My 1999 Pontiac sunfire won't start.

Asked by GRUMPYTACOCATx1 Aug 02, 2021 at 10:32 AM about the 1999 Pontiac Sunfire 2 Dr GT Convertible

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

So me just bought this Sunfire and we had just taken it on a  
2 hour round trip ride in this convertible. We bought it as a
second car and as a weekend car. Now it won't start the
engine doesn't make any sound like this attempting to
start. It's a manual aswell. So when you try to start it if you
put it in the run position the dash lights up. The radio was
working now it's being static ish sometimes it works.
Anyway if you try to start it it makes no noises in the engine
area but in the dash like in the dashboard and around
where the radio is located it makes a weird clicking noise.
And when you try to start it the lights flicker on the dash
and extieor lights. We tried to jump start it and nothing..
Anybody have any ideas?

2 Answers

157,615

Bad battery cable connections or a bad clutch safety switch are my first suspects, in that order! Hope that helps! Jim

3,775

It's GM, I wouldn't worry about what your electrical is doing if the dad gum car wont even START!! I have never had/ or even bought GM. On a no start, I would definitely check the crank sensor.. and it's pretty simple to replace ( if you have your own jacks). The crank position sensor sees the flywheel and sends message to ecu allowing spark to go to coil to communicate with plug wires to fire up upon proper compression of piston. If your crank sensor doesn't do this or is old/ bad, it won't start no matter how good the battery is. Also, keep vaseline on your terminals, it keeps the corrosion off. Use brass clamps on your lead terminals because lead eats lead. Lead wont eat a brass clamp and it's almost the same price. For some reason ( lack of chemical reaction) a brass clamps will just sit tightened on a battery terminal. DO NOT add vaseline to the naked terminal it will create a short. Apply vase AFTER apply negative and positive lines to the battery. good luck

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