No start up

T

T man

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Today I started my car up and it turned on fine, but I had to go up to my apartment and came back down and it wouldn't turn on again.

All of the electronics work, the battery isn't dead. The engine won't turn over though and it sounds like an electrical short when I try turning the key (zap zap zap sounds)

What gives? I also had 2 "U" codes pop up while I was driving last night but I can't remember the numbers for them, thats the first time that's happened aswell.
 
You probably have a dead battery. Check the voltage. I am only guessing that your zap noise is really the starter attempting to engage but can't due to lack of battery power. Take it to any place and have it tested.
 
the lights can all turn on and the air compressor works without the car running so thats why I thought it probibly wasn't a bad battery.


Could it be a bad starter? My cars a 98 and has about 125k miles.

The codes I got were "SCP (J1850) Invalid or Missing Data for Engine Coolant"

and "SCP (J1850) Invalid or Missing Data for Air Conditioning Clutch"

I doubt they're making my car not start up, but when the car runs it runs great and it was running fine when the codes poped up too?
 
It takes a lot more power to turn an engine over then light up some lights and power the air compressor.

It also takes a while for a battery to recover from a start, so if your battery was starting to get weaker, it's possible that it might have a harder time starting a second time after a very short run.

I'd start with checking the battery - clean the terminals, check the voltage if you can, give her a jump, put it on the charger or take the battery in to be tested.

Let us know what you find out. It's always easier to check the simple stuff first.
 
Start with the battery terminals then a battery check. If it still does not crank over, it could be the starter solenoid. If it does the no-start thing after when the engine has been running a while but starts fine after a cool down period of an hour or more - it's the starter solenoid.
 
The battery's O.K. And the car has a hard time starting when its cold but will not start hot. It just makes a ZAP sound without even turning over.

How much of a PITA is the starter to change? I've never done one before and I don't even know where its located :confused::confused::confused:

would i probibly be better off having a shop do it?
 
Heck, I changed one on the '96 in the driveway, sideways on a grade. Needless to say it had been sitting a while and was somewhat lower than normal.

It's on the passenger side and once you get the car high enough to get under, (remove the passenger wheel) it's not that tough. Make sure you use jackstands because you will be sticking your head under the car. The biggest PITA is the topside starter bolt.

If you can change the alternator, you can change the starter. It's just harder to get to.
 
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