FAQ: Rough / Slow / No Start - Symptoms, Causes, Solutions

my car aint nothing to look at yet. later I hope it will be!

to me it's all about the "go"..

I suppose yer right!

Hey Guys,

How's everybody doing? Unfortunately, I'm not doing that great because the '98 will not start & it forced me to miss class.

But, I didn't leave any electronics on overnight last night. When I put the key in and turn the car on (not starting it), all of the electronics/lights/amps come on without a problem. Nothing is dim. When I try to turn the key to start the car, it clicks once and doesn't do anything else, other than the lights turning off temporarily while the key is turned.

I did some work to it recently. I lubed the steering shaft, serviced the tranny, fixed a major trunk leak and dealt with an SES light for my cat. All of that work was about 2 weeks ago and the car has been driving and working better than ever since then, until today. I'm just guessing it could be a problem with my key's chip, or with something inside of the steering column. The battery was just replaced about 2 months ago.

If anybody has any insight into this issue, that would be great. Even if not, I will just update this post as I learn more. I will try my other key tomorrow when I can get access to it. Have a good one, ppl and best of travels.

Even though you replaced the battery, I'd take a voltage reading. If it's below 11 volts, it would explain your problem.

Does the security lamp flash when you turn the key?

How about the starter? check the connections at the battery probably they got loose when you installed the battery

The click sound that you hear might come from the starter solenoid, this could be caused by loose or corroded connections, check the ground cable right below the front exhaust header "chassis-to-engine" ground, check the connections at the starter solenoid, might be stuck, you can try to hit the solenoid and then try to start the car.

I checked the battery last night and, sure enough, a loose connection was the issue. Over the past 2-3 months, the adapter post that I had put on there to accomodate my subwoofer amp (whose wire terminal had a different size than the battery's post) has gradually gotten more and more loose. When I went to tighten the post, the threaded end broke in half. The car started up fine with a jump before I started looking @ connections.

So, I'll have to get a new post and that should hopefully solve the problem... hopefully something better than the low-grade, Chinese-mae excuse for a bolt.

Glad to hear it was just a simple connection

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Last night, I rode my bike to the local auto parts place to buy a new terminal post. I made sure to get a solid brass one. After installing it, the electronics worked just as had happened originally, but once again, I was unable to start the car. I only heard a single click every time I turned the key to start it.

So, once again, I got a jump today and drove the car around in town and on the highway for about 20 minutes. The battery light was on the whole time. The turn signals were very slow, as were the windows going up and down, during the entire trip. I got back home and turned the car off, and tried to turn it back on again, and once again, there is only a single click after turning the key.

I feel this is an alternator issue. My alternator had been whistling very noticeably for at least the past year, if not longer. When I drove the car today, I didn't hear that high-pitched whistle. Plus, the battery light was on the whole time, leading me to think that the car was running on battery power while I was driving. I'm going to jump it again and drive it a little ways to the auto place in town to make sure it is the alternator, though, but if anybody has any other suggestions... Thanks for the help thus far guys.

hmmm.... the Battery light it's absolutely a charging problem you are right about the car running only with the battery that's why the lights were dim and power to the accessories was just not enough because to much amps are drawn against the battery.

If you have a voltmeter, with the car running check for voltage at the battery and verify that the voltage reading should be around 14V and 14.4V if it's not.... consider the alternator is bad

Christian, the lights weren't dim but everything else was functioning very slowly, without a doubt. Unfortunately I don't have a voltmeter up here at school though. I do back at home. We tried to jump the car again, and we used pretty much every configuration of the cables as possible but the car would just not start this last time either, no matter what... so I may have to have it towed considering I have no time to work on it myself @ this point.

What fun!

Oh, man what a shame

Well, obviously that when you jump the car, it's not running out of your discharged battery and the starter should get full power.... but in your case is not due to bad/corroded connections or ignition switch problem, stuck solenoid or a dying starter motor assembly.

This are my suggestions, because there is a lot of stuff to check you can simply look at this videos

Starter Diagnosis:
YouTube Link.

Alternator diagnosis:
YouTube Link.

I understand that you don't have much time to work with it, but it' will give you some ideas to find out the problem and have your mechanic look at it hope it helps!

Just a note about "Diagnosis 101" videos such as linked above - although these are interesting to watch for reference & learning purposes, someone looking for a simple system check in a Riviera might find the information a bit ambiguous or confusing.

The videos are nonspecific in order to apply broadly to all vehicles, so much of the information is irrelevant to Rivieras, and some important info is missing. Therefore, watch these types of references with the understanding that you must already know a few things about the car. Chances are, if you know enough, you probably know how to test the alternator.

For example, there is no external voltage regulator, and the PCM (ECU) does not control the voltage output in a Riviera (we have a thermistor). The battery is in the rear of the car, not the front. So the procedures shown don't relate to our cars. All you really need to know to diagnose a bad alternator is the following:

• Check voltage with engine off (should be near 12v).
• Check voltage with engine on (should be 13-15v).
• If you don't have a meter, you can gauge voltage by watching headlamps with engine on/off.
• Checking the alternator for heat can indicate a mechanical problem, if it's hotter than the surrounding engine. You can test by hand, or with a thermometer.

One of the great benefits of our tech forums is our members, who already have the Riviera-specific info and procedures ready to share with those in need of help. As good as "Eric the car guy" might be, his videos aren't as helpful as direct knowledge from Riviera owners who know about our cars from experience.

ZEP wrote:

Hey Guys,

...When I put the key in and turn the car on (not starting it), all of the electronics/lights/amps come on without a problem. Nothing is dim. When I try to turn the key to start the car, it clicks once and doesn't do anything else, other than the lights turning off temporarily while the key is turned.

Same here. Just yesterday after much planning and 'test runs', I took my Riv on a little journey about 2 hours away from home. At the halfway point my engine light came on. I figured it was the EGR problem, the last of the repairs I needed to do.

My GF and I also had to make a pit stop at the highway plaza so I figured I would give the Riv a rest, to reset the engine light and all. We did our business, got a drink from the convenience store and went back to the car to resume the journey.

Put the key in and turned. I heard a click, then nothing. Tried again and the same thing happened. We had radio and all the rest but no turn over.

My first suspicion was the EGR area. I opened the hood found the valve and unplugged the wire, then pluged it back in gently and securely. Still nothing.

A good guy came over and gave me a jump but to no avail. AAA came with the tow truck and decided to try his hand at jumping it. Still nothing.

$165 for a tow a month before Christmas and still no job. Loves it.

I would love to hear some insight so my town mechanic doesn't start replacing everything that doesn't need to be replaced. The tow truck guy said somthing about the starter and I have a brand new one less than a year old. Sparks and wires are newer too. Seriously 95% of the stuff around the engine is new.

I'm going to deal with winter then it's GONE. Sick of this shyt.

You have a '95. Off the top of my head:

+ Suggest you first get the code read. It will give a useful hint at least.

+ check the wiring harness connector, c a r e f u l l y, at the firewall.

+ Also at your car's age/mileage it's not uncommon for the ignition switch (not the keyway) to wear out. Ig switch has an electric part and a mechanical part. Suspect/check the electric part.

Albertj

Thanks for all of the insight, guys. I believe that I got this issue squared away today. Apparently, the issue was that the positive battery connection in the engine bay was loose. Tightening the nut down seemed to be the solution, and I haven't been able to duplicate the issues

Both connections on my battery itself were loose, though, and the post that my amp was secured to totally busted in my hand, so it was probably a multitude of issues at once.

Andrew, I'd just check the connections again unless you've already made sure they're secure. It's amazing what loose connections can do

ZEP wrote:

Thanks for all of the insight, guys. I believe that I got this issue squared away today. Apparently, the issue was that the positive battery connection in the engine bay was loose. Tightening the nut down seemed to be the solution, and I haven't been able to duplicate the issues

Both connections on my battery itself were loose, though, and the post that my amp was secured to totally busted in my hand, so it was probably a multitude of issues at once.

Andrew, I'd just check the connections again unless you've already made sure they're secure. It's amazing what loose connections can do

Thanks Zach...

I have to keep reminding myself to check the simple stuff FIRST.

Albertj

great youtube inks.

it is crazy ive changed everything fuel related and every sensor there is..... it trys to start but just wont... any ideas? need help

Can you hear the fuel pump running?

*** Open the fuel tank cap and have a friend help you in turning the vehicle ignition switch on (do not crank the engine). Upon listening to the fuel tank opening, you should hear a buzz if your fuel pump is working fine. If you do not hear this...you can start thinking of a fuel pump failure.

yeah fuel pressure is perfect im goin to change spark plugs and wires .... my girl reed something about relearn ckp or something do you have to do this on a 95 rivi.... i never heard of doing this before and ive changed a crankshaft sensor on my old engine i didn't have to do it car just started and ran fine

Question: Have you installed a new crankshaft sensor on your Riv ? If so, where did you get it, from a parts store or from a dealer?

part store ... was think of a faulty part but try different ones

If it were me, I would try to get an OEM from a dealer. I'm certainly not an expert, but I think that might solve your problem. I'm not too fond of aftermarket sensors.

i bout an acdelco and a bwd sensor neither one did anything different.... both did samething crank like it wanted to start but didnt....