1992 subaru legacy L ignition trouble.

[msmith32]

Greetings.

I started having trouble starting my car. I put the key in the
ignition and the electronics some on, but the car will not start. This
has been happening more frequently and I'm wondering what the problem
could be. Some one had suggested that since I use a copy key (not the
original) that I was grinding down the pins.. There is wear on the
key.

My husband thinks it could be something else entirely. I'm not sure
what to do. Any suggestions?

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Greetings.

I started having trouble starting my car. I put the key in the
ignition and the electronics some on, but the car will not start. This
has been happening more frequently and I'm wondering what the problem
could be. Some one had suggested that since I use a copy key (not the
original) that I was grinding down the pins.. There is wear on the
key.

My husband thinks it could be something else entirely. I'm not sure
what to do. Any suggestions?

Unlikely to be the key if it turnse the lock normally.

When you say it does not start, do you hear nothing? Some clicking? A
very slow Rr.....Rr.....Rr..... or a normal Rr.Rr.Rr.Rr sound? If normal
does it always start everntually or would the battery run down trying?
Is it more likely to happen in wet rainy weather? When the engine is
'cold' (first start of the morning or after sitting for 2 hours)? Or
hot, having been turned off after driving, then restarted withing a few
minutes? Did this behavior begin after a recent fill-up or car repair?

Carl

 

[strchild]

My personal favorite because I do it when I'm tired, I park it in neutral
with the emergency break on, and then when I get back in to go someplace. .
.. Nothing, not even a click from the starter. If you're tranny is an
automatic, be sure it's in the park position, and possibly try wiggling the
shift lever a tad to ensure the park position sensor is being triggered. If
the car doesn't think the tranny is in park, it's likely locking out the
starter.

If your transmission is a stick, make sure you got the clutch as far down as
it goes. Bad clutch switch, or the switch/pedal is out of adjustment maybe?
I've only owned one stick in my life and it didn't have a clutch switch, so
I'm the wrong guy to ask about the manual stuffs.

You didn't mention the transmission style in your car.

Has your check engine light come on at all recently or you experienced any
other symptoms you can think of, regardless how unrelated they may seem to
be?

Good luck in your solution, and hopefully it's an easy fix,

~Brian

 

[Mike Copeland]

My '90 does that occasionally too. I just press the gear shifter hard
into Park to make the safety switch close.
Mike