Help! car not starting...

26th March 2010, 09:09

went to start the car last night its not working!... when turned the key over electrics come on fine lights on dash fans inside etc but when key is turned all the way nothing... to start with the car tried starting but it was exteremely slow when turning over if that makes sense... but now it does nothing electrics still come on etc but all i get is a clicking noise comeing from engine bay?... is this the starter motor???

26th March 2010, 09:12

sounds like starter problem
have you pushed it to start it to rule out all the other reasons?

26th March 2010, 09:15

no i haven't yet mate... if i do push start it and it does go what will this tell me? basically that its def starter motor?

26th March 2010, 09:23

the lights on dash will still show, but may not have enough charge to turn over the engine!
i mean it could be hundreds of problems
if your battery light has not been on you would assume that the alternater is ok
so it seems like starter motor
if you bump start it and all is ok then at least you know the rest is ok and you can start to eliminate a few things

26th March 2010, 09:31

oh really? this is the problem because im not overly sure with all this ive got a rough idea... also i forgot to say thae other day went start same thing happen but then i tried turning the key over again and it started second time then the next day it happend and it wouldnt start tried about 10 times with nothing then all of a sudden tried again and it just came on pretty sharpish... does this help at all??

26th March 2010, 10:16

hmm it sounds like starter motor
be it could be ignition barrel or other electrcal problem
but I would change the starter for one you know that works
not sure about your starting motor on your car but you could leave the ignition on and put a spanner across the terminals to see if it is definately the starting motor thus ruling out ignition and all those things,
I've not done it on my saxo so wait for someone else to tell you what terminals to arc up!

26th March 2010, 11:46

okay im gonna go get a new battery today first.... do ya think thats good idea? as it hasnt been replaced for years and it did get a bettering when we rebuilt the head on the car... it took ages for it to charge and run properly i had to keep the revs upto 2k for about 10 minutes so the engine wouldnt cut out.... so hoping it is jus the battery cos i have been told the starters are a bastard to change on the vts??

26th March 2010, 11:58

i wouldnt just run and buy a new battery mate, like everyone is saying, it could be loads of things... Personally i wouldnt go and buy a battery coz it may not be the problem, then your a few quid down

26th March 2010, 12:00

Enough fuel, is fuel getting into the engine?

The starter motor clicking means thats fine, have you tried charging up your battery?, the lights will obviously go on, as dash bulbs only use 0.003v of power which is nothing, try seeing if your radio works, or interior light stays on for 5 mins.

When you turn the key, does the fuel pump prime? makes a high pitch whine noise.

26th March 2010, 12:04

p.s, try your spare key in the car, maby the key is nackered - i had a problem where my key was bent (eventually snapped) and made the car imobilised not allowing me to do anything, just a random guess - you never know, mysterious things do happen.

26th March 2010, 12:11

thanks for the advise C18VTR i'll check the radio interior etc wen i get home, so sounds like the starter is okay.... yeah when the key turns over it does make a whine noise when electrics and everything come on which it has always done im guessing thats the fuel pump noise your talking about... sorry im not all clued up on the technical stuff with saxo's just yet im learning.... erm and slight problem about the key... i havnt got a spare haha

26th March 2010, 12:51

Tried charging the battery? Mine done this the other night and all i had to do was charge it for a few hours

26th March 2010, 18:32

after all that it is definatly starter motor. Battery was fine although i found a blown 30 amp fuse in the fuse box situated in the engine bay... does anyone know which fuse it is? as its not pictured in my haynes... as you look at the fuse box its the green single 30amp fuse that sits in its own bit at the bottom of the fuse board if that makes sense??
anyway after all this i put new fuse in which didnt make a difference then gave the starter a couple of taps with me hammer it worked car started fine then switched it off and it wont start now unless it gets a clout! haha