I am ready to blow this car up. Won't start now.
 

In addition to the likely blown head gasket, I had a code stored in the TCU. I checked the resistor and it seemed ok. I put it back in and tried to retrieve the stored code. I couldn't move the gear selector. So I started the car in hopes of "loosening things up". I thought, maybe the ATF is low so I checked it. It seemed low so I turned off the engine and put some in. I went to start it again and it would not start. Not even a click. Not drawing much current at all from the battery. Maybe 10A when the key is turned to "start". WTF?!?!?!

Re: I am ready to blow this car up. Won't start now.
 

How old is the battery? If not old, or if it is, check the connections. My Impreza did that when the negative connection was hardly loose at all.

I hear ya on the head gaskets. That's my winter project, among other things.

Re: I am ready to blow this car up. Won't start now.
 

Battery is 4 years old. I checked and tightened the connections.

Re: I am ready to blow this car up. Won't start now.
 

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Tony you say "I couldn't move the gear selector" This indicates something probably mechanical as well as electrical.

Check that the inhibitor switch which moves along with the selector, for mechanical operation. Is it jammed damaged or whatever?

Cheers, Trevor.

Re: I am ready to blow this car up. Won't start now.
 

Yes, I agree that the stiff gear selector is definitely a mechanical issue. I have read the cable can bind up and especially if the car sits. We have had a TON of rain this year so it wouldn't surprise me if that affected the cable.

What has me more baffled is why the car suddenly won't start. It started for me once today without an issue. I checked the ATF level and decided it was low so I turned the car off and added fluid. The car will not start now.

I tested the battery and it can provide 688 CCA. Like I said earlier, I put a clamp style amp meter on the ground wire and only about an additional 10A are drawn when I try to turn the ignition switch to "start". When in the "ON" position, everything on the dash lights up, I can hear the fuel pump and the car draws about 10A. It goes up to about 20A when I try to start the car. I never noticed this before but the climate control, clock and radio turn off when the ignition switch is turned to "start". I assume that is normal.

As an aside, when I have the ignition turned to "ON", I can hear a click when I press the button on the gear selector but I can't move the selector at all.

Re: I am ready to blow this car up. Won't start now.
 

You should not be able to move the selector without pressing the brake.

In fact you should hear a 'clunk' noise when in park and you press the brake on and off from the shift lock solenoid.

The inhibitor switch is probably preventing the starter from engaging. Try jiggling the shifter while turning the key and see if that does anything.

Re: I am ready to blow this car up. Won't start now.
 

You should follow through suspecting the inhibiter switch.

Presuming that the battery is in all respects 100%. ----

You advise "It started for me once today without an issue."

You have an intermittent fault and must take this into account and search accordingly. Push and pull things as you check and test.

You advise that it goes up to only 20 amps when you apply voltage to the starter. This indicates that :-

* There is a voltage drop between the starter and the battery i.e. resistance in the wiring and connections. Or :-

The starter or the starter solenoid is faulty is not applying a normal load against the battery.

The inhibiter switch is disrupting full voltage to the solenoid.

You advise that "I never noticed this before but the climate control, clock and radio turn off when the ignition switch is turned to "start"."

This indicates that there is voltage drop affecting the overall electrical network.

* Check for voltage drop across the starter supply circuit by measuring for voltage between the battery positive terminal and the main starter terminal while cranking the car. If there is anything close to say a one volt drop you have identified that your problem involves the main battery supply circuit.

Re: I am ready to blow this car up. Won't start now.
 

Have you tried starting it in neutral?

I know the feeling of "I am ready to blow this car up." I was ready to burn mine a few weeks ago when I was battling the crank sensor issue on mine. I said to my wife " It's a shame to burn this f@#$%ing thing because they're so rare, but I'm sick of this bull@#$t."

Re: I am ready to blow this car up. Won't start now.
 

Nope. I don't hear anything when pressing the brake. But when I press the button on the shifter, I hear a click.

I tried wiggling the shifter while turning the key but it never tried to start. However, it did click on and off in the shifter when wiggling.

Re: I am ready to blow this car up. Won't start now.
 

Tony, have you read and taken notice of post number seven ?

Re: I am ready to blow this car up. Won't start now.
 

I have but I have been limited in what I can try due to illness and crappy weather. They are calling for 8 inches of snow today. It basically hasn't stopped precipitating since July. Worst 4+ months of weather I can remember. That is probably why my shifter cable is bound up.

Re: I am ready to blow this car up. Won't start now.
 

Sad news Tony,

Down this way I am very much inclined to not take into considerations your cold weather problems and you will have to take your time. While you are keeping warm take the time to plan and consider things in a logical order and when the weather allows attack things accordingly.

Meantime Il hope nothing seriously expensive is involved and hence my thoughts on tackling the problem progressively.

Cheers, Trevor.

Re: I am ready to blow this car up. Won't start now.
 

I got a chance to play with this a little today. I was able to get the screw out and do the emergency procedure to unlock the shifter. I was able to loosen the shifter enough to get it into neutral, I think. The shifter is really stiff

Still won't start. I still don't hear any click or clunk when I press the brake pedal. I tried to take out the starter interrupt relay but I think I took out the flasher relay instead. Car is still surrounded by snow so I am limited in what I can do.

Re: I am ready to blow this car up. Won't start now.
 

Tony, frustrating that you are weather bound but meantime:-

Please be more specific. When you say that the car will not start, are you meaning in fact that it will not crank, which I presume is the situation ?

It is likely that you removed the correct relay. Be aware that if when experimenting you have in fact removed the starter interrupt relay, the starter solenoid and consequently the starter motor circuit will not operate. The relay is a normally closed device whereby the its contacts complete the circuit when it is not energised and break the circuit when energised and therefore if removed the circuit will cease to exist.

The contacts are held closed entirely by spring pressure which over time can deteriorate. Here lies the problem which causes the much reported click, click, click nom start issue. If faulty it must be replaced unless one is edept enough to open it up and fix it.

You have reported. “When in the "ON" position, everything on the dash lights up, I can hear the fuel pump and the car draws about 10A. It goes up to about 20A when I try to start the car. I never noticed this before but the climate control, clock and radio turn off when the ignition switch is turned to "start". I assume that is normal.”

This is certainly not normal and indicates a voltage drop within the cars circuitry or alternatively that the battery is unable to supply the required current. First off you must confirm the latter with a volt meter connected directly across the battery while the load is applied and discover if the voltage holds up or falls off significantly.

You have reported, “I tested the battery and it can provide 688 CCA.” Exactly how and when was this figure recorded ?

Whatever, the problem must be tackled carefully and in a logical order.

Re: I am ready to blow this car up. Won't start now.
 

“When in the "ON" position, everything on the dash lights up, I can hear the fuel pump and the car draws about 10A. It goes up to about 20A when I try to start the car. I never noticed this before but the climate control, clock and radio turn off when the ignition switch is turned to "start". I assume that is normal.”

Yes that is normal.
As the car has been standing long enough for the shifter to stick, it can also have the starter gear stick to the starter scroll, that the solenoid should push the gear into mesh with the ring gear.
As the bottom of the bell housing is open, moisture condenses up in the top of it, where the starter gear is, so the solenoid just clicks.
I have had this happen to my car here in the tropics.:)