My 1997 Saturn SL1 manual transmission car suddenly did not want to start a couple days ago. The lights and stereo turn on but when I turn the key in the ignition, i can only hear the relays clicking and nothing else. Also the keyless entry remotes won't work. I took the starter off and took it in to get tested, it was fine so I re-installed it back in the car. Once I re-attached the battery cables the horn started going and the lights flashing. I opened the car and put the key in the ignition and the car started fine. I turned it on and off about 3 times then turned it off. I wanted to make sure it was not going to do it again so I took off the battery cables then attached them again and now I am back where I was. The car won't start. I went ahead and changed the starter and had the battery checked, still nothing. I followed the instructions on the car manual to disengage the starter disable feature, but that did not work either. Does this seem as though it is an anti-theft problem or possibly something electrical?
Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

 

Sounds like one (or possibly both) of your main battery cables are beginning to fail internally. My first step would be to replace both cables, and ensure that the connections points are all clean and tight ....

 

Would that also cause the keyless entry remotes not to work? Both remotes don't work and I have tried to synchronize them again. I figured they should work because the lights and stereo turn on.

 

Marginal power on a Saturn will cause all sorts of wierd things to happen

 

I replaced the battery and the cables, unfortunately it still didn't work. Today I was checking the fuses and didn’t get anything on TRS LP (automatic transaxle line pressure actuator), TRS 3/4 (automatic transaxle 3rd gear actuator and 4th gear actuator), and TRS 2/TCC (automatic transaxle 2nd gear and torque converter clutch actuators). A friend told me that this would not be causing my problems and that it probably should work when the car starts.
I checked the starter with my circuit tester and there was constant power going to the starter from the battery, but the other cable that hooks up to the starter (sorry, I don't know what its called) would not light up the tester. I had someone try to start it and it still would not light up the tester. Any suggestions?

 

OK -- that second wire is the control voltage -- let's do a little 'chalk talk' .....

The heavy red cable from the battery to the starter is the one that supplies the high current necessary to spin the starter/engine. The other wire (usually purple) is the control voltage that triggers the starter solenoid. If you trace the purple wire back, it will go to the clutch start switch (this prevents the engine from starting if the clutch is not pressed all the way to the floor). On the other side of the clutch start switch, the wire color is yellow, and goes back to the starter relay. The starter relay is actuated by turning the keyswitch on the column to the 'START' position.

Now, since you already indicate that you are having trouble with your Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) system, look again at the starter relay, and find the yellow/black wire that goes from the starter relay to the RKE module. At this point, I personally would cut that wire, and connect a test wire on the wire coming from the starter relay, and then connect the test wire to ground. (Be sure to use a wire at least the same size as the wire you have cut). Now, try to start the car.

If the car starts reliably, replace the RKE (which may also fix your other keyless entry issues. If the car does not start, use your tester light to verify voltage is available at the starter relay when you turn the key to 'START' (if voltage is good, then there is possibly a bad clutch start switch, or bad wiring going to or from the clutch start switch. The possibility of a bad starter relay cannot be ruled out either, or maybe even a defective ignition switch -- careful troubleshooting will bring the guilty part to light ....

 

Well, after replacing the battery, its cables, the relays, the starter, and checking all the fuses it still would not start.
Today I had a guy hook up a computer to it and run a diagnostics check, it turned out that it was giving a weird error. Something about the AC that didn’t make any sense, so he reset the computer and, just like that, it now works.
It may have been the battery, cables, relays, or the starter but in the end resetting the computer did the trick. I still think that it may have been the anti-theft system, but I won't know for sure unless it happens again and the computer is reset and brings the car back to life.
OceanArcher,
Thanks a lot for the help, I really appreciate all the info and suggestions you gave me.