I am new to the site and really hoping to find some help with this problem. I have a problem with the car starting. I turn the key on and the check engine light starts blinking, while it is blinking the car won't start. The engine cranks but doesn't start. If I turn the key on and the light is not blinking it starts right up and runs like a champ. This happens randomly with no apparent pattern. The last mechanic changed the crank position sensor and said it was fixed, a month later same thing, I took the car back to him he drove it for a month and it ran fine, picked it up drove it for a month same problem, that was yesterday, waited 30 min, light stopped flashing and it started right up. If anyone out there has any idea or thought please help me out here.

Glad I found this if there is anyone out there that can help it would be much appriciated I just had the same problem about 2 weeks ago? I would really like to know why it happend and how to avoid it..

would say CEL on? What is the code or codes?
B. they would say a flashing CEL means imminent damage,don't drive the car until you have read the code and fixed the issue.
C. The west coast mega posters would say what moron can even begin to surmise what the west coast mega posters would say? The east coast mega posters would ask the same question......
You are way out of your league. If you don't understand that comment you might want to look it up in your WIS.(which I am sure you have handy at you side)
Professor my ***

could be the secondary cat post the o2 sensors.
Have you inspected the cats for operation?
Have you tested them for efficiency?
Have you posted the codes?
Not the maf or the cps with a blinking CEL that is for sure.
Cats are not 5 bills per side.

Ok, I did not notice this before but the red and green lights on the rearview mirror are flashing as well, does this help with any diagnosis, going insane about to take her into the dealer....

Please update here ASAP.. Mine just happend again.. could it be the battery? or maybe the starter? I dont know just throwing ideas out there.. but I will be pulling codes today to see if any other ones becides BAD CATS show up.

I have been reseraching this and I would check your "COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR" I am going to check mine as well but in most cases that has been the issue. Oh yeah no codes show up when you scan it.

CODES ARE = P0455 / P0442 AND P0422

So Let me guess EVAP system I cleaned the Purge Valve.. and now i hear the "drummer boy" Playing so that sounds good.. leaks are kind of hard to detect especially the line going to the back of the cars firewall.
Gas Cap will be my next guess but i highly doudt it. Is getting to the Charcol Canister diffuicult and if not, how will I best approach it?

CATS i know I have to change soon

from an East Coast poster, try the simple things first. check to make sure you are within the time period of the battery's useful life 4-6 years for the standard and 5-9 for the Black Gel HD type. To start without issue your vehicle requires a fully charged battery otherwise it just cranks and won't catch. Check all electrical connections to and from the sensors. Just some east coast thoughts.

battries have good life.. Ok.. last night the car stalled out at a major intersection pretty dangerous.. but i am getting tired of this.. i am soo confused.. its weird and it happens randomly that i cant narrow it down to 1 or at least 2 variables causing the problem..

did you ever correctly diagnose?