1997 Chevrolet Cavalier Logo
Anonymous Posted on Jan 07, 2011

I bought my 16 year old daughter a 1996 cavalier that runs great and starts fine...when it starts. When it doesn't...you turn the key and nothing happens...so far I have replaced...the ignition, the battery, and the alternator. The last two may not have been related to the problem...Today I paid to replace the starter assembly and three hours later it left my daughter stranded at school. FRUSTRATED!! I have paid A LOT of money and still have the same problem I started with. It is sporadic with no apparent pattern. It will start if you jump the connection between the startter and cellinoid with a screwdriver when the problem is happenning

  • rayne_quinn
    rayne_quinn Oct 10, 2012

    hi situations like yours **** especialy when you dont have the proper knowledge base to find out if the guys on here or at the garages make more sense. Im a 26 year old now but when i was 19 i got a truck from my uncle knowing that it did and didnt u know what i mean, and i was in a similar situation to yours i knew nothing, had very little cash, and kept getting crappy advice untill someone told me about the haynes repair manual you can get for almost any make and model vehicle your working on. Once you have the haynes maual you will have the trouble shooting sections that cover dam near everything so when you bring it to the shop you have a better idea of what part to get repaired and why.

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  • Posted on Oct 10, 2012
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Hi situations like yours **** especially when you don't have the proper knowledge base to find out if the guys on here or at the garages make more sense. I'm a 26 year old now but when i was 19 i got a truck from my uncle knowing that it did and didn't u know what i mean, and i was in a similar situation to yours i knew nothing, had very little cash, and kept getting crappy advice until someone told me about the haynes repair manual you can get for almost any make and model vehicle your working on. Once you have the haynes maual you will have the trouble shooting sections that cover dam near everything including stalling so when you bring it to the shop you have a better idea of what part to get repaired and why.
p.s. my truck is a monster now

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  • Posted on Jan 07, 2011
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Wow crappy situation. sorry about that. i would say first thing to check would be the neutral safety switch on the column or tranny. try wiggling or pulling up on your shifter lever when you start it or see if it will start in neutral. if it starts then its your safety switch.
if that does not work i would say maybe you've got a bad solenoid. even though the starter is new it could still have a bad solenoid. has happened to me before.
let me know if one of those helps. i hope you get it figured out!

  • Anonymous Jan 07, 2011

    I ddi replace the solenoid. It is part of the starter assembly. Someone at one of my churches suggested the neutral safety switch but my mechanic, who I do not like very well at the moment, says it can't be because it won't start in neutral.

  • Anonymous Jan 07, 2011

    i have put on a brand new solenoid before and the car still wouldnt start so i took it apart and it had an issue so the solenoid could still be bad or maybe there is a problem with the starter motor. it could also be the ignition switch or a connection wiring issue. you could also have a dirty or corroded connection to the battery. i know you said you replaced the battery but check the connections to the battery if you havnt.

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alicantecoli

Colin Stickland

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  • Posted on Jan 07, 2011

SOURCE: I bought my 16 year

So a screwdriver in the works cures it ,well cheapest way is to buy a push button switch a heavy duty one and wire it in direct ,the problem is the ignition switch on the back of the steering lock the contacts on the back of ignition switch are burnt and not always making contact and whenever i try to buy this seperate it is only sold as a complete steering lock ,which means its a key recode as well unless you can swop the chip inside the key over ,---lots of effort anyway run a feed wire from the ignition switch on position wire to one side of the push button switch and the other side to small terminal on the starter motor ,splice wire in on the starter then when it doesnt start hand under the dash and push the back up button this will save you you a lot of grief and ear bashing when it doesnt start,I have the teashirt for this trust me i bought a moped for my stepdaughter at 16 and she used to have a job understanding the choke operation of this 2T 50cc engine as us in europe have to be 18 to drive and a two part driving test for a car ,Another tip worth remembering is to have a spare key cut ,yes i am aware about chipped keys ,but wire this key wrapped in plastic under the car but do not tell her ,then when she locks the keys in the car ???? you then tell her where the spare is ---

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