Crap car won't start

Kick the hell out of it by the left rear tire and see if it starts.

Steve B.

Push-start it and drive it to a repair shop? That's the nice thing about having a standard transmission. BT, DT a few times myself just to get home.

Your problem could have a multitude of causes, bad starter, bad clutch switch, bad ignition switch, and so on.I don't know that I would focus so much on the radio and wiper deal as both of those are probably not energized when the key is in the start position. You could start by checking to see if you have 12 volts available at the starter, and then have a helper twist the key to see if you get a 12 volt signal to the starter solenoid. If you don't, start tracing the circuit back from there. You could also test the starting circuit by having a helper hold the clutch and brake and turn the key to run while you jump a 12 volt wire to the starter solenoid. The starter should turn the engine over and start the car if the starter itself is good.

Good luck with it.

Chris

The wipers and radio run off the accessory position of the ignition switch, and if it won't start and the radios and wipers don't work either, then the switch isn't getting power. There might be a fuse that feeds that switch, or more likely a fusible link (smaller wire) in the supply to the switch. Some of those links were make of lead wire similar to solder and would fail after a few years due to flexing and corrosion. More remote possibility is a fried ignition switch, but they rarely fail like that. You need a schematic, found in a decent manual for that car. Look for the fusible link in the feed from the battery to the ignition switch.

Dan

Does your car require that the gearshift be in neutral when starting the car?