Hi,

I have just done a replacement on a MAF Sensor about 2 weeks ago, reset ECU, everything been running great. Came home from Friday, car fine. Tried to start saturday afternoon and when I try to start it up it just clicks at me and all lights on dash flash, and sometimes the alarm beeps at me.

Tried it a few times, same everytime. I thought it might be starter motor, but someone suggest jumping as see if its battery. I hooked up the wifes car with jump leads, tried again, and did same. I took the jump leads off and thought I would give it once last change before I went in house, and this time it didn't click at me, just tried to start, but was struggling.

So I thought that hooking the jump leads up helped charge battery a little. Put the jump leads back on and left for 30 mins with car running.

Tried again and same as before, no clicking, just trying to start and after 4 seconds, it stops, alarm beeps and all lights on dash come on again.

Any ideas?

Thanks for your time.

Paul.

 

Have you tried a ecu diagnose ?

http://www.saxonfields.freeserve.co....htm#_Dyno_Runs

follow the link and do a diagnostics and see what it comes up with

 

Sorry I should have said that, I also tried a ECU Diag, and it just flashes on/off constantly and according to notes that means "Ok".

 

sounds like just a flat battery to me.
the clicking is the starter solenoid.
give the battery a good charge

if not that, then maybe the earth connection has come of the starter motor.

 

Good advice from Scott, this happened to me the other week. New battery and its sorted (it was so shagged it wouldn't hold a charge )

 

The car started fine (all day) friday as I was on site most of day, came home about 8pm. And by 4pm Saturday it was dead dead, is that possible?

And also if the battery is completely dead, would it still not start off jump leads?

Thanks.

 

Batteries are funny things- technically speaking you should let it run on the jum leads for a bit, then turn the car off that you're jumping it from, but if its dead then you may not have any luck.

I knew mine was a bit ropey, but I could give it a charge and it would be semi-ok. The last time it did it I thought I'd broken the starter as it just kept clicking even after an over night charge, but it was just bummed.

Just in case it's only the solenoid sticking, put the car in 1st and rock it back and forth. Then take it out of gear again and try to start it.

 

If theres a drain on the batt it can happen easy! Do you know how to do a drain test?

 

No mate, how?

RHH, thanks for that. I will try it, although I do park my car in fron of a brick wall so will be nervous of trying to bump it and if I get it off drive, I will not get it back on alone.

However I always thought that if you connect batteries via jump leads you are running from another battery as well as your own, so if it was a dead battery in the car that wont start, it should start from the second battery fine?!?

And if it doesn't it would indicate a fault somewhere else.

 

Morning all. Just talked to another friend and he reckons if it didnt start off the jump leads, then its not the battery!!!

If it is the starter solenoid wouldn't that appear in the System Diagnostic?

Thanks.

 

Agree with the sticking starter thing being possible, It wouldn't show up on a diagnostic.
Batteries are indeed funny things, also not exactly expensive, If its over 5 years old I'd just change it anyway. Give the electrical system a dam good kick up the a...

SS

 

Thanks dude,

Is this a job for a garage, or can I fix it? (Starter)

 

mmmm, i'm back.

Again as a last desperate attempt at starting it I borrowed my brother mobile jump kit, its got a huge battery on it. I hooked it up and it started the 1st time!!!

Left it fr 2 mins, turned off, disconnected, tried again, it struggled, stopped, tried again and struggle but just ticked over. I then left the car running for about 15 mins, and then it started straight away. I will leave and try again in a few hours.

So is this a clear indication of the battery? Can the starter be "dodgy" and require replacement, or do they just normaly go?

Thanks

Paul.

 

Sounds very much like a dead cell in the battery. I'd just go buy a new one to be safe.

 

The alarm beeping also means that the battery is flat

 

Dead battery.

 

Thanks guys, will go pick one up after work. Halfords as good as anyone these days?

 

Turn all the car's electrics off, lock the doors. Then disconnect the +ive terminal and with an ammeter connect the red wire (+ive) to the car's +ive wiring and the black (-ive) to the pos terminal of the battery. If there is any constant drain on the batt it will show on the ammeter

 

Has he not fitted a new battery yet...Doh !!!

About £59.99 from Halfords IIRC

 

Sound's like what happened to mine,battery not holding charge when drop tested it went from 10v to 3v rapidly.New battery sorted it out,if this hasn't been mentioned already.
New battery reads 14v when running now.
Regards
Dean

 

THANKS to everyone for diag. and suggestions and help and everything

You guys are saving me a fortune from Subaru garage.

Got a Bosch Asia Silver 6DA from Costco, for £40. (thx 2 AndyMoody)