1993 Impreza electrical problem

[Airhed]

I’ve got a puzzler!

A few months ago, I started having an intermittent problem where I would go to start the car, electronics would come on, but it wouldn’t crank. Attempting to crank a few times would fix the issue and it would start fine, but it started becoming more common. Eventually I had a time when it just wouldn’t crank, and the the dash electronics (except for the aftermarket radio) wouldn’t even turn on. If I let the car sit for a minute the electronics would come on, but still wouldn’t crank, and would occasionally buzz when it failed.
After some delicate slow key turn or taking the ignition switch out and starting slowly with a screwdriver I could get the car to start consistently. I figured the ignition switch was the problem and replaced it, this solved the problem for about a week before it came back. I traced the buzzing to the ignition relay under the dash and replaced that too. This also solved the problem for about a week before it came back, with buzzing coming from somewhere else intermittently. I’ve been checking the other relays and fuses and can’t find anything obviously wrong. I’m about to give up and take it to a shop but my pride makes me want to keep trying, any ideas?

 

[garry6913]

Sounds like you have a good old wire issue. Please don't take this the wrong way think back did you change anything or put anything new in before this started? You said you have a aftermarket car stereo are the wires connected correctly? For the hell of it try disconnecting the power wires and ground and see if that is causing the problem. Did you change your headlight bulbs to led? Too much power can be back loading and causing things to go crazy? I've seen wires behind the fuse box bad. I would try the radio first. If no success there then turn the key on and try to turn things off 1 by 1such as pulling the instrument panel fuse, the ignition switch fuse, the interior lights fuse, even the door fuse. There might be a interior control module that everything goes through. When I worked on cars and someone came in with a problem like yours I always went for the aftermarket stuff first. 2 wires connected wrong (aftermarket radio needs 1 wire connected to the ignition, also a remote car starter or car alarm). A ground wire connected to a wrong spot or connected to a wire will do the same thing. If you do succeed in isolating the problem to a certain piece of equipment you can put a oversized fuse (10 amp go to like a 25 or 30 amp) in and search for smoke. That will give you a idea of where the bad wires are. Just Make sure you put the lower fuse back in. Hope this helps some.