash on and off like a Christmas tree.. Did you ever learn the cause of the problem and is your car running today? Thanks.

you my friend have what it sounds like a dead or weak battery. Get that replaced and that should fix your problem. Akim, your problem is not that actual starter motor itself, it's the starter solenoid that sits on top of the starter. Solenoid go bad all the time and in your case, you just have a bad batch of starter solenoids, I've replaced 3 at one time on the same car b/c they all were defective. That is assuming your battery cables are intact and not corroded.

[akim]

Originally Posted by Irishby14

Akim:

Seems I have the same problem! Yesterday it started. Today it just clicks, clicks, clicks, and all the lights on the dashboard flash on and off like a Christmas tree.. Did you ever learn the cause of the problem and is your car running today? Thanks.

not really , but i did read on the forum that if you turn your key fast it helps start the car sometimes. yesterday i had the battery cables and post cleaned so i will see what happens and let you know. good luck

[akim]

so far so good with the cable cleaning we had a pretty rough day here in jersey and thats when its acts up the most, when its cold and wet and it was both but it started right up , i had a friend help with mine so im not sure about the cost but it is a little work to get to the battery ,and be sure to scrape off all the rust and corrosion .

good luck

p.s. it has only been two days so if something goes wrong ill let you know