99 Grand Am Intermittent Starting

[lwoodva]

My 99 Grand Am has developed an intermittent starting issue. I turn the key to ON and hear the fuel pump and get ONE click then nothing. If I "bump" the ignition a few times it will eventually start. turn it off and sometimes it will start right back up and sometimes it wont. I noticed yesterday evening as it was getting darker outside that when a friend of mine was trying to start the car, I saw a few sparks coming from the area of the starter. After a few tries, it quit sparking.

I've also had issues tied to the BCM getting damp including the passlock, door locks, horn honking, etc. in short mine like so many others is possessed.

So my question is am I hopefully dealing with just a possible short in the battery cable or wire to the solenoid, is this an ignition switch issue and/or an issue with the BCM?

I don't have access to many people to tell me what wrong with the car (that may be a good thing) and I am very short on funds for extensive diagnostics.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[melsg5]

Well if you are actually seeing sparks when starting that would be the place to start with. The other possiblilty is the ignition switch but that is a guess.

 

[lwoodva]

Checked all the wiring to starter and all looks good and intact. Still having to "bump" the key a few times to get the starter to kick in. Starter? Ignition? BCM?

 

[melsg5]

It could be any of them. You stated you saw sparks, that is not supposed to happen. There is some issue there even if it is intermitant. The next possibility is a bad ignition switch. Removing the starter and closely examining it and the starter solenoid and then bench testing both components would be adviseable.