'01 Starting Problems

[dcc56@msn.com]

Hello,

Lots of great suggestions here to help me get my '01 Grand Am started.
This has been a great car, never ever had starting problems.

Has a brand new top of the line battery, still giving lots of cranking power, and it's 35 degrees in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul...and it won't start. It has a full tank of gas, I can hear the fuel pump turning on, it cranks great, it ALMOST goes..but doesn't. Tried all the suggestions here and in the manual.

Now going to try adding some HEET to see if last fill up had some water in it. Have left it sit for hours and tried again but having no luck. Guess it could be fuel water, fuel pump or something...just drove it yesterday to work and back. Good thing I am stranded in my garage! But, with the temps so nice I wanted to go out!

Thanks for all your help in advance. Love this site.

David

[dcc56@msn.com]

Hello again,

I am surprised that no one replied to my original post, but so far 36 people have read it.

I supposed it's a matter of....where to begin.

Anyway, I put a bottle of ISO-HEET in the gas tank, hoping that the last fill-up I had on this past Thursday night is the trouble...water in the gas. Still using the new battery it was still trying to start...but no luck. I called AAA today to get some help. A young guy arrived with a portable jump-start unit, connected it to my car and told me to try to start it. After about four or five tries, he disconnects the unit and says "where would you like me to tow your car?" I guess I was expecting some additional "mechanical first aid" as they put it in their Roadside Assistance Brochure. But he didn't seem very interested in doing any more work. I had not yet figured out where I was going to have my car serviced since it hasn't been in for major service very often. I decided I didn't want this guy towing my car anywhere. For the service I guess I'm going to have to have I was planning to try a local guy who was only 2 miles away, but I haven't ever used his services. The other option was to have it towed into downtown which is over 10 miles away. So, when my other half arrived home today we tried a jump since I had pretty much worn down the battery. This car really wants to start, it acts like it is going to start but just does not get going. I can hear the fuel pump pumping, the starter is cranking, I think gas is getting there....it just doesn't take off. Looks like I will be towing it to a garage to get it figured out. I am hoping it will be something minor...like a fuel filter or water in the gas. Maybe someone in this Club will have a suggestion on where I should take this vehicle in the St. Paul Minnesota area. Thanks for your help.

[dcc56@msn.com]

Good News for me....looks like I was the latest victim of the PASSLOCK feature!

After I made my last post, with nothing better to do, I began reading the posts related to the PassLock problems in Grand Ams. I ran to the garage to try it. After waiting the required 10 minutes I was excited to try it...only to find I had run down my new battery too far. I hooked up the jumper cables to my other half's Pontiac Sunfire and my car started on the first try.

I feel SO dumb for not reading the other posts here about this issue. Please forgive me!

And thank God for the GAOC. I'll never forget you! The Club must have saved me at least $100 and possibly much more....including a good night's sleep!

Thank you,
David

[4kQuad]

it's not how long it takes you to find what you need. it's what you can do with it.

This place has a lot of good info, you just have to stick with it and keep diggen like you did. :agree:

[Tee_Whetstone]

Originally posted by dcc56@msn.com
Good News for me....looks like I was the latest victim of the PASSLOCK feature!

After I made my last post, with nothing better to do, I began reading the posts related to the PassLock problems in Grand Ams. I ran to the garage to try it. After waiting the required 10 minutes I was excited to try it...only to find I had run down my new battery too far. I hooked up the jumper cables to my other half's Pontiac Sunfire and my car started on the first try.

I feel SO dumb for not reading the other posts here about this issue. Please forgive me!

And thank God for the GAOC. I'll never forget you! The Club must have saved me at least $100 and possibly much more....including a good night's sleep!

Thank you,
David




WHAT DID YOU DO TO FIX IT?