aaaarrggghh, help... car not starting!

[Liam_Dynamique]

Right, me 51 plate 23000mile 1.2 dynamique is really trying to wind me up 10 days into ownership...

switch the ignition on in me renault, all the lights come on as normal, turn it to start and all you get is a click from a relay in the fusebox or sumthin (which it does when starting normally as well). no matter how much i turn the key and stuff it just clicks. happened sunday morning, rolled it a bit in gear with the ignition on, dropped the clutch in gear and wasnt enough to bump it. turned the key then and it was fine. happened after work tonight and i bump started it and its started fine each time since.

any ideas mate coz im driving it to ireland on friday and cud do without this on me nice 51 plate motor! i am not a happy camper, thats twice in 10 days now and i have to go away friday so doubt i will get it into renault til january!

i was thinkin maybe immobiliser? starter/solenoid? wud the TDC sensor have anything to do with it?! loose wire?

help me people... bloody renaults! any input at all wud be good here!

thanks all, appreciate it

 

[MaLicE]

sounds like the starter to me, mine does the same but mine is cos my turbo has cooked the starter as i didnt have a heatshield on it.



any way, do you know where your starter is??? if so get a screwdriver or summit with a bit a weight to it, then bang it on the starter motor then try and start it, if it works then i would say a trip to renault to kick up sh*t is in order, other thing to try is put it in 1st, take handbrake off and rock the car back and forth then put in neatral and try starting it, starter might just be jammed.

 

[Liam_Dynamique]

oohhh god, pass the matches someone, its done it again this morning!

this time called renault assistance instead of messing around, and they are gonna be an hour. late for work now, so while i was waiting i tried it again 5 minutes later without touching anything else and it started first touch of the key!

anyone got any other opinions on what it could be seeing as it started without me touching the starter or rocking the car etc?!

still waiting for the renault/aa patrol to come and ill act dumb if it starts first time.

 

[Simon]

Mad one, my car did exactly the same thing last night.

Turn key and nothing.

Car has done this before in the past.

1st time the starter was turning over but the car was not starting - problem was a faulty imobiliser key.

2nd time was after car had been in Renault dealer and was same as last night. Apparently there are some earthing points behind the engine area where part of the ignition system connects to and these points go rusty and thus bad connection. Dealer dude moved the wires around in a random way and eventually car started. Car went back in and the earths were done and never had problem again (about a year) until last night.....

This time around I did the random moving wire loom thing - nothing, then foot on clutch and put car in reverse and turn key and it started as if nothing was wrong.

Car was also parked on a slope and it was very cold.....

Swapped my car keys over this morning with spare set and car started OK. Gonna see how it goes, keep us posted to what it was on yours.

 

[KDF]

It is deffo the starter, sound like the solenoid is not engaging properly. Take it to renault and get them to fit a new starter, you cant really just replace the solanoid nowadays as they are generally integrated into one another.

 

[Liam_Dynamique]

cheers for the replies lads.

renault assistance came out this morning, didnt start on first 2 attempts so he stuck a probe on the solenoid to see if it was gettin power but when i turned it again it started so i wasnt able to find out what the prob was.

took it to renault london west and explained the urgency of my situation and asked what they could do, if they could even have a look at it before friday? they didnt want to know at all. i suggested to the reception bird that if it was a relay etc it was only a simple job so could be done well quick. she agreed after i argued for ages and its going in at 8am thursday morning (2moro) to be looked at, and fixed only if it is something as minor as relays etc. once i have it in ill create a fuss for a new starter despite the fact they tried to claim they wouldnt have any parts! yeah right. i really need it working by friday coz im going away in it friday evening and the starter has been gettin worse all day. have to say tho, that they really couldnt have cared less at the dealers. wasnt impressed at all, lets see if they redeem themselves tomorrow - doubt it.

my spare key was the first one i tried this morning just in case that was the problem, but it still didnt want to start.

cheers kdf, how long ya reckon it shud take to change the starter? half an hour? might try and get someone else to do it if they wont... u wudnt believe that the renault woman actually told me to go elsewhere coz it wud be quicker... never mind the warranty eh?!

 

[Mike@Rentech]

Most of the time this problem is to do with the UCH (the control computer for lots of diffent things), I changed one at work today with a very similar problem.

Pop down to your dealer.

 

[Daz]

Quote: Originally posted by MaLicE on 17 December 2003


sounds like the starter to me, mine does the same but mine is cos my turbo has cooked the starter as i didnt have a heatshield on it.

Haha. Funny.

 

[Mike@Rentech]

but a diffent one from your first attemp!

 

[Liam_Dynamique]

quick job mike?

they reckon they only have time to fix it 2moro if it is something well easy.

if that was the problem wud u take the car overseas for a fortnight with unreliable starting?

 

[JAY172]

what does your immobiliser light do?if there is a click when you turn the ing key to the start position then it sounds like the uch is switching so probably a faulty starter moter or starter solenoid terminal(poor connection).under warranty though isnt it?

 

[Liam_Dynamique]

immobiliser light stays out so i guess its not the key or anything. under warranty but the dealer reckons they cant fit it in this week, but i am booked to drive it to ireland friday evening!

they said they would have a quick look first thing tomorrow and wud only fix it if it was something as simple as a relay etc. looks like ill have to stamp my feet and scream a bit and beg for a new starter motor!

thanks jay m8

 

[JAY172]

a starter moter is a dead easy job to change on a 1.2 16v.shouldnt take them more than 30mins so if you kick up a stink they might do it there and then.if its just the terminal then a 10minute job.if your immobiliser light goes out then thats ok.good luck!

 

[MaLicE]

if they wont do it slam the keys down say im returning car, i want a refund and i will bill you for the extra im having to pay out for a courtesy car!

 

[Liam_Dynamique]

hmm, mustnt have stamped my feet hard enough as im in ireland with the same old starter motor now. got renault to have a look at the car quickly tho, the put it on the computer and said there was nothing wrong with it. went to drive away and then the ecu light wouldnt go out so i had to leave the car there all day and got it back without the starter gettin touched... but with a nice oily handmark on my door card that i didnt notice till that evening! last time i ever go to renault london west... oh, i did buy a nice keyring while i was there tho! lol