shultzee13

Bought a new battery. Bought a new alternator. Checked all fuses and none blown. Turn key and nothing happens. No clicks so I don't think it is starter. All fuses in engine bay and under driver side dash good. It was working great until I put on the new battery. The battery was dead. I replaced alternator under warranty as a precaution. It made no difference. Turn key and nothing but I do have lights, horn, and turn signals. I checked all grounds. Everything looks good.

Is there a security issue that was somehow activated I need to undo?

Thanks Guys.

kjc

Maybe check your neutral safety switch? Try to start in neutral? Do you know how to put a remote switch on the starter solenoid? Or short it with a small screwdriver?

shultzee13

I did not try to start in neutral. I will report back. No sir not sure how to short the starter with a screwdriver. I would appreciate that knowledge.

Noah911

The ignition switch (turning the key) is the point of origin for activation. It allows a pull of power from the battery to first go through the fuse. From there, power travels into the relay at terminal 86. This allows the relay to connect up and send this power down to the starter solenoid. The solenoid connects up, and this allows the power to now be drawn from the battery via the wire that is connected up to the large terminal on the starter.. it crosses the contacts in the solenoid to activate and engage the starter motor to crank the engine. The NSS connects low side to ground allowing this circuit to complete its run at the starter solenoid.

Your starter is obviously not engaging for some reason. You checked and know it is not a blown fuse.

The first thing I would check for is if you are getting power at the relay, and for if the relay itself is working. It is the easiest thing to check and verify, one of the cheapest and simplest things to fix/replace, its the next component in-line for this circuits pathway from the fuse, and it verifies the ignition switch and its wiring is working correctly to rule that out too.

Without using a multimeter you can pinch the relay between your fingers while a helper turns the key to start. If the relay is working you will be able to feel it 'click'... Or, you could use a multimeter to check for battery power to terminal 86 at the relay when the key is turned. If you do not feel a 'click. You can remove the starter relay. Swap in a different identical relay putting it into its spot. If it now cranks, it was a bad relay that needs replacing.

It sounds to me you may have a bad starter. With the full lights and power. A no-click nothing sound when going to crank. This is one of the usual presentations when have a bad starter that needs replacing.

You should always verify having a good connection at the battery and its terminals first no matter...

If you are getting power at the relay and the relay is working. Then the problem is either at the starter, the NSS, or in the wiring.

shultzee13

I don't remember touching anything metal with the hot wire from the alternator.... but maybe I did. Could I have "blown" the starter? Should I try and hit the starter with a block of wood? I changed out the relay with another one that I know is good in the fuse box under the hood - there are four identical ones in there. Nothing changed.

Noah911

I would bang on it with the block of wood. Why not? It may work..

Noah911

I would definitely look to the starter relay though. If it is okay working with battery power to it, then it is downstream from there.. Basically, it tells you that it is either the starter (probably its solenoid), or else it is the NSS from here at this point. Then, you can begin testing these...

Oh, I see now you've swapped around the relays with no change huh.. You know it is not the relay?

Noah911

You asked about if it is related to the security system. Someone correct me if I am wrong.. The security system doesn't stop the starter from cranking, it stops the fuel pump from running once the vehicle is started. The system will shut the engine off in two seconds if someone uses an invalid Fob to start the engine.

If you know there is power to the relay and you have a good working relay.. then, the issue is downstream from there. It is either at the starter, or with a bad NSS.

Do your reverse lights work? The NSS controls them. Reverse lights not working is one of the signs to look for with a bad NSS.

You can test the NSS. This is one way to do it below. I copied and pasted it:

PARK/NEUTRAL POSITION SWITCH TEST (1) Place the transmission gearselector lever in the Park position. (2) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable. (3) Raise and support the vehicle. (4) Unplug the park/neutral position switch wire harness connector. (5) Check for continuity between the center switch terminal and a good chassis ground. There should be continuity. If OK, go to Step 6. If not OK, replace the faulty switch. (6) Move the transmission gear selector lever to the Reverse position and check for continuity between the center switch terminal and a good chassis ground. There should be no continuity. If not OK, replace the faulty switch.
(end of copy and paste)

You can also jump the plug and fool the PCM into thinking the NSS is all proper and it'll engage the starter that way, to determine a bad NSS. Because, if the starter motor, the starter motor solenoid, and its wiring is okay, this will work to engage and crank the starter. If the starter etc is the actual problem, then jumping this plug like that won't help to determine.. There would be no change. However, if it works to crank the starter, it would tell you that the starter is okay etc.. I've never done it, so I don't know how to tell you how to do this?

Noah911

Remember.. If you just swapped the relays, and did not verify you were actually getting power here, switching them out like this would be of absolutely no help. There has to be power supplied here via the ignition switch pathway first.. in order for any relay you put in here to function.

shultzee13

I will check out all these possibilities this weekend and report back. Thanks guys.