2003 Chevy Cavalier Won't Start

Sounds to me like a bad starter. Connect a volt meter to the starter and see if you get voltage when you turn the key to the start position.

I am not familiar with the 2.2 but there should be two hot (DC+) terminals on the starter, one will be for the solenoid (small terminal) and the other should be for the starter motor itself (large terminal).

Good Luck!

Could be a bad relay if there is one for the starter circuit.

Could be the ignition key/lock as well.

Generally, there is a solenoid that forces the starter gear into the ring gear of the flywheel. That should make a click or slapping sound when that engages.

The starter may not rotate until that happens, so you never hear a whirling sound of the starter.

If that is the case, the solenoid may be bad. However, start at the relays and fuses. Unplugging and reseating relays and fuses sometimes works.

The last thing that comes to mind is the safety switch associated with the shift lever. In a manual transmission the starter has what is called an interlock switch with the clutch pedal. In an automatic transmission that interlock switch is used to sense that the selector is in PARK. Some cars demand the brake pedal is depressed. Any fault with these interlock switches could prevent starting.

You can try wiggling the selector gear knob and/or depressing the brake pedal as hard as you can to see if the switch is at the marginal edge of closing. If that works your dealer should be able to tighten and adjust the switch for you.

Hero,

Great call on the park/neutral safety switch. Had an old Ford that if you did not slam it into park, the starter would not crank.

KJK

your car has so many faults from when they were made i am suprised they run

on yours try the below

main suspects are the inhibitor switch on the gear select

the solenoid,

find the small connector on the solenoid make sure the gear lever is in nuetral and ignition is off do not stand in front and run a small wire from the posative terminal of the battery and touch it on the small terminal if starter engages, this will mean starter is ok and solenoid is ok,

so i would suggest gear lever switch

http://cr4.globalspec.com/search/sitesearch?do=show&sort=textmatchrank&srch=cavalier&order=asc

check that starter solenoid is getting signal from ignition switch, if ok, solenoid could be faulty

is solenoid on top of the starter ? you can see this if starter has a round clinder like thing on top of it its the solenoid.

try hitting the solenoid gently in case it has just stuck.

if car is auto it could also be the inhibitor switch on the gear lever. the one that stops you starting it in gear.

DO YOU HAVE THE PASSLOCK THEFT SYSTEM?

Are you aware of its nuances?

Does the THEFT light stay on after attempting to start?

How to disable the pass lock

http://www.burnyourbonus.info/rec.autos.tech/thread610.html

and the rest of the information on pass lock

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=PASSLOCK+THEFT+SYSTEM&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=&rlz=1I7GZEU_en&redir_esc=&ei=eP9XTMDYO8fKjAfJ8-DXCQ

Hope this helps

this is very good if its the same pass key system

http://www.bergerweb.net/grandamsecurityfix.htm

Check the ground to the starter. Some Chevys have a separate ground strap to the starter and if it's corroded/broken, you'll get your symptoms.