NO START INTERMITTENTLY

Intermittent no starts can often be attributed to ignition switch (the electrical portion) failures. More often than not mechanics change the starter because the symptoms lead them to the starter as being the source of the problem. In reality what generally occurs is that the voltage going to the starter is less than adequate to COMPLETELY turn over the engine. This is not to say that Starter assemblies do not fail because they do, but an occasional ignition switch problem can be a difficult problem to diagnose especially when the no starts seem to occur only in warm weather. If you hear a click from the starter area then you need to determine if 12 volts exist on the wire from the ignition switch. If 12 volts exist there then the problem is likely a faulty starter solenoid. If less than 12 volts exist then the likely problem is the ignition switch (providing the battery is at full charge).

NOTE: Ignition switch failures show themselves more evident during warm weather. Starter failures occur more when the engines are warm, ie... warm starter. When starters fail you will usually hear a clicking noise from the starter itself. This is usually an indication that the solenoid contacts are faulty.

NOTE: On early Saab 900 cars you could have a problem in the cold start circuit with the cold start valve or an issue in the starter circuit which also aids in cold start valve operation.

Thanks to Sam Nashagh for contributing to this FAQ!

Make sure that the problem is the starter not turning at all and not the case where the starter turns the engine, but the engine fails to crank (turn over). A semi-common problem is the crank position sensor going out. When this happens the car will start on the first start of the day or if it has been sitting for a few hours, but fails to start when warm. If you can read the check engine light it may give you the code. The other way to narrow it down is to see if it will start with starting fluid. On the 2001 9-3 there is a small nipple (usually red) on the throttle body. Pop that out, spray in a quick squirt of starting fluid, replace the nipple and try to start it. NOTE: This is not good for the engine on a regular basis and may give you a fuel-air mixture reading. It cheats the engine into turning over and may help you identify the problem, or at least get home safely.