I have a 2002 Pontiac montana. I changed the air filter and now it won't turn over. They sure build vehicles weird.
Did you put everything back together? All electrical connectors & hoses?
https://carkiller.com/scottykilmer/qa/nostart/
Yes I put everything back together. I checked all fuses and starter relay. I disconnected maf but I reconnected it. Dash lights come on but it won't turn over. I shorted out the starter and it turns over but doesn't start. All I did was change the air filter. I don't get why it won't start. A lot of people say its the ignition switch but why would changing the air filter make the ignition switch go bad.
So when you hot wired the starter, it cranked but wouldn’t start? That could well be the ignition switch. Also check all fuses, relays & the wiring from the battery to the starter.
Yes I am am thinking its either the ignition switch or the wire going from the relay to the starter because I'm getting power to the relay. I pulled out the relay and tested it with my tester and it lights up. When I had the maf wire off maybe it touched some steel and did something to the ignition switch. I didn't have the ground off the battery. I never thought it might be live wire with the ignition off. Do you now if that wire is live with the ignition off.
Well that’s why it’s always recommended to disconnect the negative cable from the battery, before you unplug any sensors, even with the ignition off. @doc has explained why.
Use a small piece of wire and jump the Starter Relay sockets 30 & 87. That will tell you if there a problem in the wiring between the relay and the starter. If the Starter works then the issue is on the "control side" of the relay.
Don't forget to check the Passenger Compartment fuses too. There's a PCM Crank fuse in there as well as your anti theft circuit fuses
Yes I already tried jumping relay sockets 30 to 87 and didn't turn over but it turned over when I shorted out the starter but didn't start with the ignition on. I checked every passenger compartment fuse. A lot of people say its the ignition switch but why would changing the air filter make the ignition switch go bad.
Something got screwed up when you disconnected the MAF without disconnecting the battery first. You could try a reset by disconnecting both battery terminals, touching them together for a few seconds to clear the capacitors and reconnect to let the PCM reset.
Yes I tried that and it still didn't turn over. I guess I will be calling a mobile mechanic because tried every thing everyone told me.
I've been changing the air filter on my vehicles for 42 years and never had anything like this happen. When I get it running I will post what the problem was.