yes, almost anything can cause this. this is a safe start up protection, (we call it it SRO*) and if _anything_ is not just right, then you don't want to risk getting a "run away" condition.
If I had to take care of that many of these, I sure would expect whom ever owned them to provide a GE handset, if I didn't have one of my own.
the dash, and or the handset should give you some error codes when this unit does not start correctly, and the first 8 or so just have to do with correct order of start-up (you need to be in neutral when the key turns on, or go through neutral so the control sees the correct signals)
SRO= Static return to off. if the control does not see the correct signals of 0 vdc, it turns off until it does see the correct signals. the potentiometer being 'at rest' and adjusted to register the reading it has as 'at rest' with the controller are also SRO requirements.