intermittant starting

[rofly1]

turned the key and the engine did not turn over. just one click. Sears said the battery was bad. bought a new battery. next day the same thing happened, waited a few minutes then started right up. i have noticed that the gear shift (auto) is sometimes hard to move, it feels stiff. I thought is was the cold weather. is there any connection between the shifter and starting? thanks roger

89 tc burgundy/ginger

[Guest mtworkshop]

Stick or Auto??

[rofly1]

as i noted the gear shift is auto

thanks roger

[car_chick]

neutral safety switch perhaps

[rofly1]

thanks Stephanie i will have that checked out roger

[TwinCamFan]

Someone needs to check the battery voltasge, since you had it replced, it should be good, if voltage is low then it is not charging properly and could be anything from the alternator to cables/wires whatever. if the battery voltage is fine, then my bet is the positive cable on the battery is corroded internally and the voltage cant get thru it. It could be the negative cable too but most times the positive is the culprit.

[Mad_Bohemian]

Rofly1,

I think carchick may be on to something...I fixed my seat control switches this past summer, which means tearing apart and removing the center console. When I put everything back together there is a small wire with a plastic 'clip'on the end that attaches from the console to the floor (if I am remembering this right).That wire controls the shift selector indicator, the little bar that shows what gear you have the shift in. When I reassembled this I adjusted it too far so that my shift indicator is off by 1 place. Ever since then I have had the same intermittent starting problem. It may have something to do with the safety switch that won't let the car start when it's in gear...of course I could be all wet ,but that is the first place I'm going to look this spring when the glaciers retreat!!

[Guest MiamiTVR]

I have had the same problem more than once on other makes and it was the neutral safety switch. It seems I could usually jiggle the shifter around and make it work.

My 90 auto Dakota has just started doing the same thing randomly. This time it does not respond to jiggling. A starter shop told me my starter was going. I wonder if he would have said I needed a battery if that was what he sold.

[Guest LouZ]

There is a good possibily that the problem is in the starter; The solenoid part of the starter

[TimW]

Lou is Correct.

If the car is making a click sound, its most likely not the nuetral safety or shift indicator.

The click sound is power in the starter solenoid attempting to move it. If it was any of the other issues, nuetral safety or thinking its in gear, you wouldn't hear any noise when you turn the key as the computer wont let power go to the starter. (try putting it in Drive and turning the key and you should see).

Replace the starter and your problems should go away. $80-90 for a new/rebuild one at your favorite auto parts store.

I like the Bosch ones myself.