SOS to all mechanics?

Question

2002 Chevy Cavalier. Brand new battery. Started tested ok. Alternator tested ok. It starts sporadically. Crank it and it wont start. Turn it off, wait a few mins and no problem. My girlfriend took it to SEARS and they don't know anything. I am deployed overseas and have no way of helping her. What could the problem be? HELP!

Answer 1

Starting & Reliability Rating for a 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
Moderate problems:
Starting :
An occasional problem with this vehicle is a failure with the Ignition Lock Cylinder causing a problem with the Theft Deterrent System.

I took this from a reliability rating on the net. It makes sense (if you have theft deterrent on car)..... The theft deterrent system may be a good place to start.

Answer 2

My first guess would be a sticky fuel relay. When you start the engine the fuel pump runs on the battery until the alternator gets up to speed. Then the current from the alternator trips a relay so that the fuel pump runs off of the alternator instead of the battery. Make sense? They're inexpensive, easy to replace and the local autozone guy can show her how to do it right there in the parking lot.
Hope I Helped Bro. IM or e-mail me if you need more help.

Answer 3

It sounds like the fuel pump or fuel filter or maybe the fuel relay. Tell your girl friend to take it some one else. Sears don't know a damn thing about cars. Take any where but Sears. Try Pep Boys, Aamco Transmission, take it to the Chevy dealer, is better than Sears. Do you have any mechanic friends where she lives?
By the way I'm a veteran. "God Bless Our Troops". I hope you are not in Iraq. No matter where you are God Bless You.
Don't let people take advantage of her because she's a woman.

Answer 4

aLOT OF NEWER CAVALIERS I HAVE SEEN HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. MOST LIKELY IT IS THE IGNITION SWITCH on the column. or try putting the shifter to neutral if it is an automatic. some times the saftey switch in the park position gets worn out. if car starts right up in neutral the u know the saftey switch for park is bad. basically this switch makes sure the car wont start in foward or reverse positions. good luck

Answer 5

Fuel System problem, sounds like the Fuel System is goofing up. Check all the filters and junk cause it wait a few mins no problem sounds like Gravity takeing effect and solving the error. Sounds like Fuel System is pooched.

Answer 6

i sure wish it was that simple to look in to a magic ball and tell you the cause but we first need the old phrase give me fuel give me fire give me all i desire so first see if theres spark next check for fuel after that your started on your way it could turn out to be a relay it could be a coontrol module it could be ecm it could be many things start at the top then off we go

Answer 7

no offense but the problem was letting your girlfriend take the car... and to SEARS!?!?!?!??!? when you add those two together you get a half *** job done on your car and sears guys telling you girlfriend that things need to be done to the car that have no problem with and they break things to make you come back and come back and back and back
hope that helps good luck

Answer 8

a cat and a fowl are jogging by a river. The cat falles in and the fowl starts off guffawing. what's the ethical of this tale? Werever theres a moist pussey theres a happy ****

Answer 9

hard to say from so little info but I say always check the simplest things first, so try cleaning the battery cable connections and make sure they are tight

Answer 10

if its in tucson az i can [e-mail]