Wont start with a fully charged battery?!?!?!?! HELPPPPP!!!!

[harrymaneuvers]

I need help quick!!!!

My car is sitting in the parking lot of my work right now.


Drove it to work and it was fine. Went to go to lunch and the car wont turn over. Lights are on, radio is on... trying to jump the car does nothing except show me that my battery has tons of juice in it.


Trying to start the car results in NO CLICKING... but with my key in the Acc position, I can hear an electrical buzz coming from my starter. Lights and radio stay on full blast... it is not like it doesnt have enough juice.


Now I know it is not my starter because I just replaced it about 45 minutes ago :smt021


My first thought was the factory alarm option that I added a few months ago. I know that has a starter interrupt. To get past that I put the car in Valet Mode which should disarm the alarm entirely. Turning the key from off to on 3 times and starting on 4th doesnt do it either.


Still no starting... or even turning over.



I NEED IDEAS!!!

[httrdd]

Maf? Check you maf connections. Cam/crank sensor? Water temp sensor?

[bulldozer24]

fuses?

[harrymaneuvers]

I was thinking fuse too... but I didnt see a fuse that controlled the starter.


@httrrd the car is not even trying to turn over. moving the key from ACC to ON literally does nothing. it doesnt even dim the lights or radio like it is trying to pull juiice from the battery.


My starter is not firing but I know my starter is good.


******EDIT***** I just read a post regarding a loose ignition lock. Come to think of it... my ignition lock cylinder is loose as hell. With the key in the ignition... I can move the whole cylinder forward backward up and down in its housing.


Anybody else have experience with this???

[httrdd]

Not sure if that is it. You symtoms say neutral safety switch, starter solinoid, ignition switch, started relay. I suck at this, but know what interupts the stater.

[Hocrest]

Is it At or MT?

If AT, move the shifter around, try to start it in N

If MT, there are 2 switches at the top of the clutch. The top one is tied to the starter, maybe jump that connector and try it.

[02_Legacy]

find the starter relay and have someone feel it and listen for a click as you cycle the key. In effect what you are doing is cutting your problem in half. You are finding out if the problem on the signal side of the relay or the hi current side.

[mike-tracy]

Remember to plug in that skinny black wire to the spade connecter on the back of the starter?

[Wiscon_Mark]

I'm thinking Hocrest is right. These symptoms sound exactly like me forgetting to put the clutch in...

If the starter isn't even trying, it's gotta be an electrical interrupt issue.

[harrymaneuvers]

Neutral safety switch - Very doubtful but possible.

Starter Solinoid - Cant be, just installed a brand new one for no reason :)

Ignition switch (What I called the ignition cylinder lock) - My new prime suspect as it has progressively gotten looser and looser over the last year and a half. Just to make sure... I can get that keyed to match my doors correct?

Starter Relay - Point out which relay this is? Just so I am clear... this relay would be connected to the starter via that tiny connector right? Could be this...??? Yes I am positive that I plugged the black connector back on.


Heading back over to my car (5 minutes) to jiggle the shit out of my shift selector and ignition cylinder...

[httrdd]

So when you wake up let us know what you found.

[Hocrest]

If it is the key switch, it is separate from the key cylinder so your key will stay the same. The hardest part of replacing it is removing the security bolts that hold the key cylinder inplace. They are security bolts and the heads are designed to snap off when tightened. But it sounds like yours are loose so removal may not be a problem. The SVX keyswitch is only about $30, not sure of the cost for the Legacy one.

When you replace them, go to the hardware store and grab some regular bolts to replace them.

[harrymaneuvers]

Well I wasnt going to post this... but...


My shift selector was between P and R... :smt021


The way I see it:

1. It was a beautiful evening to replace a starter
2. At some point (hopefully) my OEM starter would have gone out or started to go out and it would have cost me about what I paid for a new one ($75 with lifetime warranty)
3. My whole office (suit and tie mortgage bank with 150 employees) got to leave work and see me under my car with one side jacked up and the hood open with my legs sticking out from under it. Even two of the three presidents (COE and VP of Operations) happened to stop by and see what was going on... I was parked maybe 30 feet from the front door :)
4. I can now say that I have replaced a starter.
5. I retaught myself how important it is to disconnect the battery prior to putting a socket wrench on the positive side nut on the starter.
6. I did everything (including a trip back to the house to get my 3 ton floor jack and two stands so that I could get to the bottom nut on the starter) in about 1.5 hours... with the last 30 minutes being right at sunset with low light. I feel kinda good about this.
7. Paying $75 to have Occam's Razor slap me hard across the face is a bargain.


I was positive that it had to do with my starter not firing... I knew that from about 30 minutes after it first wouldnt start. My pestemistic attitude drove me right to the starter even though I KNEW that starters dont just stop like that. I KNEW that it had to be a starter interrupt issue.

Time and time again I find that I am not giving my car enough credit. When a problem arises, I instantly look for a failing part rather than trusting in my Legacy which so far has only had a handful of parts actually break or fail.


Now we can all share a laugh... I know I was laughing like a madman all the way home.

[Hocrest]

I posted what I did from experience... :oops:

Of course I've never replaced a starter because of that though :twisted: :lol:

And if your key cylinder is loose, go ahead and remove those security bolts and replace them with standard. When you take one to the hardware store to match threads (8x1.25??) make sure you get them longer to compensate for the depth of the recessed hole.

[httrdd]

Ha ha haha ha! We have all done that (not to that extreme though) :)

[02_Legacy]

5. I retaught myself how important it is to disconnect the battery prior to putting a socket wrench on the positive side nut on the starter.


haha this made me laugh. I have done this many times and I just about crap my pants every time. lol
you have to look at the positive side still though. I could have been the park switch it self then you might still be working on it and it would cost more.