OK, here's the scenario: came out this morning, started the car and drove to an appointment. After the appt., came out, turned the key - nothing. Well, almost nothing. The usual lights and radio came on, like they always do when I turn the key to "on". But absolutely nothing from the starter. It's a 5-speed (1995 Legacy L Wagon) and luckily I was on a slight incline, so I was able to bump-start it and get home. When I got home, I checked the battery, it's fully charged. No warning lights came on the dash, so I'm sure the charging system is still good. Does this sound like the neutral safety switch suddenly decided to die, out of the blue? Or are there any other possible culprits I should investigate? As always, any help greatly appreciated. Thanks! 

Edited December 4, 201510 yr by xntryk1

The MTs have starter interlock relays. When your trying to start it foes it make a clicking noise behind the dash? Mine has been doing this lately and I keep meaning to fix it. You can also pull the trigger wire and short positive to trigger post with key on to start it (warning make sure your in nuetruel with e brake on for safety!). It could also be starter contacts wich can be replaced if its the original starter.

Edited December 3, 201510 yr by mikaleda

Interesting. I just went out to refresh my memory as to how many clicks I heard when turning the key and the car started right up. Even though it hadn't the previous few dozen times I tried. The only thing different from before (when it wouldn't start) was, I had re-taped the dime I'm using as a stopper for the cruise control switch that's also on the clutch pedal. It had fallen off a couple weeks ago and I just now fixed it back up again. But I tried the key right after that and still nothing. So I figured that didn't have anything to do with the starting problem. Now, I'm starting to wonder...

Theres a switch on the clutch pedal where its all the way down to start. If the pedal isnt all the way down, and the switch made...no starter. Thats where i'd start looking.

Edit the cruise switch is at the top of the travel. It makes with a slight movement of the pedal. The other one will make at the bottom of the travel.

Edited December 3, 201510 yr by crazyhorse001

+1 to check the clutch-pedal switch.

If something gets under the pedal (carpet for instance?), this can physically stop the pedal going full-travel to the floor.

Easy thing to check.

Yeah, I'm constantly dragging the carpet out from under the pedals (you'd think I'd do something about that, but noooo). But that didn't seem to be the problem, this time. I'm wondering if the absence of my little rigged-up dime stopper for the cruise switch may have thrown the neutral safety switch adjustment off just enough that it wasn't making contact? I read in another thread ("neutral safety switch" Jan 16 2010) that the NSS can be adjusted. If that's what the problem was, it's just weird that replacing that stopper didn't seem to fix it immediately. Only after I came out later and tried it again, did it miraculously decide to start...

My 2002 5MT Forester doesn't have a Neutral Safety Switch; just the Clutch-Pedal Switch.

Isn't it Automatics that have the NSS?

I don't know about automatics. I think I read somewhere that they have something similar to a NSS, but it's called something else. And it's located down by the transmission (instead of behind the clutch pedal). Don't quote me on that. But my '95 Legacy L wagon definitely has one. Plus, it also has a cruise control switch that's activated by the clutch pedal...

Edited December 3, 201510 yr by xntryk1

Are you getting a "click" sound when turning the key to engage the starter??

It sounds exactly like what is happening with my car. If you hold the key in the on position it will slowly click. If I go under the hood and Manuel trigger the starter it works fine. Then it works for a couple weeks and does it again.

There is two interlock switches on the clutch pedal that I have replaced both and nothing so I believe it is the interlock relay. Only the MT has the starter interlock relay.

At the moment, it's back to starting like it should - even though I did absolutely nothing that could have fixed it. That kinda crap always drives me crazy! Anyway, I'll update with what kind of clicking there is, if/when it decides to start playing games, again. Meanwhile, thanks for all the input, folks!

don't be surprised that it turns out the starter is bad. I just replaced the starter on my 99 OBW. It would "click" once when turning the key, then "click" again when turning the key, then start on the third time of turning the key. It started doing this more and more. Replacing the starter fixed the problem.

I had a similar issue a few weeks ago. The solution that was recommended to me was to bang on the starter a number of times. I also cleaned the battery terminal contacts which couldn't have hurt.

I had a similar issue a few weeks ago. The solution that was recommended to me was to bang on the starter a number of times. I also cleaned the battery terminal contacts which couldn't have hurt.

Same here on my 2005. Suddenly one day no start. Read about the "bang with hammer" method.

Got to the point where I needed someone to be turning the key while I used a long stick to tap the starter.

Eventually just replaced it (the starter NOT the stick) and I can now operate the car without a designated key turner.

edit: the starter on the 2005 was not able to be rebuilt even pro shops said buy new.

Edited December 8, 201510 yr by brus brother

I forgot to try that "bang the starter" thing when it happened again, this morning. Had to wait around until I could get some help pushing the car for a bump start. And then the very next time, it started right up (after I turned it off and restarted it a half hour later). Just crazy that it goes a few weeks working fine and then just up and stops for no apparent reason. Grrr....

Most of the time these cases turn out to be problems with the safety switches. They interrupt power to the starter solenoid. Another issue that is fairly common when the car gets to around 10 years old is the starter solenoid contacts wear out and you just hear a load click when you try to start the engine. The contacts are closing but due to the high wear on them they don't allow the current to flow to the starter motor windings.

 

Some folks rig up a bypass switch to the solenoid so they bypass the safety switch in order to make the starter respond. It works but you need to be careful with that.

Yeah, I still don't recall hearing that 'load click'. It's just like dead when you turn the key (except for the dash lights coming on). So most likely the safety switch. Or at least that seems like the first thing to try. Kinda makes sense, too. It's as if the switch is old and getting stuck and only gets un-stuck after a certain period of time (or period of driving, as was the case this morning). Now I wonder if there's a tutorial onsite somewhere about how to replace that safety switch...

If it is a stick shift then the switch is near the clutch pedal. If it is an AT I think the switch is near the shifter, mounted on the tranny.

Thankfully, it IS a stick shift. So that should make it a little easier. Not that there's that much room to move around down there...

I think this is the correct part number: 83281AA000. But all the eBay listings for that part say it's not compatible with my car!

email the supplier - I never have those ebay fitment charts work.

Yeah, he says it IS the correct part.

 

So, in looking under the dash, there appears to be TWO switches at the clutch pedal. I already know that the lower one is for the cruise control. So the upper one must be the neutral safety switch - right? If so, how in the heck are you supposed to remove it??? Only one of the nuts looks accessible. The other one, not at ALL - without dismantling everything under the dash! Please tell me that's not the ONLY way to do it. Somebody?

I'm starting to think there is NO WAY to remove that switch - short of dismantling the entire car! Which probably explains why I see SO many threads about people doing mods like this one: http://sl-i.net/FORUM/showthread.php?10513-DIY-Neutral-safety-switch-disable(5-speeds-trans)

Looking at the circuit drawing on the link you provided it shows the clutch switch controls a safety relay. If you have that relay the trouble may be with it. You could try bypassing the switch to see if that changes things. If you get no change then the relay would seem to be the problem, as long as other things tying to it are good.

What's an "MT MODEL"? Would that apply to my '95 Legacy L?