A Couple Questions For You All. Please Help

my fiance's alero is having a few issues that i cannot figure out, every so often itll take a couple tries to get the car started, itll fire up then you think its started and then nope nothing, so you turn the key again, and itll start. Should i check the plugs and wires, what else should i be checking, and another little thing is that the radio settings wont stay on manual, everytime you start the car or change from cd to radio or vice versa it changes audio settings not a big deal but really annoying, if anyone has any answers or has the same issues lemme know
thanks

Is it turning over then running for a few seconds then shutting off?
When mine did that I had to have the passlock sensor and ignition switch replaced. I cant remember the exact price but it was somewhere around the $500 mark.