Electrical problem on 99 Leganza

gpl71_az · Post by **gpl71_az** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:10 am

I have a 1999 Leganza SE with 88K. Have had this problem intermittently for the past 5 years and usually happens as soon as the weather get's really hot here (above 95 degrees).

After driving home from my 10 mile commute I stopped at the local gas station to get some gas. After I finished putting some gas in and paid the cashier I went back in the car to start it. I turned the key, had full power, engine would not crank. Waited 5 to 10 minutes, same thing. Each time I turned the key I could hear both fans running in the radiator as if the engine was too hot and something in the ECU was preventing the car from starting (a safety mechanism???).

I was getting tired of trying to start it so I ended up pulling out the handy toolkit from the trunk and disconnected the battery (both positive and negative terminals). I then waited another 2 minutes and re-connected the battery Vola! the car started fine (however both fans from the radiator weren't running this time when it started).

The battery is a year old and even when it was new the problem occurs so rule out the battery as suspect. I also had a new starter put in about 2 years ago to try and solve this problem to no avail. I also had a new ECU put in the vehicle around the same time along with a crankshaft position sensor.

Any ideas what is causing this? What other sensors or wiring could be faulty?

It's getting very frustrated to get stranded every now and then.

newTotheWoo · Post by **newTotheWoo** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:51 am

Hey, I have the same problem. My Leganza has always been a bit slow start- hit the key- slight delay, then start. However, I am having the same exact problem as gpl71_az. I will check for ground and shine up contacts. Anyone else have ideas or fixes?

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:43 am

spark plug wires, spark plugs, fuel filter, air filter. just do a general "tune up"

newTotheWoo · Post by **newTotheWoo** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:04 pm

Yeah, that needs to be done. However, I should have been more clear, the starter won't engage. As in, a dead battery type symptom. But after the car has sat a while, 5 or more minutes, it starts fine.

Daniel · Post by **Daniel** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:33 pm

Is it not some switch on clutch pedal or park/neutral lever that sometimes gives this problem?

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:44 pm

sounds like you need a starter, if you can take it off your self take it to autozone or somewhere and they will test if for free

newTotheWoo · Post by **newTotheWoo** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 10:07 pm

anybody have a procedure? I can "almost" see it. Does the intake have to come off?

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 10:36 pm

im not sure about the 2.2 but i kow on the 1.6 it doesnt, it helps but it dont have to..... not that that helps you. sorry

gse_turbo · Post by **gse_turbo** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 3:31 am

newTotheWoo wrote:anybody have a procedure? I can "almost" see it. Does the intake have to come off?

no thye starter is pretty easy to get to, if anything you may have to pull the passenger axle but I think there is room around it. aside from the electrical connections there are two main bolts that mount it to the engine. the top one is accessable from the tranny side, a 17mm and the bottom is accessable from the block side, a 15mm. there is one other bolt, a smaller one that holds the back of the starter to the side of the block. not sure about the size, 13mm if I remember.

FYI: I've never personally compared the starters (even though I have both types) but the starters from the 87-94 Pontiac Sunbird and Grand Am with the 2.0 SOHC should be identical. same for the 87-93 Pontiac Lemans with the 1.6 and 2.0 SOHC. at least this will give you some other options as far as price and availablity if you need a new one.

Garrett

gse_turbo · Post by **gse_turbo** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 5:48 pm

gse_turbo wrote: FYI: I've never personally compared the starters (even though I have both types) but the starters from the 87-94 Pontiac Sunbird and Grand Am with the 2.0 SOHC should be identical. same for the 87-93 Pontiac Lemans with the 1.6 and 2.0 SOHC. at least this will give you some other options as far as price and availability if you need a new one.

Garrett

I finally did the comparison this weekend and... you CAN NOT use a started from the 8v motors, the casing is WAY too big and the actuator is in the wrong spot. however a person with and 8v motor would benefit from using the 16v starter because the 16v starter is smaller and quite a bit lighter.

Garrett