# Periodic ignition problem

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/periodic-ignition-problem/20692>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [October 13, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/periodic-ignition-problem/20692 "2008-10-13T21:56:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lindsey799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b19c9b/32.png) [@Lindsey799](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Lindsey799)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/periodic-ignition-problem/20692/1 "2008-10-13T21:56:34Z")

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I hope someone can help! I have a 2004 Saturn Ion, standard transmission, that periodically likes to leave me stranded. Every few months, when I turn the key, it will half-way “turn over” and then stop. Sometimes I can immediately turn the key again, and it starts just fine. Other times I can turn it for 10 times, and it either half turns over, or is just a “click”. If I let it sit for an extended period (20 -60 min) & then come back & try, it starts just fine. I have it to 2 garages, but they couldn’t find anything wrong & said I had to bring it in when it was acting up, which I can’t predict. What do I do, I can’t depend on my car not to strand me!

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 10:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/periodic-ignition-problem/20692/2 "2008-10-13T22:17:10Z")

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I would clean the battery cables (both ends of each cable) and I would consider the solenoid.