Car trouble starting

How long since overall tune-up. Any applicable trouble codes? If it is temp related, the coolant temp sensor could cause issues?

If you have to hold the gas pedal down to start it you most likely have a bad coolant temp sensor really common on that car. You have two coolant sensors on that car there screwed into the head by where the upper hose goes on. You want to replace the bottom one that has two wires going to it a black wire and a yellow wire. Also inspect the connector itself if the terminals turned green or blue then you need to replace the connector also. What happens is the tip of the sensors on the older sensors are plastic they crack and allow coolant to leak into the connectors and corrod them. When the sensors go bad they cause all kinds of different symptoms they always read too cold when they go bad thats why the hard start in hot weather the car is flooding. Change the sensor there only like 10 let me know how it runs then.

A bad coolant temp sensor usually wont set a code unless it gets really bad.I have worked at saturn dealers for over 16yrs repairing saturns its a bad coolant temp sensor most of the times shop over look it. Replace it and inspect thr connector like I said and you will be fine.

95 is a crossover year. The datalink connector may be a hybrid? If that is the case, the shop may not be able to hook-up on it? I don't care for cross-over years. That may not be the shops problem, just a thought?

The saturns wern't cross over connectors they were just the standard obd1 that you can flash the codes out watching the light. The connectors didnt change till 1996 like all the other cars did to obd2 connectors and obd2 systems.

You mean the shop didn't know how to access obd1? You got to kidding?

If you have the 12 pin datalink connector, lower left edge of dash. Turn key till dash lites come on, no further, no crank. Place jumper wire between A & B terminals at datalink connector. The mil starts flashing, you count the flashes to get the codes. Your looking for two digit codes.

It is possible the datalink connector--wiring or mil has a problem, and the lite won't flash.

If your just talking about replacing the coolant temp sensor, we can give you the location?

As my first reply says there is two people replying my user name is saturntech9 all you have to do is follow the upper radiator hose back to the head. On the same side of the head the hose hooks two there are two sensors screwed into the head the top one has one green wire two it. The bottom one has two wires to it a black one and a green one that is the one you want to change. Also inspect the connectors terminals if there blue or green you will have to replace the connector also. The sensor is easy to change it just unscrews you will need a 13mm deep sockect and ratchet. Make sure the engine is cold and you will loose coolant.I will post a diagram when I get home but there isnt any other double sensors over in that area.

Location below.

That picture shows the sensor in the wrong place it shows it in the top hole that hole has the gauge sensor the bottom sensor in the bottom hole with the two wires going to it is the one you want the coolant temp sensor. It will have a black wire and yellow wire going to it. Also if you flash the codes from the check engine light its a little tricky the first code you will a code 12 which is normal. You will get one flash then two quick flashes meaning a two. The code 12 will repeat 3 times if there are any other codes they will flash three times after the 12. If you get one slow flash and then 4 fast ones thats a 14 if you get 2 quick ones followed by 6 quick flashes thats a 26. If you only get the three codes 12 and it starts flashing code 12 again then you have no engine code's. If your low coolant starts flashing which looks like a square box on the right side of your cluster then see what those codes they are that would be any transmission codes you have. This is all while you have the A and B terminals jumped with the key in the run position.