Before posting, I checked existing threads and though I may have missed one or a few, did not find anything exactly like my situation. Here it is:

A couple times, my vehicle would not start shortly after using it. In the first instance, I charged the battery (though it was unlikely to have died) and it fired rightr up. Then I had it stall while driving. Dash lights went off, and it shuddered, sounded like I was dragging something as it coasted to a stop. Put it in park, waited a minute, it fired back up, no problem

Then the other day, after a short period of being parked, it stalled almost immediately with same symptoms as above. Again, started back up immediatly. THen less than 2 miles later, going almost 50MPH it stalls, shudders etc. Wait a minute, and with key on there are no dash lights. I put it in park but could not get it out of park. Called the tow truck and tried periodically over the next hour plus, got no response from key in, attempting to start. Also, I noted that I could not get it out of park while sitting. Apparently there must be power to dash for that to happen. THen just a few minutes before towtruck arrival, I started it up, drove about 8 miles with no further incident.

COuld it be a bad ignition switch> Or loose wire on ignition sweitch? That might explain dash not lighting up and no electic controls

One last thing. As I sat waiting one time, I had ignition switch on, foot on brake, after unseuccessfuly attempting to start. WITHOUT turning swith to "START: position, it started spontaneiously

Suggestions?

 

Very odd, but may possibly be ignition switch, or loose connection at battery, power distribution box or loose connectors at the GEM/BCM depending on what year your vehicle is. Vehicle information should be the first thing you give as well as any codes you retrieve. If you dont have a scanner haver Autozone scan it for you.

 

It is with some chagrin that I reply. I visited my mechanic today. He was not able to pull any codes. I repeated that the dash did not light up when I put the key in and turned the ignition switch on. THat got us both to thiniking about what besides ignition switch could be the problem We checked battery terminals, and sure enough there was a loose connection, very likely the problem. I loosened it to temporarily hook up an inverter, and apparently did not thghten it down enough to make a good contact. Differences in temperatures and vibration surely made the almost loose connection intermittent.

Thanx for your reply. Even though we fixed it before reading it, your reply may be useful to others-and a reminder to myself.