Of all the stupid things...

"zeontestpilot" (zeontestpilot)
05/20/2015 at 11:26 • Filed to: Jolly roger

My pt won’t start...again! This is what’s happening. I put the keys in, the dashboard lights up as normal, but it won’t turn over. There’s a faint humming noise coming from the front of the car, I think maybe by the radiator? Front Lights come on when it’s unlocked, but my wife (she’s at home now, I’m not) says they don’t look turned on when they are on. Thoughts oppo?

Also, the battery is new, replaced this past winter. And I just had the alternator belt , timing belt, and steering belt replaced too.

Edit: I tried to jump it, but nothing happened.

DISCUSSION (58)

Bandit > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 11:28

Go jump the battery

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 11:29

Mid- 2000s Chrysler Electronics might as well be named Lucas

zeontestpilot > Bandit
05/20/2015 at 11:30

I forgot to add, I tried that, nothing happened. :/

Party-vi > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 11:30

Is your battery a maintenance-free type? Is there water in it?

CalzoneGolem > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 11:31

You should try the key dance to see any codes.

http://www.ptdoityourself.net/diag_selftest.…

zeontestpilot > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
05/20/2015 at 11:31

But it’s weird I’m having issues now, instead of earlier. Or after 100k miles...

zeontestpilot > Party-vi
05/20/2015 at 11:33

Umm, I don’t remember on the top of my head. -_-. I got it at o’reilleys though, if that helps...

Jobjoris > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 11:33

There’s a faint humming noise coming from the front of the car, I think maybe by the radiator?

If you’re radiator is making noise at all it’s truly time to get rid of it. There’s only water/coolant running through a radiator?

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 11:33

No not really, My cousin-in law (word?) has a purple 2000 PT, He just this year got it running again, it had electrical gremlins for 2 years and wouldnt run for 1. It can happen at any time. I believe his is at 125k currently

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 11:34

Starter. Make sure it’s plugged in.

Hermann > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 11:35

Does it turn over and just doesn’t start? Or just does that ‘clunk’ when you turn the key where nothing happens?

Does it have an aftermarket alarm? Sometimes they prevent a car from starting. Try locking and unlocking the car. Saved me when my aftermarket alarm had issues (conflicted with the insurance tracking device).

zeontestpilot > CalzoneGolem
05/20/2015 at 11:36

I'll have to try this when I get home, thanks.

zeontestpilot > Hermann
05/20/2015 at 11:37

Doesn’t turn over, but there's a faint, constant humming noise from under the hood.

zeontestpilot > Jobjoris
05/20/2015 at 11:39

Its from that area , not sure where though. I think that's where the starter is located, so I was trying to listen for that. I believe the sound came from the starter, just not 100% sure though.

zeontestpilot > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
05/20/2015 at 11:39

I can take a gander at it. How would it get loose?

dogisbadob > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 11:39

Kinja'd!!!

the solution

zeontestpilot > dogisbadob
05/20/2015 at 11:41

To get another car?

JGrabowMSt > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 11:43

Key dance and/try a different key. Hopefully you arent locked out by SKIM, because thats a bitch.

Does the key move freely in the tumbler, or does it still have the normal steps as it turns? The forks on the end of the tumbler are a known weak point, broke on my Neon, huge PITA. Easy to DIY, just not a cheap part.

Also, check all ground straps all over the car.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 11:44

It’s right by the belts you just had replaced.

zeontestpilot > JGrabowMSt
05/20/2015 at 11:46

Only have 1 key, :/. There's steps, I mean it can go in different positions. And what's ground straps?

dogisbadob > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 11:52

To get a Toyota :)

Hermann > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 11:57

Isn’t it the fuel pump? That’s a normal sound.

zeontestpilot > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
05/20/2015 at 12:00

Can you jump start a car with a bad starter?

zeontestpilot > dogisbadob
05/20/2015 at 12:01

Why is that? Convince me....

zeontestpilot > Hermann
05/20/2015 at 12:02

I'm not sure, but it's what I heard.... :/

Sweet Trav > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 12:04

Starter relay perhaps?

Do new cars have them?

supra-squirrel > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 12:05

Could be the starter as others have suggested. If it has a factory security system that could be fritzing out you could try locking the car from the outside then unlocking again and see if it just cuts thebatarter circuit. Happens on my supra occasionally and without warning or logic

zeontestpilot > Sweet Trav
05/20/2015 at 12:08

I'm still learning cars so...no idea.

zeontestpilot > supra-squirrel
05/20/2015 at 12:09

No security system on it. Any other ideas? :/

Party-vi > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 12:12

Not at all. If it looks like this then you’ll need to carefully pop the covers off and check the water level.

Kinja'd!!!

Steve Zissou > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 12:13

I’m pretty sure battery gets the starter going, which gets the engine going. You can have all the electricity in the world, but if your starter doesn’t turn your engine won’t start...unless you have a hand crank.

supra-squirrel > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 12:24

Only other guess is starter or the actual tumbler mechanism/solonoid (can’t remember proper term) other than that no clue. I’m also learning about the intricacies of the magical electrical side of things.

Hermann > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 12:27

Have you tried locking and unlocking it with the remote?

Checked the alarm’s fuses?

zeontestpilot > Hermann
05/20/2015 at 12:29

Forgot to mention, there is no alarm.

zeontestpilot > Party-vi
05/20/2015 at 12:30

What happens when the water level drops?

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 12:33

No. If it’s a stick, you will be able to push start it, but no amount of electricity will get a bad starter spinning.

Party-vi > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 12:42

The battery plates start to deteriorate and the battery can’t charge correctly. You need to fill it with distilled water (available at most grocery stores) if it’s low. have you checked the charge? It should read around 12v, and with the car running about 14v.

zeontestpilot > Party-vi
05/20/2015 at 12:50

I’ll have to check when I get home

JGrabowMSt > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 12:58

All of the grounds that go from the chassis to the struts, firewall, engine block, etc. The Neon/PT cars all have tons of really weird issues when there’s a bad ground.

Sounds almost like a Sentry Key Immobilizer problem...not a good thing.

Have you considered selling that thing and getting something a little more reliable?

thebigbossyboss > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 13:06

Starter motor cannot into success. If the battery is okay then it’s the starter.

DipodomysDeserti > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 13:11

Jumping a car won’t do anything if the starter is bad. You can try bump starting it if its a manual.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 13:12

I’m thinking it could be a starter motor... or a bad wire going to the starter motor... or the starter motor relay/solenoid/fuse.

That’s where I would start looking. If the car is stickshift, you could try bump-starting it and see if that gets it running. If it does, it’s more confirmation it’s starter-related.

Also... check to make sure the connections on the battery aren’t loose. Sometimes a bad/loose connection can cause this too.

As for the humming noise... that could be the fuel pump.

Also, just for the hell of it, try starting it with a different key. Modern cars have chips embedded in the keys. And there’s a battery that keeps the chip alive. OR... if it’s a ‘courtesy key’ meant only for unlocking doors and only turning on the ignition for the accessories, you can get behaviour like that too.

zeontestpilot > JGrabowMSt
05/20/2015 at 14:07

That’s the weird thing, it’s been reliable up to this year (5 years total). Then all of a sudden things just stop working? All at once? Do things in Chrysler cars just die after 100k miles? I can understand it gradually breaking, but this is just weird....

zeontestpilot > thebigbossyboss
05/20/2015 at 14:10

I'm checking the battery once I get home from work. The car broke yesterday, so another day dead won't hurt it...

zeontestpilot > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
05/20/2015 at 14:13

Only have one key, :/.

JGrabowMSt > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 14:19

My Neon was decently reliable with only general maintenance and a couple unexpecteds through 122k until it got totaled. My Magnum RT had the motor replaced, but otherwise just general maintenance.

Some cars are just built better, others are just lemons. It’s really hard to say. I really don’t think mileage has anything to do with it, if things become a very slippery slope however, it raises questions that make me wonder what’s really going on with the car though.

Destructive Tester > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 14:38

While you’re checking your battery check your battery cables for excessive corrosion. If it suddenly refused to start, this could be a culprit. What happens is there is just enough of a good connection to allow enough current to power your accessories but not enough to turn the starter.

The fix: On your way home, pick-up a battery terminal brush (even if its not the problem they’re worth having around, there’s one in the glove box of all of my cars). Disconnect your battery and take a good look at the terminals, the cable connections, the bit of exposed wire the negative terminal connection-up a battery terminal brush (even if its not the problem they’re worth having around, there’s one in the glove box of all of my cars). Disconnect your battery and take a good look at the terminals, the cable connections, and the bit of exposed wire the negative terminal connection screws to. All of these should be relatively shiney and obviously metal, if any of them looks dull, chalky, or green (the negative battery cable) you’ll have to give it a good scrub with the terminal brush.

This might not fix your problem, but you'll most likely be working around your battery anyway and I'm betting your connections could used some attention anyway.

dogisbadob > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 14:45

Because Toyota makes great cars. Much better than Mercedes.

thebigbossyboss > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 14:56

Fair enough.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 20:09

Is it an automatic?

If so, turn the key to “on” (not start), put your foot on the brake, and move the shifter out of Park down to Low and then back into Park. Foot still on brake and car in Park, try starting it again and see if the engine starts. Repeat if necessary.

On (many) automatic cars there’s an interlock that keeps the car from starting unless the car is in Park and your foot is on the brake. Sometimes the interlock doesn’t operate properly and thinks the car isn’t really in Park, and this procedure can jiggle the interlock into place.

A friend’s car refused to start and jumping it didn’t work. The interlock was off kilter, and after this procedure it fired right up. And hey, it’s easy to try!

forgeryfade > zeontestpilot
05/20/2015 at 23:35

The Starter is in the front tucked under the intake manifold close to the transmission (not the belts side). It should just make a faint click of the starter solenoid when you turn the key forward. It it is humming there is something wrong like the motor is trying to rotate but the bearings wont let it. Or the humming can be coming from your electric radiator fan but you should be able to see it it is spinning and it shouldn’t be just at start up.

zeontestpilot > forgeryfade
05/21/2015 at 06:30

I found the starter location yesterday with some investigating, and the sound is definitely coming from it, :/.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > zeontestpilot
05/21/2015 at 13:23

The humming could be the radiator fan kicking on if it is electric or a fuel pump running. Does this happen when the key is sitting in the on position, or is it when you are holding the key in the start position? If it happens in the on position it is probably pumps/fans running and is normal. If it happens when the key is in the start position it could be your starter solenoid going bad. If that is the case you may be able to get it to start by giving the starter solenoid a good rap with a wrench or hammer. If the starter solenoid is bad things will behave just like you say, everything seems normal but the car makes no attempt to turn over when you try to start it.

zeontestpilot > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
05/21/2015 at 14:48

It Hums when it's trying to turn over.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > zeontestpilot
05/21/2015 at 15:41

My semi uneducated guess says that is the starter solenoid. Either the solenoid itself is stuck, or it isn’t getting enough power to fully switch. The old trick of rapping the solenoid might get you started. Like others have said, check your battery terminals and grounds. If you’re getting full voltage to the starter when the key is in the start position then your starter is shot and will need to be replaced. Best practice for checking that would be to pull the hot lead off the starter and check voltage between there and the engine block while someone is holding the key in the start position.

Obsessed > zeontestpilot
05/22/2015 at 01:44

you get it running yet?? Maybe the PT stands for Part time?

zeontestpilot > Obsessed
05/22/2015 at 06:13

Nope, it’s in the shop currently. I wanted to narrow down what’s probabLy wrong, and then see what the shop says.

Obsessed > zeontestpilot
05/22/2015 at 09:38

good idea