[joedglfer1]

I have a 96 Seville and I live in Northeast Ohio. I had trouble with my car starting last winter when it gets cold ( sub 20). It will do nothing when you hit the key. No click, the headlights do not dim, so it isn't even drawing power. I bypassed the pass key system with a resistor and it worked briefly. I changed the starter. It has a brand new battery. At the tail end of winter it happened again and a local mechanic cleaned the contacts on the neutral safety switch. Ihad no more trouble until last night (our first sub 20 day since last winter). Does anyone have any suggestions. The car started great all spring, summer and fall to this point. It will start again with no trouble when it warms up slightly, maybe to 35 or so and will be ok until it gets really cold again. Thanks

 

[clusco]

Do you have any messages at all on your display panel. Cleaning your alternator ground may help.

 

[Eldyfig]

Welcome to the forums.

Like clusco said, go into the OBD and see if any codes show.

When it doesn't start, does putting your foot on the brake and taking it out of park and back into park help jog anything?

 

[joedglfer1]

There are no codes in the computer and I have tried moving the car through the gears and then starting it in park and neutral and it does nothing. It is supposed to get to 39 degrees today. The car will probably start when it gets that temp and will be fine for the next several days. It is not supposed to get below 25 or so until later in the week again.The fact that it only acts up in real cold is what has me so perplexed.

 

[mcowden]

There are no codes in the computer and I have tried moving the car through the gears and then starting it in park and neutral and it does nothing. It is supposed to get to 39 degrees today. The car will probably start when it gets that temp and will be fine for the next several days. It is not supposed to get below 25 or so until later in the week again.The fact that it only acts up in real cold is what has me so perplexed.

I had the same problem a few years ago with my 1996 SLS and my dad has that problem now on his 2000 ETC. On mine, it happened when the temp was about 40 or lower. On dad's, it only happens when it gets down to 18 or lower. I was occasionally able to jiggle around the relays under the hood and get it to start. When they fixed mine, they told me it was a loose connection on one of the relays. Unfortunately I didn't ask which one or how it was fixed, and I have never taken the relay panel out to see where the work was done. My dad's has not been fixed yet because the temperatures warmed up before he could get it to the mechanic. That was last winter. It will probably happen to him again this winter and I'll post the fix when he gets it done.

In the meantime, you might try moving the relays around a little next time it does that just to see what happens. Just a thought.

 

[joedglfer1]

car started today because the temp is up a bit but I know it is temporary. I will check around the relays. Thanks

 

[joedglfer1]

May have found the problem. Took it to the mechanic and finally found something with real evidence of what the problem may be. There was a good bit of green corrosion around the one end of the ignition relay harness. We cleaned that up real good and it has been good since. It is 15 degrees here today and the car started no problem.Normally below 20 it isn't starting. I hope this was the cure, especially since the mechanic didn't charge me. Thanks for the tip on the relays.

 

[mcowden]

May have found the problem. Took it to the mechanic and finally found something with real evidence of what the problem may be. There was a good bit of green corrosion around the one end of the ignition relay harness. We cleaned that up real good and it has been good since. It is 15 degrees here today and the car started no problem.Normally below 20 it isn't starting. I hope this was the cure, especially since the mechanic didn't charge me. Thanks for the tip on the relays.

Sounds like you got it fixed Joe... Take that mechanic a case of beer. :thumbsup: