Car starts when it feels like it? Cranks and cranks but no luck.

2004 SATURN VUE
117,000 MILES
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COREYCOR03
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Hello,
My 04 Saturn Vue will start when it feels like it. Sometimes after a decent drive it will not start. Sometimes after sitting a while it will start. Sometimes not at all. I had the anti-theft bypassed because I was told that could be an issue with that year and make. Still no luck. Pep Boys Diagnostics says it has a faulty O2 senser. But I was told this will not hinder the car starting... Just bad fuel economy and a hard idle. The man at Pep Boys said it could be a faulty code. This is really becoming a huge inconvenience as me and my girlfriend (2 kids also) rely on this vehicle. The car just cranks and cranks and cranks. But no luck. Everything electrical turns on and does not dim at all so its not the battery. Please Help!!! Thank you in advance!
Jun 17, 2013 at 10:16 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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Do you have a have a four cylinder or 6 cylinder engine?also how did they bypass the security?Also when it cranks an won't start is the security light on solid or flashing?
Feb 9, 2021 at 8:32 AM
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COREYCOR03
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Hello Sir,

It is a six cylinder. The issue was before the anti-theft was by-passed as well. They bypassed it at a remote starter place because the key was having issues. I am not sure how they did it. But the car was doing the same thing before that was done. When the car will not start using the remote starter the security light comes on and the car will keep trying to start itself every 30 seconds or so. When you use the key it will just crank and crank and crank but no ignition.
Feb 9, 2021 at 8:32 AM
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COREYCOR03
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But when the key is used there is no security light (sorry forgot to add that)
Feb 9, 2021 at 8:32 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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When it doesn't start let's see if you have spark?Let's start there. Also any codes?
Feb 9, 2021 at 8:32 AM
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COREYCOR03
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I had it checked at pep boys and it said a bad o2 sender in bank one and two... But that should not stop the car from starting. I'm just puzzled how it will start and run perfectly fine but only when it wants to. The mechanic at pep boys says that it could be faulty error codes and to take it to the dealer... The dealer gave my lady the hardest time and tried to charge us 100 dollars just to look at it. And it's still under warranty. We are really tight on cash and just to see what's wrong is rerediculous.
Feb 9, 2021 at 8:32 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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Yeah they will charge you one hr diagnosis time to check it out so 100 would be about right.Like I said when it won't start let's see if we have spark?We have to see what we don't have when it won't start. It could be a sensor gets hot fails then cools down and starts.
Feb 9, 2021 at 8:32 AM
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COREYCOR03
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Ok sir, sometimes when I go to start it it will putter off after a drive. But sometimes it will just crab and crank. How would I check
for a spark?
Feb 9, 2021 at 8:32 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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You can get a inline spark tester and put it between the coil and the plug and watch for a flashing light while cranking.
Feb 9, 2021 at 8:32 AM
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