Hello all, new guy from NC. Purchased an 05 Cobalt base sedan last summer. Just shy of 106k now. Already had a few bolt ons on it. CAI and exhaust that's about it. But I'm having some issues with it now... 😞 it's had trouble starting lately. When I go to start it all it does is click and the engine light blinks along with the clicking. Normally I can turn the key to off when it starts to do this then attempt to start it and it starts right up. But last night it just wasn't having it. Any ideas guys?

 

Welcome to Cobalt land, Once you enter there's no escape.

 

My 06 ss/sc had the same issue a few weeks ago it just turned out to be the ground wire on the battery

hopefully its not much good luck

 

Sounds like somewhere to start looking

 

Thanks I'll start there but I believe the connection is fine

 

update: after letting the car sit for a while, i attempted to start it again this afternoon. it started its clicking deal again. but i tried it again and it started right up. so?????

 

I know someone with the same issue and it's intermittent. The stealer ship wanted to replace just about everything, even the tranny. Just ridiculous. I'd say corroded ground wire. Maybe have battery tested.

 

Or a bad battery. Sometimes they just work intermittently when they start to die.

 

I'd certainly start with the battery...

 

Get the battery checked and while they are testing, check all terminal cables. Had the same problem and was easy fix (negative cable was loose). Good luck!

 

thnx for the replies guys. i took it to autozone last night. they did their battery test and the battery passed. so i had them do a charging system check and the volt reg failed. so alternator?

 

Generator actually

 

that would be part of the alternator though right?

 

Our cars are generally not equipped with an alternator, it's a generator techinically. Now I doubt it's bad, it's mostly wiring, especially the one by the block likes to corrode, been a problem for Saturns for some time and you just disconnect the juice and wire brush it down if it is. Otherwise do a quick visual check make sure the wiring is in order.

If that doesn't show up with something then it's safe to assume a generator is at least not delivering power to the system, or there is some kind of short. While your checking the wires take quick look at the fuse box up top, if anything looks disconnected or burnt out in the fuse you probably lost a relay because there is a short somewhere.

As with any electrical problem, the only way to find it is to be systematic, and by being systematic sometimes you take a while to get to the problem.

 

 

welcome and hope you found the problem...

 

sorry i havent given an update. been busy the past few days. i replaced the generator and it fixed the problem

 

Nice! And welcome!