i have a 96 chevy cavalier ok and just yesterday i got off work and i went to turn the ignition it wouldnt start. id get this gattling gun-like noise and then thered be no power. i got a jump from my mom and it started up again. this morning i started it again to see if it was a fluke and it wouldnt so i used my spare key and it worked. this is twice that its happened to me. whats the problem?
2006-08-31 06:34:02 · 16 answers · asked by jamz 5 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Car Makes ➔ Chevrolet
i got the battery, starter, alternator and stuff checked and everything is ok. the first time i took it to the garage where it was bought and all hte guy did was tighten the terminals. everything is running fine now. this is like my 4th car in like 12 years. i dont know if its the car or me thats causing th problems? the last car i had was a 91 ford excort lx station wagon i put so much money in repairs that the transmission finally gave out and we had to junk it. i appreciate most of yinz guys answers. this car is a 96 but was bought a little over a month ago.
2006-09-01 05:22:05 · update #1
I'd say it's your starter, sounds like you have broken gears on the starter. Should be able to buy one for under a hundred bucks. Keep the cavalier, I have a 94 Cavalier with 255k miles on it and a 2001 with 165k miles, both run great.
2006-09-05 13:36:02 · answer #1 · answered by John4no17 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The key thing could be a fluke or it could be a sign that your ignition switch isn't working properly. You may need a new switch. Like everyone else said, proper battery connections is very important. If you cant get it started again, turn on the headlights of the car and then try to start the car. Notice what the headlights do. If they dim, then you have a bad battery or alternator that isn't fully charging the battery. If they don't dim, then the battery is good and alternator is probably good too. If the car cranks over and just wont start then you starter is working. Chances are that you have fuel delivery problem. Could be a plugged fuel filter, plugged injectors, bad fuel pressure regulator, or faulty fuel pump. If you have a weak fuel pump or a bad fuel pressure regulator, after trying to start the car the first few times you may have been flooding the engine or just not getting enough gas to start it. After waiting about 15 minutes you could try it again and it would start if the engine was no longer flooded. A quick and easy way to try this if it doesn't start, if you smell gas, hold the gas pedal all the way to the floor. This will tell the computer that the engine is flooded and then you should be able to start the vehicle. If this happens, I would say it is the fuel pressure regulator.
Getting the jump from your mom may or may not have had anyting to do with the problem. You may have just gotten lucky when she jumped your car.
Good luck to you. I would take the car back to the garage you had it fixed at if it acts up again and tell them to fix it for free this time, since you already paid to have it fixed once before. If you don't think they are smart enough to fix it, take it to another shop. If the shop you bought it as isn't a GM dealer, you may want to check into a dealership to fix it. They usually aren't that much more expensive and have other resources to fix that some shops don't have.
2006-09-04 13:50:30 · answer #2 · answered by Scooter 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
ok if the electrical system( battery, alternater, starter) was correctly checked and its all ok, then you probably have a draw on the battery that drains it over night. heres a few things ive seen be common culprits. first, check the glove box light switch if it has one. make sure that when you are closing the glove box the switch is making the light go out. sometimes the door or switch have to be adjusted to make it work. next would be the trunk light. get a trusted person to put you in the trunk and close it and check the light. if you have fold down rear seats it maybe easier that way. lol. check to see if the hood light is working properly. some cars have a mechanical switch others have a mercury switch. if its bent down to far it will stay on. lastly make sure your interior light works with the doors opening and closing.
you dont know how many cars ive seen towed into shops with dead batteries because of one of these reasons. one little light bulb can pull 2 amps of power and if it goes all night, it will defenitely kill a normal working battery.
2006-09-05 04:42:37 · answer #3 · answered by william p 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have a 97 cavalier, which is very similar, the key thing was coincidence, it's either the battery or the starter. You need to get the battery load tested + check the terminals for corrosion. Take care of your cavailier and change the oil every 3,000 miles. I have 257k miles on mine and it still does 90+ mph on a normal basis.
2006-08-31 16:27:56 · answer #4 · answered by John E 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Have someone check your battery connections and clean them. Also have some check the battery to make sure it's okay; especially if it's not a maintenance free battery. They need distilled water periodically.
The sound you heard was your starter solenoid trying to engage. Either the battery is weak (or connections not good), the solenoid is going out or you have a bad starter (worst case)
It doesn't sound like the ignition switch is bad, though.
2006-08-31 06:43:57 · answer #5 · answered by Tim B 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
ck your battery and connections make sure they are clean and have it load tested -(most auto parts places can do it for ya at no cost )--if it all checks out fine if your key has a pellet on the side of it it may be bad so go get a new key made GM-ONLY!!--sounds more like a batt or starter prob to me though-good lil cars!!
2006-08-31 20:13:37 · answer #6 · answered by michael_stewart32 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like you got it fixed, but if the battery is over three years old, consider replacing it if you plan to keep the car. If this is the original A/C delco battery, then change it soon, or it will strand you.
2006-09-04 02:08:47 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
definatly a poor battery connection or a bad battery. most likely a corroded battery connection.remove the positive battery cable and clean it with baking soda and water and a wire brush. if it has an ac delco battery i guarantee it is leaking acid at the positive terminal and will need a new battery.a bad starter will make one lound clank, a low battery or poor connection will make alot of clicking noises like you described.
ase certified tech six years gm experience
2006-08-31 07:10:45 · answer #8 · answered by motorman19780 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Have your battery checked for a bad cell, and while they are checking your battery ,also check you charging system. Your car will leave you stranded if you don't have it corrected.
2006-08-31 12:39:14 · answer #9 · answered by zak_z 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
the key thing is a coincidence ,sounds like terminals need to be cleaned
2006-09-05 10:51:13 · answer #10 · answered by Bushit 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋