Twice now about a week apart when I went to start my car I got no response from the starting sequence. All the dash lights and the head and tail lights came on but nothing from the starter. Later in the day I tried again and it started just fine. I don't know if it is a dead spot on the starter or a relay not pulling in or what. Everything comes on and I can hear a relay click but no clicking from the solenoid on the starter or reaction from the starter.
Does any one have any ideas? What solenoid pulls in the starter? For that matter is the starter at the front of the engine or behind it? If it is the starter how hard is it to get to?

 

 

It's an 850. I have it in my signature because I never used to remember to add it.

 

The solenoid mounted on the starter pulls in the starter. So a single wire turns the starter on, and when it won't start, you need to determine whether you have power on that wire or not.

 

Agreed but the hard part of that is that this has only happened two times so far. I have had this same thing happen on other cars and it turned out to be a dead spot on the starter motor armature. When this has happened on this car it has been when I go out to go to work so I have not had the time to test anything and I take a different car. When I come home later and try the car it starts right up. This is after the day has warmed up a little and that might have shifted things just enough. I hate to change the starter if that is not the problem but until it happens when I have time to test it I wont know what is causing this.

 

Exactly; don't replace parts unless you're sure that's the issue. Suggest attaching another wire to the green wire going to the starter and run it up the harness to an accessible point near the pwr steering reservoir. I have that on my car to facilitate attaching a for doing compression tests. But it will also allow you to diagnose this exact issue!

Once the jumper wire is in place, keep your remote starter switch and/or a test light handy in the car. Next time the starter fails to turn via the key, apply 12v to that jumper via your remote starter switch, or ck for 12v on the jumper w/test light. If starter switch works, then starter is fine. If test light shows voltage on the jumper (referenced to ground) then the starter and/or starter solenoid is bad.

If the starter cks out good, then the issue is either in prndl switch, ign switch, and/or wiring.