G
GTI-R Kid
Guest
Had a new problem show its head completly out of the blue yesterday when the car wouldn't start for me when down in the city. :roll:
Had just pulled in to the side of the road to run into the shop, turned off the ignition and let the timer run as I walked off. Got back and sat in, turned the key and ... nothing! :shock: All the usual lights were on on the dash, but when I turned the key to the START position there was nothing. No clicking, no turning of the starter motor, nothing at all. Looked at the Mrs in disbelief and sat there for a minute wondering what the **** was going on. Let it be for about a minute while I scratched my head, tried it again and it fired up with no drama.
Calling to a mates then last night and stopped into a petrol station (car started fine when I sat in at home). Came back out to the car and nothing again. The ignition lights would come on, but once I turned it to START all power disappeared from the dash. Sat there for about 10 mins and the problem started to get stranger. If I turned the ignition on all the lights would come on, but if I turned on the parking lights everything died. Had to turn the ignition off again (and the lights) to get them to come on again. :doh:
Checked the battery cables and terminals - fine. Checked the secondary fuse box under the bonnet - fine too. The starter simply wouldn't engage (not even clicking) and after turning to START position a couple of times all the ignition lights wouldn't work any longer nor any of the gauges. Eventually gave up and rang the Mrs who came down to me in her Ka. Decided to see if we could bump start the car so sat her into the Sunny and lined the Ka up behind it to give it a push (scratch on the bumper was a lesser evil than leaving the car stranded at the side of the road). So I used the Ka to push the Sunny, and once she was rolling the Mrs popped the clutch and the car fired into life. She turned on the lights and drove it home, where its been sat since.
I'm going to have a look this afternoon, but have to admit I'm at a loss as to where to start. Initial thoughts were that it might be the starter, until all the strange occurances with the ignition lights/parking lights last night. The starter was also reconditioned before the engine went back into the car in August so it shouldn't be gone tits up already.
Anyone expierenced similar problems at all or have suggestions as to what I could check on the car? If I can't do something today then she's just going to be sat there till I get another chance to look at it on Monday. Surely this isn't a unique problem that no-one else has been unfortunate enough to expierence?
Had just pulled in to the side of the road to run into the shop, turned off the ignition and let the timer run as I walked off. Got back and sat in, turned the key and ... nothing! :shock: All the usual lights were on on the dash, but when I turned the key to the START position there was nothing. No clicking, no turning of the starter motor, nothing at all. Looked at the Mrs in disbelief and sat there for a minute wondering what the **** was going on. Let it be for about a minute while I scratched my head, tried it again and it fired up with no drama.
Calling to a mates then last night and stopped into a petrol station (car started fine when I sat in at home). Came back out to the car and nothing again. The ignition lights would come on, but once I turned it to START all power disappeared from the dash. Sat there for about 10 mins and the problem started to get stranger. If I turned the ignition on all the lights would come on, but if I turned on the parking lights everything died. Had to turn the ignition off again (and the lights) to get them to come on again. :doh:
Checked the battery cables and terminals - fine. Checked the secondary fuse box under the bonnet - fine too. The starter simply wouldn't engage (not even clicking) and after turning to START position a couple of times all the ignition lights wouldn't work any longer nor any of the gauges. Eventually gave up and rang the Mrs who came down to me in her Ka. Decided to see if we could bump start the car so sat her into the Sunny and lined the Ka up behind it to give it a push (scratch on the bumper was a lesser evil than leaving the car stranded at the side of the road). So I used the Ka to push the Sunny, and once she was rolling the Mrs popped the clutch and the car fired into life. She turned on the lights and drove it home, where its been sat since.
I'm going to have a look this afternoon, but have to admit I'm at a loss as to where to start. Initial thoughts were that it might be the starter, until all the strange occurances with the ignition lights/parking lights last night. The starter was also reconditioned before the engine went back into the car in August so it shouldn't be gone tits up already.
Anyone expierenced similar problems at all or have suggestions as to what I could check on the car? If I can't do something today then she's just going to be sat there till I get another chance to look at it on Monday. Surely this isn't a unique problem that no-one else has been unfortunate enough to expierence?
