Starting of Grand Am

[DocDave78]

I have a 2001 GAGT, has anyone else experienced problems with starting where it will sit cranking for a few seconds before catching? If so, what service did you manage to get a dealer to do to it, and if it was a warranty TSB issue, do you remember the number of the TSB so I can go prepared to my dealer? This is getting aggrivating and I want to get it taken care of before I get stranded. Thanks.

[excitement]

does this happen when you first start it in the mornings or after the engine is up to temp and you switch off/on?

[DocDave78]

Sometimes it could be a cold start or even after it has been running. Full or low tank of gas doesn't seem to matter.

[jensgrandam]

I had the same problem with my Ex-2002 Grand AM GT. It did it all the time. I took it to the dealer about 7 different times for that problem and they never did solve the problem. They put a new fuel system in it, new alternator, and a new starter and it still done it. This was one of other problems I had with it and after fighting with GM for 4 months and filing with the Better Business Bureau, GM repurchased my car and I got a Ford.

[Fenderman]

turn the key to the "on" position for 3 seconds before staring the car. It solved the problem for me.

[excitement]

my 01 did it only when the engine was up to temp. i had the starter replaced about six months after purchasing the car but the problem persists. i found a tsb about re-learning the car's computer to fix the hard starts when engine is warm issue and that did the trick.

at your next service have the dealer re-learn the computer with the latest updates from GM. this may reduce the number of hard start occurrences.

[BLEE]

happens to me too..i have a 01..

but its doesnt happen all the time.
but when it does, it takes a few seconds to start...pretty embarassing.

[DocDave78]

excitement

Do you happen to remember the TSB that dealt with the relearning of the computer?

[PACE]

A new set of plugs always did it for me...I don't know how many miles you have though...
*shrug*

[excitement]

Originally posted by DocDave78
excitement

Do you happen to remember the TSB that dealt with the relearning of the computer?

my hard starts issue fell under TSB package #01-06-04-018A. That condition was address along with a false P1404 code that trigger my SES light a few months ago.

you can also check out http://calid.gm.com to see the latest programming releases that addresses problems for your vehicle. once or twice a year have the dealer update the computer with the latest fixes. most dealers/auto shops will do it for free if you're having other work done.

[videoman]

Unless you have the key turned to the on position for 3 seconds your fuel pump won't have enough time to prime itself. If you are experiencing this problem try:

For a cold start, turn the key to the on position wait for three seconds, count em ( one grand am, two grand am three. ......) :D

Then turn the key to start the car hold it firmly , twisting the key till it wont turn any further and let go. 99% of the time that will do it.

The other 1% is if you havent listened to a word I've said and still complain that it wont start properly. lol

[DocDave78]

Dang video man, I keep trying to turn it to the left, no wonder the dealer keeps looking at me funny every evening when he leaves and every morning when he comes in. :D Thanks for the help guys, I'll give everything a shot and hopefully it will all work out.

[tintin]

I just can't get it that GM can build a car like the Grand Am and expect the costumer to wait 3 seconds before starting the car, the first time my car did this I was just beside a Honda Accord and the owner was looking at my brand new GM that was crancking the hell away. I was not happy!

Is their really a fix to this or is it a "paine perdu! Lost cause"
It did go to the dealer and they did teach my computer new tricks :stupid: but not the one to start correctly. I heard that this problem was caused by the gaz pump desing and that GM was not correcting this problem??:confused:

But I can honestly say that this is the first GM that I have that is not giving me to much hard time :thumbs: I just change the oil and that's preatty much it!

[kevin231]

I to have complained about this problem. I followed most of the advice and held my key on the on position but my car still does it. It happens maybe once a day atleast. I hate it, when i'm cranking my car to leave people are looking at me like what's wrong with his car. Yeah my car is brand new pratically. The worst thing is after i clean my car and it's shining away and everyone is looking at how nice my cars is, I go to crank it and then what happens my car takes forever to start and thats by holding the key in the on position for 3sec before starting. Anyone with a solution help please.

[5-lO]

how long does it take for this to develop??? If it does that is...

[ramair4thasoul]

Thank God I'm not the only one who is had this problem. I've taken it to the dealership plenty of times and I just thought that the guys working on it were a bunch of "if it don't throw a code we can't fix it" punks. My car is an 01 and it has done it since I bought it. Cold or warm.:thumbs:

[Vintalage]

I thought this was for '01s only. My '02 does this as well when it's warm sometimes. I go to start it and I just hear it crank instead of firing right up. When I was looking for a used car, I found an '01 and went to check it out. I put the key in and turned it to start and it cranked for 1 sec then I released it. The engine did not start. So I turned it to start again and held it and it cranked for about 4 - 5 secs before the engine started. I was surprised. But I do like the starter kill feature the '02s have. After the car starts, the starter stops crankin even if you are still holding it in start. So no more ruin starters when the engine is running.

Why doesn't the '99 and '00 have this starter problem? You'd think the first year models would have the problem.

[schizm99]

I also have to turn the key to the on position for a few (never counted) seconds. As soon as I hear the fuel pump stop I hit the key. Try flooring the gas peddle. and wait 3 seconds. then release the peddle. turn the key, How many miles do you have on your grand am anyway? The fuel filters should be changed after 30,000 miles.

[neonboy]

I've had the same problem on and off for the last three years but I shrugged it off unitl the shop foreman told me you just have to do a small adjustment on the throttlebody (I think, Can't quite remember and he's not here today).

[ShorteezredGAGT]

I had this problem on my 00, mainly on cold starts in the morning.. but also on warm starts. My fuel pump went bad on the highway and the car died. Took it to the dealership, they replaced the fuel pump.. haven't had a problem since.

[5-lO]

Yeah, my GT is 3 weeks old.. not months... WEEKS and im already having the starting problem... nobody knows how to fix it yet??? Come on, we pay 24k for a car, and GM cant even fix it? Not cool...

[Kdawg207]

just pause at on ..then go to start...it will work

[tintin]

The cost of repairs??

As you can see it looks like a Fuel pump problem!

- ShorteezredGAGT had his replaced because it went bad and did not have the problem since.

"Could it be that GM knows about the problem but wont fix it because it would cost to much because in order to replace the pump they have to take out the gaz tank to reach the pump" !! $$$$$$$$$!!

[wherwolf98]

The problem most of you are having with the hard starting is caused by the check ball in the fuel pump. It is allowing the fuel to flow back into the tank instead of keeping the fuel in the line so that the vehicle is ready to be started. The only fix for it is to install a new fuel pump. Hope this fixes all of your probs. btw just got a new 2004 Grand Prix GTP to go along with my 2003 Grand Am sc/t...it's sooooo kewl. Gotta luv that tapshift.

[kevin231]

I've had a lot of grand ams you could say. My dad had a 92 always started up perfectly. Then a 97 grand am didnt quite start that well all the time. Then i got a 99 grand am same problem as my 02 right now just have to hold the key in the on position for 3sec. Lately even holding the key their i still get that problem every so often.

[BadGT471]

I have noticed that this usually happens on my 02 GAGT when it's warm out, and 9 out of 10 times, the long "cranking" issue occurs when I have the A/C on. I have no clue as to why, maybe because it puts more strain on the starter to start the car? If I don't have the A/C on, I usually don't have a problem, but I have noticed that it seems to happen more often then not with the A/C on, and also when the weather changes. Like if it was really warm during the day, then gets cold at night, it may do it. I've asked the dealership too, and they've done stuff too, but I still continue to have the problem...

Jeff

P.S. Do any of you have a longer start sometimes w/ the A/C on?

[Vintalage]

Originally posted by BadGT471
I have noticed that this usually happens on my 02 GAGT when it's warm out, and 9 out of 10 times, the long "cranking" issue occurs when I have the A/C on. I have no clue as to why, maybe because it puts more strain on the starter to start the car? If I don't have the A/C on, I usually don't have a problem, but I have noticed that it seems to happen more often then not with the A/C on, and also when the weather changes. Like if it was really warm during the day, then gets cold at night, it may do it. I've asked the dealership too, and they've done stuff too, but I still continue to have the problem...

Jeff

P.S. Do any of you have a longer start sometimes w/ the A/C on?

I have an '02 Grand Am GT and it doesn't matter if I have the A/C on or not, it still does it. Same goes for the climate outside. This is sometimes though.

[Ludacrisvp]

i have a 99 with 86500 miles and i have not had this problem like some one earlier said you would expect tihs with the 99 and 00 models...
a little off topic but how much is a 30th aniversery Grand Am SCT?
i just saw one today and it looked awesome...
i want to get the seats from it and the SC/T hood and the 30th Aniversery badge from the door

[SmokinGT00]

I have the problem too, but now I'm so accustomed to leaving it in 'on' for a few seconds, and then crankin' her up that I don't really realize it. It's definitely embarassing.

[Slim]

This is really odd, but I get the opposite problem stated here. When I get in my car and crank it over immediately, it fires up instantly. If I do the "wait three seconds" thing, my car cranks over for lonber.

Actually, I ususally just turn the key and let go right away. The new starters on the Grand Am turn over a few times with just one tweak of the key.

[Vintalage]

Originally posted by Slim25
This is really odd, but I get the opposite problem stated here. When I get in my car and crank it over immediately, it fires up instantly. If I do the "wait three seconds" thing, my car cranks over for lonber.

Actually, I ususally just turn the key and let go right away. The new starters on the Grand Am turn over a few times with just one tweak of the key.

I hold mine until the engine fires up and the computer kills the starter.

[Ludacrisvp]

Originally posted by tintin
I just can't get it that GM can build a car like the Grand Am and expect the costumer to wait 3 seconds before starting the car,
well if you realize wating three seconds is not that bad compared to the wating time for a diesel engine in the '97 Chevy Suburban 2500 with a 6.5L Turbo diesel it can take anywhere from 5 secs to 30 secs just to warm up the gloe plugs in order to be able to start the engine so ill take a three second wait any day of the week. plus its just three seconds so your not really wasting any time just hop in the car turn the key to "On" and buckle up then start the car and you should be fine.

[GrandAmChick]

This happened to my car last summer n it would sometimes crank, crank, crank, then just die. I took 'er into the dealership n they didn't find anything wrong. Next time it happened n the car didn't start at all, the guy in the service dept. said it was the aftermarket alarm/starter kill I had installed n $700 later (voided warranty...) unwired the whole alarm n replaced the PCM. He said it was very common w/ aftermarket alarms n that is why they're bad cuz they cause these sorts of malfunctions wtf n it coulda happened after a week, a month, or even 10 yrs. I was pretty ****ed he took the alarm out, cuz I'd rather have gone back to where I had it put in. (Doesn't matter cuz that's a whole other story.)

Yeah, even after all that, my car still cranks for a few secs before she actually starts. It sucks.

Edit: I have a 2000. :rolleyes:

[phantomco]

I don't know. I bet if you disconnect the fuel line at the engine, in 3 seconds that baby would shoot a heck of lot of gas across your front lawn. Plus it's not a universal problem or one that seems to happen from day one with the vehicle.

In my case (2K1 SE, 21K miles), it was electrical. It became hard starting (sometimes) a few weeks ago. Not like a lack of fuel hard start though. Tough to describe actually, just different.

A few days ago I noticed a melting plastic smell after driving the car. You know, like the one you smelled when you were kids and lit those little plastic army men on fire.

Yesterday, drove about an hour away, no problems, started and ran fine with no smell. Same on the start of the return trip. About 1/2 way back, the battery light came on; the windshield wipers were crawling along...turned everything off I could to keep the wipers running ( I was guessing alternator). Light went off after a while. Now DOA in driveway. My guess is those damn lil plastic army men they have in there gave up and retreated after some of their friends got melted.
Okay, I'm really wondering if it had anything to do with the emergency flasher switch they replaced a month ago when the turn signals wouldn't work over 80 degrees.

While it's at the dealer, I'll see how many new tires I can get for the rumbling/grinding front noise too.

[Gimli]

I just checked the list of PCM reprogram available for my GA and here's an interesting one:

new calibration to revise the fuel pump prime delay for new design fuel pump. calibration is also compatable with old design fuel pump.

You guys might wanna check with your dealer to see if you have the most recent version of code available...

[phantomco]

Well, in my case it turned out to be the starter. Seems the flange where the positive cable enters the starter gave out and it was not making good contact. In the rain, it shorted out some which drained the battery.
Starts right up all the time now, within 2 seconds or less. And the plastic smell was just that, a dang plastic bag on the exhaust pipe.

[jensgrandam]

The dealership replaced the whole fuel system, fuel pump, starter, alternator, and I don't remember what all else and my Ex-2002 GT still had the hard start problem no matter what they did to it.

[kevin231]

I got the starting problem with my car fixed, no more holding my key for 3 sec in the on posisiton.

They reflashed PMC with updated calibration to correct fuel pump prime time.

Ever since they did that my car starts right up, no problems.