Been searching the board but not finding exactly what I’m looking for. I don’t have a lot to go on with this issue either.

My wife’s friend has a 2003 V6 with the VVT-i 24v engine. She says that intermittently the car will crank but not start. I’ve confirmed she knows crank vs. starter click. When it dies, she has it towed to a shop and of course it starts. I had her bring it over to our house and of course it starts. She claims it has done this after long or short trips, coming out from work, or the next day sitting overnight in the driveway. No real pattern to go on.

I’ve been searching this and other boards and the typical culprits seem to be the crankshaft position sensor starting to go and if equipped something with the security system. The latter being a dealer only item.

When the vehicle is running, which again is most of the time, she advised that there is no Check Engine light. To date, the vehicle has not died while driving/

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Hank

 

Wanted to post back. Found out they lady lost her key so she unknowingly was using the valet key.

So of course when her husband went to pick her up or go to the shop he had his key and of course it started.

 

The valet key should start the engine but not open glove box and can't be used to make other keys via the cars computer.

Perhaps the valet key has not been properly programmed to start the engine.

 

Seems to be an issue, found related posts on other websites, that the valet key does not have a chip in it and the ecm will let the car start a number of times before it enables security. She seems to drive it for a day or two before this happens.

She has been on a regular key for about a week now and so far so good.

We'll see...