Ignition issue

Big Boy · Fri Dec 09, 2011 2:17 pm

I have been struggling with an intermittent issue with my 03 svt. My car has the capability to startup just fine. No excessive cranking or anything. Sometimes when I turn the key nothing happens. Not even an attempt to crank. I could keep twisting the ignition over and over and nothing happens. Then all of a sudden when I turn the key it starts up with absolutely no problem.

As I said at the beginning, this happens intermittently and appears to be at random. It will work one minute, then it won't, then all of a sudden it will again. This makes it very difficult to troubleshoot this one.

Last night I read over the troubleshooting instructions in the service manual. I threw the service manual in the car so that the next time I am stranded I will be able to follow the basic procedures.

Has anyone experienced an issue like this? Could this be related to PATS?

I did check the clutch switch to see if that was the issue. I jumpered the connection but that didn't enable it to crank.

Any help would be appreciated. I am very frustrated.

Fri Dec 09, 2011 2:28 pm

There are two switches on the clutch pedal, are you sure you jumped the right one?

It really sounds like a CPP switch problem, it's pretty common actually.

Big Boy · Fri Dec 09, 2011 2:31 pm

Hmm...I can't look at it right now but I will later. Should I try running a jumper on both of them at the same time?

Big Boy · Fri Dec 09, 2011 2:58 pm

Steve, could you give me a quote on the two clutch switches? If I were to pick them up today but find that I didn't need to open and use them, could I return them later? It's my daily driver that I have to bring offline, and it's currently the only car I have that runs.

Big Boy · Fri Dec 09, 2011 3:13 pm

I jumpered clutch switch #2.

Fri Dec 09, 2011 3:47 pm

PMed you back.

Did you try simply unplugging the CPP switch and see what happens?

Also check battery terminal connections to be sure they're clean and tight.

blcksvt2003 · Sat Dec 10, 2011 2:57 pm

i had a problem with my clutch switch #2 where the lil rubber dealy on the clutch pedal wasnt pushing it in all the way. short of replacing stuff, i electrically taped the button down

works fine now. on another note. i had a similar issue with the key doing nothing sometimes and starting just fine others. turned out to be the engine ground wire on top that goes back towards the strut tower was badly corroded. something to check n see i guess. idk.

FocusMech.73155 · Sun Dec 11, 2011 1:52 pm

Big Boy wrote: I could keep twisting the ignition over and over and nothing happens. Then all of a sudden when I turn the key it starts up with absolutely no problem.

When you say you can keep twisting the ignition, are you saying that the key will rotate all the way around and will intermittantly engage. If so, you have an issue with your ignition tumbler

blcksvt2003 · Sat Dec 17, 2011 2:34 pm

i hope thats not whats happening...

Big Boy · Mon Dec 19, 2011 9:58 am

No, there is no physical problem with the twisting of the key. I found this to be a common issue online, but it does not apply to my problem.

Twist - Nothing - Let reset
Twist - Nothing - Let reset
Twist - Nothing - Let reset
Twist - Nothing - Let reset
Twist - Cranking - Let reset
Engine running just fine.

I had the problem happen again this weekend. I did hear a distinct click when the starter would not initiate.

I need to get under the car to attach a new sway bar end link on the drivers side. I'll check for corrosion to see if that might be the problem.

Mon Dec 19, 2011 10:21 am

Big Boy wrote:No, there is no physical problem with the twisting of the key. I found this to be a common issue online, but it does not apply to my problem.

Twist - Nothing - Let reset
Twist - Nothing - Let reset
Twist - Nothing - Let reset
Twist - Nothing - Let reset
Twist - Cranking - Let reset
Engine running just fine.

I had the problem happen again this weekend. I did hear a distinct click when the starter would not initiate.

I need to get under the car to attach a new sway bar end link on the drivers side. I'll check for corrosion to see if that might be the problem.

Feel free to drive by here with it and I can take a peek at it, I can't gaurantee I can figure it out but I'm pretty good with these cars.

Big Boy · Mon Dec 19, 2011 12:54 pm

I need to stop in and swap a switch I picked up from you guys last week or so. Looks almost exactly the same but the electrical connector is slightly different. If you are there when I am able to swing in, we can see if she'll startup on command. Hopefully she won't so you can see what I am talking about.

The car is still completely stock so there is still a ton of airbox items clogging up that whole side of the engine bay.

Mon Dec 19, 2011 3:35 pm

Big Boy wrote:I need to stop in and swap a switch I picked up from you guys last week or so. Looks almost exactly the same but the electrical connector is slightly different. If you are there when I am able to swing in, we can see if she'll startup on command. Hopefully she won't so you can see what I am talking about.

The car is still completely stock so there is still a ton of airbox items clogging up that whole side of the engine bay.

What switch?

I'm here Monday-Thursday 8:00-4:30 this week, I'm off Friday

.

Big Boy · Mon Dec 19, 2011 3:55 pm

Passenger seat warmer switch. They are almost identical. Slight variation in the plastic connectors prevents the switch from being plugged in and inserted into the center counsel.