2007 Cobalt - changed starter and just clicks once

[Trinidad]

Hi all I'm new here on this thread, so thank you all for any assistance. I had a starter going out would get some grinding noise when I started the Cobalt. So I wanted to replace the starter and did this past Saturday.

I disconnect the negative battery cable, removed cables from old starter and cleaned all contacts. Replaced the starter with new one. Added cables back, re-hooked up ground to battery. Went to start and the vehicle just clicks one time when I try to start it.

Battery is fine, ignition relay is good. I did not have any issues before other then the grinding noise and the old one did have a lot of dirt and grease in the solenoid.

So funny thing now is the check engine light comes on and stays solid when in the start position. Not sure why this came on and how to bypass that. Never came on before, just at normal start up. So the transmission is now stuck in park as well.


Thank you, any info would be appreciated if anyone has run into this problem before just changing a starter! Very strange to me for sure.

 

[YelloEye]

If you hook up the old starter to the wires does the starter spin? It sounds like you might not have a cable hooked up all the way.

 

[Trinidad]

Hi all I'm new here on this thread, so thank you all for any assistance. I had a starter going out would get some grinding noise when I started the Cobalt. So I wanted to replace the starter and did this past Saturday.

I disconnect the negative battery cable, removed cables from old starter and cleaned all contacts. Replaced the starter with new one. Added cables back, re-hooked up ground to battery. Went to start and the vehicle just clicks one time when I try to start it.

Battery is fine, ignition relay is good. I did not have any issues before other then the grinding noise and the old one did have a lot of dirt and grease in the solenoid.

So funny thing now is the check engine light comes on and stays solid when in the start position. Not sure why this came on and how to bypass that. Never came on before, just at normal start up. So the transmission is now stuck in park as well.


Thank you, any info would be appreciated if anyone has run into this problem before just changing a starter! Very strange to me for sure.

If you hook up the old starter to the wires does the starter spin? It sounds like you might not have a cable hooked up all the way.

If you hook up the old starter to the wires does the starter spin? It sounds like you might not have a cable hooked up all the way.

Hello - thank you for the reply, yes their are only the three cables and all are on the starter tight. It was running with old one fine. However when I took off the old one it was so full of grease and dirt it pretty much fell apart and I put it back together and put it back on to try it. It did the same thing as then new new on just clicked. New starter tested good but still get same problem, one click.

So I removed it again and made sure no other wires and put back on and same issue. Never had this problem before so very strange. Battery is new really did not need one but did get one anyway.

Thank you again!

 

[five7man]

 

[Trinidad]

Hi I have not been able to get back to this thread. But still have the same issue. I did change battery and did confirm it is good. I'm getting good voltage to the solenoid with muti-meter of 12.67V. I even replaced the starter relay and still get the 1 click and not start. I've never seen this before and have changed out many starters with no issues. Any other ideas would be appreciated for sure! Not sure how this may have happened.

 

[iancc86]

Second the bad starter

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