Devin Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 (edited) I went out to start my 2004 Impala (3.4) to leave today, and the starter wouldn't engage. No click, no nothing. All interior lights are strong and bright and the chime is strong too. I jumped the solenoid and the starter spun but would not engage the teeth. I think the car needs to tell it to engage though so I'm not sure it is the starter. Any ideas? Edited August 28, 2010 by Devin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devin Posted August 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Okay, it started. Now I'm worried. What would keep the car from engaging the starter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 what ended up getting it started? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Faulty ignition switch is my guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alec_b Posted August 28, 2010 Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 Impala's are notorious for having ignition switches and the passkey receiver around the key go bad. Did the security light come on when it wouldn't start? Did anything else stop working? BCM's are also very common on those cars for some reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devin Posted August 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 It was the wierdest thing. We towed the car inside (we have a shop) and one of the guys I work with suggested the ignition switch. I pulled the kickplate off and was going to start working on it and decided to post my issue. I came back and gave it one more try and the car started. It had been sitting since the morning, but nothing strange had happened before. I don't think the security light came on, but to tell the truth I couldn't swear it didn't. Where is the ignition switch in this car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL Posted August 28, 2010 Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 Im pretty sure its right where the key goes into the dash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted August 28, 2010 Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 It's a one-piece deal, but you can take it apart and just take the tumbler out. That's the faulty part, I believe, because it has the chip reader. Malibus, Grand Ams, newer Cutlass' and Intrigues are similar. I'm not sure exactly why it's doing what it's doing in this case, but it's not hard to replace that part is what I'm saying. I believe you remove the dash, and it's like one or two bolts and the thing is out. This makes it easy to get in the junkyard, get it out of the car, and ask the dude upfront if you can give him $5 for the random metal thingy. Or pocket it if that's your thing, whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devin Posted August 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 Oh, I'm sure I don't have a special key. I can use a straight up metal key to start the car. When you said ignition switch I imagined like what was in my Taurus (which is not attached to the lock cylinder). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devin Posted August 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 Well, it did it again. At least I am home this time. I have no security message. So does that make it not my BCM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devin Posted August 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 I replaced the ignition switch ($110 at napa. Ouch!) and it starts. I wasn't able to get the code reader to allow me to reset the BCM so maybe it isn't applicable to this car. I also didn't redo the theft deterrent system so my guess is my car doesn't have those things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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