Still issues with the car not starting!

Next time it happens:

1. First use your dome light as a poor man's voltmeter as you try to start. That is for those that don't carry a (free w/ coupon) Harbor Freight multimeter in the trunk.

2. Unplug the yellow wire at the starter relay and connect a jumper wire from the big stud (BATT+) to that spade terminal. This is the Radio Shack alligator clip lead that you should have several in the trunk, or scrounge on the side of the road for a piece of wire. This is how thieves hot-wire your car.

3. If nothing, use another jumper to short the wire going to the NSS (down to auto trans). Make sure nothing is in front or behind of the car and be ready to jump away. If the starter turns and the car moves, the tranny was in "D" or "R" (my wife did that to me once, but didn't jump since I tested the NSS ohms). If the car doesn't jump, the NSS or wire is bad, or (more likely) the shift linkage is not adjusted optimally.

4. If you hear a clunk from the solenoid, but starter doesn't turn, the starter is bad, isn't getting a good ground thru the aluminum (common), or the starter isn't getting close to +12 V at the end of the big cable (weak battery, corroded battery terminals, old wire, bad connection). Your multimeter could resolve that and find where the main voltage drop occurs. Don't condemn the starter unless you measure it is getting <7 V from its big terminal to its case.

5. If a bad starter, replace w/ the spare mini-starter you carry in the trunk. If a slant owner, you will whistle and be done in 2 min. If SB or BB, a little cussing and find concrete blocks or 4x4" to hold the car on the frame rails before you crawl under, plus get the steering in the right place, go buy the right socket extension to get at the top bolt, or call for a tow.