HSV VS Occasional starting issue

[tonitrus]

I am having this intermittent issue where I try to start the car, I turn the key and nothing happens. If it does happen I put the car in neutral instead of park and it goes, which leads me to believe the car is having an issue sensing it is in park, and just not starting. Would I be correct in thinking this way? If so what part needs replacing to fix this issue? Thanks in advance!

[VSSS_5L]

Good question. Its extremely common, my inlaws vs you turn the key and then jiggle the shifter a little bit till it finds the sweet spot and starts. Used to have to lock it and unlock it for it to start sometimes too, but i think that was different issue.

[SUSS8]

When you park the car do you pull up the handbrake up? My VR was having this problem and I realized that I was putting it in park holding the brake and pulling the handbrake. You have to put it park release the brake and let the car roll a bit and you will hear a click. So next time you start it, it should start straight away. You have to let the car roll into gear so the transmission knows it is in park. Hope this all made sense and migh work your issue out.

[Adds_05]

inhibitor switch under the centre console sounds buggered,my old vk used to do the same

[VrWagz1]

Yep, sounds like the inhibitor switch is on its way out. But thats just monkey talk for a micro limit switch that you can replace, thats all it is. If you cant get a replacement, just bridge it out and make sure your in neutral when you start, like us manual drivers do everytime we start the car.

[DAKSTER]

I had a similar problem with my VS Berlina, moving the shifter seemed to work sometimes, but in the end, the problem was cured by using a different key. Moving the shifter seems to have been just coincidental in my case at least, the problem was the actual key. If you have a spare key, give it a whirl...

[SWE11L]

When you park the car do you pull up the handbrake up? My VR was having this problem and I realized that I was putting it in park holding the brake and pulling the handbrake. You have to put it park release the brake and let the car roll a bit and you will hear a click. So next time you start it, it should start straight away. You have to let the car roll into gear so the transmission knows it is in park. Hope this all made sense and migh work your issue out.

I'm pretty sure thats not a good thing to do. I've been told in that case it's your transmission holding the car in place then and your handbrake becomes a back up.
That used to happen to me all the time until I had my handbrake tightened.

[DAKSTER]

Funny how they have so many names... handbrake, parking brake, emergency brake. I consider it an emergency brake. If I drove a manual, it would also come in handy for hillstarts. Since I havent had an emergency, and its an auto.. the only time I have ever pulled the handle is to get it out of the way to work on things in the dash....

I've had a license for over 30 years, and I have never had a car roll away from where I parked it, and never had transmission problems resulting from the handbrakes lack of use.

I know they teach people to use them in lessons, but they have to teach you something to get paid dont they? You wont fail a driving test by not using it when you park. Unless there is a problem with the gearbox, or the engine compression is so bad it cant hold the car still, it shouldnt ever be necessary to use it. I doubt it has anything to do with your starting problem..

[getadeal]

I know they teach people to use them in lessons, but they have to teach you something to get paid dont they? You wont fail a driving test by not using it when you park.

I hate to say this DAKSTER but you will fail a driving test if you do not use the hand brake when parking. Strange times we live in

[DAKSTER]

Then the rules have changed lol

[pjdm1980]

Yer sounds like the inhibitor switch to me and on a side note I always use the hand brake when I park it's just natural thing to do like putting the seat belt on when you get in the car, with how sloppy Holden gear boxes are I'd be surprised if someone hasn't started the car while it's in gear (good time to have the hand brake on).