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Intermittent No-crank


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I have an '02 DeVille w/only 35K miles on it that I bought used several months ago. Intermittently when I turn the key to "Start" there is no response. So far, I've been able to get it to turn over by cycling the key anywhere from once to 50 or so times. I've had it looked at by a Cadillac trained tech, but of course, it wouldn't act up for him. At his suggestion, we replaced the starter relay since it would have been an easy & inexpensive fix. I have checked both battery connections & found them clean & tight and the DIC shows good voltage. It has acted up on me a couple times when I had someone with me & I've had them turn the key while I put my hand on the starter relay - I could feel the relay energize. It will go for days sometimes without a hitch, then act up again. It did it twice today.

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When you have the 'no crank condition' have you tried wiggling the shifter? (perhaps a neutral start switch problem)

Chuck

'19 CT6, '04 Bravada........but still lusting for that '69 Z-28

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When you have the 'no crank condition' have you tried wiggling the shifter? (perhaps a neutral start switch problem)

A few times I have tried running the shifter through the gears from Park to 1st & back to Park, but it has had no effect on the problem. I haven't tried wiggling it, though. I'll give that a try next time. Thanks.

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The identical problem has just started on my 2001 Seville STS. Haven't had any luck trouble shooting because it only happens away from home. I've tried a second key with no luck. Wiggling shift lever or running it through the gear positions doesn't seem to help either. I've tried wiggling and pulling on the key while holding in the start position. Finally after cycling key a dozen times or so the starter cranks and all is well for a while. Please keep us informed if you figure something out.

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The identical problem has just started on my 2001 Seville STS. Haven't had any luck trouble shooting because it only happens away from home. I've tried a second key with no luck. Wiggling shift lever or running it through the gear positions doesn't seem to help either. I've tried wiggling and pulling on the key while holding in the start position. Finally after cycling key a dozen times or so the starter cranks and all is well for a while. Please keep us informed if you figure something out.

Prepare yourself to bite the bullet and replace the starter before it leaves you stranded in a resturant parking lot some dark and stormy night.

At least you might save the towing fee.

Jim

Drive your car.

Use your cell phone.

CHOOSE ONE !

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Do you have another key to try??

I tried the other key as suggested (thanks) and it pulled its trick again today, so that isn't the solution. All fingers seem to be pointing at the starter - any other ideas?

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I tried the other key as suggested (thanks) and it pulled its trick again today, so that isn't the solution. All fingers seem to be pointing at the starter - any other ideas?
You could replace the START 1 relay in the underhood fuse panel as a test.

But in my experience, simple relays do not operate fine one day and then fail to operate tomorrow followed by operating fine the next day. The exception would be the starter solenoid (which is also a relay), but that is a unique case.

I say follow the fingers before that dark and stormy night arrives.

Jim

Drive your car.

Use your cell phone.

CHOOSE ONE !

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  • 2 weeks later...
I tried the other key as suggested (thanks) and it pulled its trick again today, so that isn't the solution. All fingers seem to be pointing at the starter - any other ideas?
You could replace the START 1 relay in the underhood fuse panel as a test.

But in my experience, simple relays do not operate fine one day and then fail to operate tomorrow followed by operating fine the next day. The exception would be the starter solenoid (which is also a relay), but that is a unique case.

I say follow the fingers before that dark and stormy night arrives.

Was finally able to trouble shoot and verify I had voltage to starter solenoid but starter would not crank. Replaced starter yesterday, hopefully that problem will not return. My "01 STS has a little over 100,000 miles. The originator of this thread said their Deville only has 35,000 miles. I would hope the starter would not go out that soon. However, the starter I removed from my '01 had a manufacture date of 2003, so maybe there were some bad ones out there in the early 2000's. Good luck, changing the starter was not very difficult but was very time consuming. Took me about 10 hours, but I also changed spark plugs and spent a lot of time cleaning disassembled parts.

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I tried the other key as suggested (thanks) and it pulled its trick again today, so that isn't the solution. All fingers seem to be pointing at the starter - any other ideas?
You could replace the START 1 relay in the underhood fuse panel as a test.

But in my experience, simple relays do not operate fine one day and then fail to operate tomorrow followed by operating fine the next day. The exception would be the starter solenoid (which is also a relay), but that is a unique case.

I say follow the fingers before that dark and stormy night arrives.

Didn't 'was' say that they already changed the starter relay, so that should be eliminated as the cause in this case?

Anyways, I had very similar symptoms long ago, and it was the relay. They can fail intermittently. Actually, my flasher relay failed some weeks ago, and it also went intermittently. Sometimes it would work, sometimes not, and sometimes it would flash once or twice and then stop. It happened just as I was about to leave for a 700-mile trip, so I was driving very carefully, only changing lanes when other cars were not to close. When I got home, I was actually able to fix the relay by soldering a small piece of metal in place of the worn down contact point (the cause of the failure).

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