Q: My van won't start sometimes then will start like 2 min after. Battery and alternator both good

asked by on September 21, 2016

My van won't start but then I'll wait a few minutes then it starts. Both battery and alternator seem fine.

My car has 101000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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There may be a variety of potential reasons for this to happen. First, if the van cranks over we can rule out the starter, battery and starter relay. If it does not crank over and simply makes a "clicking" sound, I would suggest checking the starter relay as this is a common issue which will produce a clicking sound even when the battery and alternator are good. Assuming the van cranks over you will want to be sure the engine has spark coming to the spark plugs from the ignition coils. You will need a special spark tester tool in order to do this. If the engine has spark, you will next want to check to see if the engine is getting fuel by cranking it over and then pulling one of the spark plugs out to see if it is wet with fuel. Depending on your access to tool and mechanical ability, you may want to consult an expert from YourMechanic to have them come to your home to diagnose your vehicles intermittent inability to start issue and make necessary repairs.

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