[TrevDog]

My S-10 with 134ci SFI failed to start last month after a rather cold night (Sacramento temperatures were between 80 during the day and 60 at night). It turned and turned but never started. About an hour later my tow truck driver gave it a try and it fired right up - much to my embarassment.

I replaced both the battery and alternator and it has been running great until last night when it failed to start again. Same deal, it was the coldest night so far this year (about 40). It turned and turned, even sputtered a few times like it was trying to catch. Hours later, I hopped in, it started right up. I put it on a charger for about an hour. Afterwards the voltage indicated on the instrument panel was right at 14 volts when running. That's higher than since I owned it (I've had it 6 months and it always indicated 10-12 while running).

I'm torn between thinking my cold start problems were due to a poorly charged battery/poor charging capacity/cold temeratures or a problem with the fuel pump electrical system. I've seen some posts that mentioned the fuel pump and TheftLoc systems.

I used to have a '95 with a 262ci and TBI. It had the same 100-amp alternator, and I ran the battery down a few times, but it never refused to start like this '98 has.

Is there any 'trick' with starting this '98 that I'm not aware of? I live in a 'warm' climate, I'm not ready for a block heater and trickle charger.

 

[Kgry]

My S-10 with 134ci SFI failed to start last month after a rather cold night (Sacramento temperatures were between 80 during the day and 60 at night).

You're kidding right? 60 at night is cold to you? Man, it's like 20 here with wind chills in the teens. My truck started right up this morning. I seriously doubt your truck isn't starting due to it being 60.

 

[jolson]

My 96 sonoma does that also, turns over but won't start, then starts after 20 or 30 tries. I think my problem is the computer, initially I too thought that it was the cold weather because it seems to happen in cold weather also, but it has also quit while driving when its warm. It just seems more likely to do it when its cold out. Am going to replace the computer this week hopefully, will let you know if that fixes anything.

 

[TrevDog]

I think I've just been having low-voltage issues. It was 33 last night (still, not as cold as someplace like Sagina, MI) and the truck was parked outside for most of the weekend. I tried something I read in another post - I turned it to run and waited a couple seconds before starting it. It fired right up, and the voltage didn't drop since charging it.

 

[Stinky]

try buying a new gas cap and see if that helps.The old one might not be sealing very well.

 

[TrevDog]

Cold Start Problem: Resolution

Following up on my starting problems... I left the truck for the last two weeks of December in the cheapo parking lot at Sacramento International Airport. While the truck was outside in near-freezing temps, I enjoyed snorkelling off the warm beaches of Maui. When I got back, around midnight, the truck started up without any hesitation. (whew!) And it has been running very well until Tuesday of this week.

We hit 32 after a day of 68 and it wouldn't start. :rant: Disgusted, I took it to a dealer to look at it. I figured they could fix it, or I could trade the thing in on a different truck. Which would really bite - I just had a full Kenwood system installed last month and started installing a hands-free kit for my cell phone.

As I expected, it wouldn't start for the tech this morning. He was able to troubleshoot the problem pretty quickly. The ignition switch is failing and shorts frequently. The second item is the Pass-Lock system. This is the B.S. anti-theft system that I didn't even know I had. The Pass Lock was receiving bogus information because of the ignition shorting. Essentially, it thought it had been hot-wired and was preventing the engine from starting.

The short seemed to be temperature or humidity related, but sometimes it would fail to restart right after shutting off, too. That should have been a clue that the problem wasn't whether it was hot or cold... I read somewhere where the driver smacked the steering column and that seemed to solve his problem for a while.

The good news is an ignition switch is pretty cheap, and they can have it tomorrow. The bad news is the labor to replace the switch and reprogram the Pass Lock computer is not. This little round trip adventure cost as much as another vacation in Maui... Maybe that's where the service writer is headed after I pay my truck's bail.

 

[meeh350]

first time ive heard of the ignition switch going bad so soon. did anyone mess with it prior to you owning it or when you installed the system?

 

[TrevDog]

I agree. I've driven several friggin' old cars as daily drivers and never had the ignition switch go out. They are retaining the parts, I want to test it. I also want to find out if this is a known issue with GM. I may have a lemon that nobody wanted to fix. But lots of short hops and bad driving habits could have contributed to the demise of the switch.

This truck has had nothing added to it that is out of the ordinary. It has slightly tall tires, and had a ladder rack on it at one time, but nothing electrical was added. I've changed the headlights and corner lights, as well as reinstalled a stereo and cd changer. But the ignition problem existed before all that.

The original owner was was an older, retired man who used it for chores. The guy I bought it from used it daily to haul tools and parts to construction sites (that's where the ladder rack came from). It only had 90k on it when I bought it last year.

I presume it has a lot of start/stop cycles on it, but no mods, chips, any aftermarket items. Just a $20 and two $1 bills inside the dash (found them when I pulled the knee bolster off). And every now and then the vent will shoot a sunflower seed at me, too.

 

[stippy32]

The faulty ignition switch is known to GM serivice techs, it occasionally goes bad on 2.2's. It happened to mine, but its so rare that i dont really worry about it anymore and drive another car when it wont start.
Im basicly just being lazy and not wanting to rip into the column to fix it

 

[meeh350]

The faulty ignition switch is known to GM serivice techs, it occasionally goes bad on 2.2's. It happened to mine, but its so rare that i dont really worry about it anymore and drive another car when it wont start.
Im basicly just being lazy and not wanting to rip into the column to fix it

what makes the 2.2 ignition cylinder different than one in a 4.3 truck

 

[stippy32]

what makes the 2.2 ignition cylinder different than one in a 4.3 truck

no idea, but when i asked a service tech about it, he said, "is it a 98+ 2.2?"
said its known to happen

 

[RocheKnows]

99 LS 5-speed Just recently i have noticed that when i cold start, it revs louder then normal for about 3 secs then resumes normal noise. It's almost as if the accelerator is being pushed but it's not. Is this bad if so how bad, and should i get it checked out, or is there anything i can do easily?


(any help would be great, i searched but didnt come up with any thing)

 

[bfortunato]

Its normal it goes to a high idle right after a cold start for a few seconds. It is being reved up by the computer.

 

[jolson]

Is the ignition problem 98 on or would it affect 96's as well. I have the identical problem that you have, but I am pretty sure that I don't have the pass key (as I have cut other keys and they work) How much was the quote to replace the ignition?

 

[xtrememeasures]

gm had a recall on all there switches in over 2 million cars......like i said in cars and not trucks...the cars that are included in the recall are sunfires cavys grand ams and achievas i believe..the problem with the switches was that the starter wire would end up going up in flames...i hear all they do is add a relay under the hood at the starter to prevent this!!

 

[stippy32]

Is the ignition problem 98 on or would it affect 96's as well. I have the identical problem that you have, but I am pretty sure that I don't have the pass key (as I have cut other keys and they work) How much was the quote to replace the ignition?

no idea, its something i never got fixed, its rare when it does it, and i have a spare car for when it does
you might still have the same ignition switch as i do

 

[Stratguy59]

Re: Cold Start Problem S-10

OK, I have 99' S 10, 213400 mi, been having cold start problems for 2yrs, mainly during colder weather. So, recently it got worse, replaced fuel regulator, coolant temp sensor, crank sensor, ignition module, coil packs-2, still had problem, replaced a sensor that's connected to the ignition on the steering column, and low and behold it started this with no problem. it was 40 degrees this morning with frost and a lot of condensation, which was ideal for this problem. but now all is good, cost me $1150.00, but now I'm ready for another 50,000 miles. Hope this helps you guys with similar problems. It was a process of elimination.

 

[Mechnix]

this thread is over 10 years old....

 

[rimara]

Re: Cold Start Problem S-10

replaced a sensor that's connected to the ignition on the steering column, and low and behold it started this with no problem.

What is the sensor? Can you find a picture of it?