2005 Matrix, manual transmission, appx 218K. Latest professional tune-up was about 5K ago. I had the battery, starter, and alternator tested a couple days ago and they all looked fine. Starting last week my car sometimes doesn’t want to start. It makes all the noises, but then won’t engage/turn over. When that happens I generally turn the key off for 10/15 seconds and try again. The first time after 3-4 attempts, I was parked facing downhill and able to pop the clutch no problem. The next day it started on the first try, then I drove about a mile, turned it off for 5-10 minutes, then had the same problem as the previous day when I tried to start it up again. The neighbor at the house I was at pushed me so I could pop the clutch again. Then the next several times I used it it mostly started right up except for a couple of times that it started on the second try. Then today again it took about 6 tries to get it to start. What should I look at or have looked at? Probably totally coincidentally I changed the headlight bulbs the day before the first incident. Also, I live on a dirt road and am missing a wheel well and generally everything is quite dirty…
Start by trying this - turn to key to the “run” position - where the dash lights all come on but it doesn’t crank over (“try to start” / go “rev rev rev” - probably two clicks on the key). Then turn the key off and do it again - about 5 times. Then turn it all the way to the start position (where it goes “rev rev rev”) and see what happens.
If that works for getting it started, then you probably need a new fuel pump.
Do you mean rhe engine cranks when you twist the key to start but won’t actually start? Or does the engine crank slowly?
I am trying to think why it cranks but won’t start but bump starting it works.
Is the check engine light on when it is running?
Well, I just tried it again to see if I could describe the sounds. The first attempt it went chug chug fizzle. The second time it went chug chug turn over and start. Nothing cranks slowly (I don’t get the impression of that at least?) Once it starts it runs just fine for the duration of the ride. I really don’t know much about cars, so this is a long shot, but could it be something with the clutch even though while I’m actually driving and shifting gears everything feels fine?
Also, negative on check engine light.
If the engine is not cranking when it no starts, then check your floor mat to make sure it has not moved forward, it can/will keep the clutch pedal from going all the way to the floor to engage the clutch pedal safety switch (like a neutral safety switch for an automatic)… The Matrix’s are very “sensitive” about making sure the pedal has 100% full travel to start the engine… It can also go bad, it can be bypassed (temporarily for safety reasons) to confirm this or get you buy until able to properly repair it, keep in mind the vehicle WILL start in gear without working the clutch…
But still a little confused on if the engine is a crank no start, or a no crank no start…
Doing a roll start (popping the clutch) makes it sound like a bad starter, or a bad clutch safety switch or something in the ignition switch circuit…
Okay, I had to look at YouTube to see what crank vs no crank is. It does crank, but only a couple times before it still makes some noise, but no more cranking. I just went out to try it again and first moved the floor mat back and it started immediately! But then I turned it off and tried it again about 4 times and it did not start (cranks once or twice and then like zzzzzzz noise not even trying to turn over). Starter tested fine at oreilly’s. Would clutch safety switch or ignition switch circuit be intermittent like this where it occasionally starts and occasionally doesn’t?
Does it kinda sound like an electric drill spinning wide open??
If so then the Bendix is not kicking out to engage with the flywheel to spin the engine over meaning the starter solenoid is failing and you simply need a new starter…
Here is a video of what a starter sounds like when spinning but the bendix not engaging the flywheel… It’s the best shortest one I could find quickly… lol
You can jump to the 1:17 mark for the sound…
Hmmm… I don’t think that’s quite it… I’ll do more checking in the morning to see if I can describe it better. That was awesome though, thanks for sending a sound check!! 