Electrical Issues?

[SillyEB]

Good Morning. I have a few questions and I've been on and off this site for the last few weeks, you all really know your stuff. Anyhow....my 2001 PT (121,000 miles) has a "gremlin" or so my mechanic says. I have ocassional starting issues, but of course never for him. In the last month, I've had the alternator replaced, the idle control switch (?) replaced and a few things to do with the EGR issues fixed. I read on here that once you put your key in to let it sit for maybe 15 seconds and then start the car. That seemed to help my starting issues, gave all the computer things a chance to catch up...who knows. Well that was working for a while, but the start up issues are back. I read that I need to look at my ASD relay and maybe my fuel pump relay, but I was wondering if they are like fuses and when they go, they just go, or do they act up? Last night when I put the key and turned it into the on postion there was this hateful clicking (from the right side of the car) sound I can only assume it was my fuel pump. So I turned the car off and just decided to check my fuses (inside the car) and pushed on the fuses and wiggled the fuse box and well of course the car started no problem. Went out this morning and it started just fine too. I'm ready to have a nervous breakdown. Any ideas? I've also noticed that when the red light (security light) is on in the dash I know the car won't start, and back when the car was dying on me on the freeway that light ALWAYS came on right before the car died. I only have one key, and the dealer can't get me in to make a key for approx 4 days. I bought the car used about a year ago and was only given one key and never have gotten around to getting a new one, was thinking I should have now. My check engine light isn't on, it was and it thru various codes at me but they have now gone away. There are no codes stored in the car by me checking doing the key test. Any help anybody can give would be GREATLY apprieciated.
Erica <~~~~~ who is ready to push the car off a cliff

[quicksilverdon]

Welcome.
To put the key to "on" for a bit before start allows the fuel system pressure to build up.
The fuel pump is in the fuel tank, so the clicking can't be that.
How old is your battery? When a battery is going, often strange things happen.

[SillyEB]

Thanks for replying My battery was checked by my mechanic, he says it's fine. My little gremlin in the car must've been taking a nap for a few days because all has been well until this evening. Drove the car all day with no problems, finally drug my but into the dealer and had a new key made just in case it was that, but alas it was not. It could be the starter, but I really don't know. I tried starting the car and nothing, the red secuity light stayed on and I knew the car wouldn't start but I tried anyway. Only that hateful clicking sound, however once I took the key out I could hear clicking coming from under the hood, so I pop the hood to listen to where that clicking was coming from and with me standing on the drivers side I put my hand up near the windshield just below the coolant overflow bin and I could feel a part clicking, but I have no clue what that part was. But at least when I take the little monster to my mechanic on monday I can point to him where that noise was coming from. I still am going to have him check the fuel pump and lines because I swear I can hear it chugging when I turn the key to on. OH after I let the car sit maybe 20 minutes I went out and it fired right up and I drove the 15 miles home from my aunts and it was just fine. Got home turned the car off and then just for fun, I started it again and it fired right up. I don't get it. It will be sitting all weekend, I have a friend from work who will be driving me, just in case it's something important and me driving it will hurt other things. I will post on here after my guy (hopefully) fixes it. That way if some poor soul has the misfortune of being in my shoes, it might help them. Again..thank you for replying.

[Travis2k7]

Originally Posted by SillyEB

I tried starting the car and nothing, the red secuity light stayed on and I knew the car wouldn't start but I tried anyway.

I had a similar problem on my old '94 Camaro... the car had a mind of its own it seems when I went to start it... sometimes it cranked, and very rarely when I went to start it the red security light would come on and the car wouldn't do anything...

It was strange and I never did get it figured out... I'd just wait anywhere from 2-5 minutes for the light to go out, then the car would start.

[SillyEB]

Good Morning! Just wanted to post a follow up to all this mess. So the dealer replaced my pcm. They said it went bad. So I dipped into my fun money and let them replace it. Got my car back yesterday. They had it for almost 2 weeks because pcm was on backorder...or so they say. I shouldn't be so grumpy about it, but I've never trusted dealers as far as I could throw them Car is running great however, seems to be more sturdy, if that is a word I can use to describe it.
I do have one last question though, concerning my new pcm....could it make my car stronger? I mean the brakes feel tighter, the shifting is smoother, it just seems all around a little differennt, a little better. Was wondering if anybody had thier pcm replaced and noticed any changes in thier cars?
Have a nice day everyone
EB

[PT_Cuda]

Its just had all the updates it should have programmed on it. So yeah it could change the feel of the car for a bit, it will relax a little bit as it learns how you drive it..