why does my 97 Buick lesabre not start sometimes?

Question

it starts like a new car at 4:0 say, then at 5:00 it'll crank like a new car for 25 min.+if i walk away&come back say 10 -60 min. later it will start like nothing was ever wrong. it might not do it for 2/3 weeks at a time then it'll do it for a day\ week or whatever. go to the store & maybe be stuck 30 min. [or over an hour] . it's been going on for over 15 months. mechanics are baffled & say they cant find problem if car isn't doing it at the time they look at it. also im not sure how, or if this is related, but the speedometer doesn't work or is erratic but seems to work on days or hours after this occurs at least it seems that way. its almost like the car is on a random timer it wont start for an hour +.or even just 10 to 45 min come back out it'll start like new for days, or hours. we put in a strong new battery replaced terminals not that it seemed to need those things but it was recomended so we did & problem seemed to be fixed for bout 41/2 wks.[even the speedometer help

Answer 1

Go to Autozone for a free code check

Answer 2

You are leaving out some important information here. When you say it won't start, do you mean the starter won't turn the engine over, or do you mean it will turn and turn before it will start? If the power supply to the computer system falls below 12.9 volts, the computer will do all kinds of wild things, and this includes making the speedometer go crazy. If you grind on the starter for a length of time the voltage will drop below acceptable levels, and cause these type of problems. If the engine turns, but does not start, and then starts after sitting for a while, then it "IS" the ignition module going bad. I have seen this problem many times, and have repaired the very same problem you are having. Replace the ignition module, and you will no longer have this problem. I would advise to pull the codes from the computer and you will see codes that reflect misfire on cylinders, but in random order. This is not the mystery some (parts changers) so called mechanics want to lead you to believe. If you don't get satisfaction from the mechanic you are dealing with, then he is not a certified mechanic!! Would you have a person wire your home for electricty that didn't have a certification? Of couse not, because you wouldn't want your house to burn to the ground. Your mechanic is the same thing. If he doesn't have a certification, then he just might not be the man/woman you are looking for. Don't get me wrong, because I know some mechanics that are off the scale good, and they aren't certified, but they are few and far between. Good Luck!

Answer 3

It is possible any one or combination of electrical problems are occurring. It is also possible with the year and make of this vehicle that the sensors that maintain your dash and ignition are not corresponding well with one another. You may want to get a new dash cluster from a used parts place and try that. Most places only charge 10 - 30 dollars for the cluster. It is the panel behind your dash that has all the idiot lights and gauges. They often cause this kind of problem in some vehicles. No matter, you need the full circle of controls when starting a vehicle and this is one of the parts of the sequence that can cause these issues. Good luck.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
why does my 97 Buick lesabre not start sometimes?
it starts like a new car at 4:0 say, then at 5:00 it'll crank like a new car for 25 min.+if i walk away&come back say 10 -60 min. later it will start like nothing was ever wrong. it might not do it for 2/3 weeks at a time then it'll do it for a day\ week or whatever. go to the store &...

Answer 5

You might have a ground strap that's broken. This is a wire that connects the engine to the frame. This is an otherwise good vehicle that will run for 300,000 miles or more. I would also look at your battery cables as well (you made mention of the ends, but not the cables themselves). These can become corroded on the inside and cause all sorts of problems regardless of the make and model you drive.

Answer 6

A bad starter or solenoid? A faulty ignition switch? A loose wire or fuse? There aren't really that many parts to your 'starting circuit'. I find it hard to believe mechanics are baffled by it...

... now if you mean it is cranking (starter motor is turning) but the engine just isn't firing up, that's a different story... could be numerous things...

Answer 7

Sound like the ignition module under your coil packs are bad. I've had cars start up fine then die when they get warmed up. Won't start till it cools down. Then start just fine again.
When it's not starting get someone who knows what they are doing to check if it's getting spark when you try to crank the engine. If it isn't getting spark and you let it sit awhile and do the same test again and it is getting spark then It is almost definitely the Ignition module.

Answer 8

I'm having the same starting problem with my 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix. It usually starts with one turn of the key, but occasionally I have to step on the gas when I turn the key to get it started. The problem usually occurs after driving the car a short distance and trying to start it again.

Answer 9

try changing the ECT sensor(engine coolant temperature) I have seen some that get a little LAZY, don't register right temp when start after been run. could be not reading correct temp causing too rich or lean a startup, after sit a while engine cools to temp that is below the suspect range.

Answer 10

MY wife's Buick did the same thing. It was the crankshaft senser