(2004 MonteCarlo SS)

So before this week maybe once a month for the past three months, for some reason my car wouldn't start on the first key turn as it normally does. The lights would come on the radio would start the AC kicks in but the engine stays off.

It usually makes a sound like a little electric motor is running for a few seconds then it stops. Just this last week I have had this happen to me 2 times. The latest time I did not even get the electric motor sound.
It took maybe 15 key turns but then it just suddenly starts like usual.Its not giving me a check engine light and other then taking a bunch of key turns the car is acting normal.

What could this be? What can I do to fix it because one day I feel like the car just won't start and leave me stuck.

 

Security Lights coming on?

How's your fuel pressure?

 

I'm not getting any security light, and I don't have the tools to check fuel pressure.

 

might want to rent one from a local autozone or something, that little electric motor you hear should be the fuel pump priming the system

 

also is it a crank no start or a turn key no start?

 

Just a key turn its not cranking at all until of course it just suddenly starts up. I was also thinking of going to an autozone to rent the pressure tool. From what I have seen its a pretty quick test to do. Also what am I looking for during the test? The car normally starts just fine only intermittently do I have this problem.

 

If that's the case look at the starter, mines would test good 2/5 Times which meant it was bad

 

i agree with Owens91...have autozone or advanced check your starter for free. also may want to check wires going to crank sensor. a bad ground wire will do this too. check the ground wire going to the fuel pump. we had one go bad on our old truck and it reacted just the same way. you could also have a relay that is not always wanting to make good connections as well. wires, relays and fuses are all the simple stuff to check and get out of the way first, then move on to the harder parts.

 

I'm not so sure it is the starter. If it was receiving power chances are you would hear the starter bendix trying to engage. Having the starter tested if you want is fine, but the machines used at most auto parts stores aren't capable of testing the starter under load. Since it has no load even the amperage draw may appear to be within spec.If their machine can apply load that's good, but if it can't testing your starter is like flipping a coin. It may test fine on the machine but fail once it is installed.

The first thing I would check are the battery cables - including the ground to body and positive cable at the starter solenoid. Make sure your battery has a full charge. If they check out ok then I would suspect misalignment of the neutral safety switch (under the console) or a faulty ignition switch.

 

I agree with Mike. Autozone has helped and screw me up so many times when i comes to testing parts. I had a problem like yours and change so many things like a fuel pump the relay, fuel regulator and a BCM the shop had tested the ignition switch and determined it to be fine. But the fix was a 95 dollar electrical part of the ignition switch from autozone. I wasted so much money with that shop i no longer go too. I'm not saying that the switch will fix your problem but it wont hurt to check if the switch is fine.