JoeyDeacon

Went out at lunchtime, got into the car and the bloody thing wouldn't start. It is a completely standard MY00 with 9000 miles on the clock.

This has happened a few times now, normally it will just keep turning over and eventually fire. This time I could hear the engine attempting to start, failing and then continue turning over. Only on the third attempt would it start.

Might be a coincidence but it always started first time until after the 7,500 Mile service. The problem began the next day.... it never happens first thing in the morning, only after it has been parked for a few hours or so. I would guess the problem occurs about once a month or so so it is going to be impossible for the dealer to find the problem.

Help because it is VERY embarrising when there are a crowd of people outside smoking when I try to start the car...

Otis

Not wishing to state the obvious but you aren't touching the throttle pedal before starting are you?

Otis.

The Zohan

Joey, when you turn the key to ignition (red lites on dash) can you hear the fuel pump relay 'click' and a slight whirring type noise as the line pressurises (at least i think thats what it is)?
No click or noise then you may have a fuse out - in which case it will not start,or a relay problem.

Might be the 'cam sensor' or such like - might be worth doing as search as ther have been a few posts about cam sensor postition and poor starting.

Happened after the service - may be faulty plugs if they where changed.

Could be blocked fuel line or filter, have you run it low on fuel?


Th manual says turn the key to ignition then leave it 5 secs or so before you turn the key - i sometime do if i remember.

I have had this once only in 35K miles, never repeated itself (touch wood)

Paul

Mojo

Joey,

I've just had a similar problem with mine.
My symtoms were worse in that the car could take up to 25mins to start. My problem was due to the immobiisor not turning off and concequently the fuel pump was disabled.
Does your immobilisor light go out on the dash, or do you get a flashing check engine light when you turn the key?

Solution for was to have a new antenna fitted in the steering column / key barrel under warrenty.

Hope this helps

Mojo

JoeyDeacon

Nope, not touching the throttle pedal when turning the key and in 10 months of ownership the low petrol warning light has only been on once (and then I filled it up immediately).

It happened after the 7,500 mile service so the plugs were not changed. Actually I remember now that when I started the car this morning it seemed a little rough and farty for the first few seconds.

Also I am begining to wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that I washed the car on saturday and it has not been moved since?? I used a jetwasher but I didn't do under the bonnet or anything.

Paul I know exactly what you mean by the click followed bt a whirring noise but I am not sure if it happened today as the radio was on and I was thinking about other stuff at the time. Don't think it can be a fuse as it did start after the third attempt. Don't think the 'Check Engine' light came on but to be honest I was too busy swearing at it at the time to notice.

Guess it is going to end up being one of those things along with the sometimes stiff clutch pedal???

[This message has been edited by JoeyDeacon (edited 19 February 2001).]

russell hayward

Take it back to the dealer and get them to put it on the monitor which will reveal any faults ....

Dave25

Have had similar in a MY00 and my P1....

Very occasionally ( maybe 2-3 times over the 9 months I had the MY00 ) it wouldn't catch after 4-5 seconds. I just switched it off and left it 20 seconds then went again and it then kicked in.

Had it once in the P1 the other day for the first time. Again, above solution worked fine.

Didn't use any throttle in either case.

Dave.

Howie

Oo - err fellas whats happening to our Scoobies? The following is a similar problem with mine:-

Scooby starting problems:

1st noticed an intermittent stutter under hard accelaration, similiar to hitting the rev
limiter, but at around 4k-6k rpm. This was wednesday during a trip down to London from
Manchester.

Today dropped girlfirends Gti off at body repairers for new wing, On starting scooby to leave
repairers he just about started but idling at around 200 rpm, throttle pressure would not
increase rpm at all, eventually engine stalled and would not restart. Eventually after 30 mins
or so after repeated turning the ignition on and off without tryimg to fire up, I heard a click
come from under the bonnet, scooby started immediately without a problem. I let it idle for a few
mins eventually the engine cut out and again would not restart. Repeated the iginition on/off scenario
and he started again.

Managed to drive down to C&K where Pete put the Subaru console / diagnostic gismo on, he found one error in
memory - 12, problem to do with the igniton circuitry, he cleared the memory. Pete said that it might
be a problem with the immobiliser malfunction in the fuel circuit. left C&k for home.
The drive home was ok no probs - 8 miles or so. Parked up and turned off.

A couple of hours later once everything had cooled down, I tried to start Scooby up again. This time
he would n't fire up at all.

By now I was learning towards the fuelling problem as suggested by Pete.

For the last couple of hours I've been under the dash, checking fuses, having a look at where the Foxguard
alarm immobiliser might be located etc etc.

The fuses in the black box under the bonnet appear all ok, and so do the ones under the dash mounted on the drivers
footwell just behind the bonnet release.

Findings:-

When turning the ignition on but not all the way as to start the car, after a couple of seconds there is a click noise from
under the dash located someehere up and above the fuse box in the drivers footwell and also I always remember hearing the fuel
pump not fire up , turning the ignition all the way the car wil not start.

When scoobs does start there is no click just prior to firing up and the fuel pump can be heared firing up just prior to turning the
ignition all the way.


So could it be the immobiliser screwing around, or a duff fuel pump relay - where ever that may be - I'm not too hot on japanese!

Cheers
Howie
STi3


[This message has been edited by Howie (edited 22 February 2001).]

JoeyDeacon

Howie,

What I do now is to turn the key to switch the ignition on (So the red warning lights come on) and then wait until I hear the click you describe from under the dash. Car then starts OK.

Trouble is this is such an intermittent problem that I have not managed to find any pattern yet as to how to stop the car starting.

Sounds like that is the reverse to the way you start your car??

Howie

Joey tomorrow's the day - scooby's either down to AutoCar Alarms to have the Foxguard checked out / ripped out and replaced with a new Cat1 or down to C&K to have the fuel system checked out. I have n't decided yet - I'm still trying to get some pattern established.

Been away in Somerset since Friday, 1st thing I did when I got back was check scooby out.

1. Disarmed the alarm
2. got in scoobs
3. disarmed the immobilisor with the key fob
4. turned key to final position before starting and listened.

Tick-Tock from under the bonnet, accompanied by whirring / pressuriastion of fuel system, 3 deconds later, click from under the dash - fuel pump relay, turned ignition all the way and hey presto scoobs started.

5. let him warm up for about 10 mins, then powered off, waited for the immobilisor to cut in, disabled immobilisor then repeated previous startup procedure. After 3 successful attempts at starting, the 4th attempt failed, there was no fuel pressurisation / whirring noise, all the other noises were there.

I then performed the following test.

With the immobilisor stil active what would be the outcome of the above starting procedure, basically I was trying to find out where the immobilisor interrupted the starting procedure. Was it pre fuel pump relay or post.

The fuel pump relay clicked after 4 secs with the immob still active. What i neeed to check now is what happens when the system is working and the car starts, with the starting procedure with the immob still active. I am hoping not to hear the fuel system pressurize, if that is the case then the immob is working post relay, therefore the liekly candidate for the fault.

Sorry it's a bit long winded, lets hope scoob starts in the morning so I can check the above scenario, and then decide whether to risk driving it to either Autocar Alarms or C&K depending on the outcome of the test. may just bum a lift from the RAC

cheers
Howie

BTW. When the engine does not fire up after a few seconds of trying when you turn the key back to the off position when all has gone quiet with the engine do you get a flapping noise coming from the engine. this only occurs on mine if you have the throttle pressed it lasts about 4 secs if you release the throttle during the 4 secs it stops, if you press it again within the 4 secs after switching off it returns - weired. The flapping noise when you listen from under the bonnet is quite a loud rapid ticking noise coming from somewhere around the throttle body.



[This message has been edited by Howie (edited 26 February 2001).]

Howie

oops pressed the reply with quote button and cannot delete it




[This message has been edited by Howie (edited 26 February 2001).]

Howie

Problem solved at last, Scooby is back on the road!

Thanks to Steve at AutoCar Alarms in Stockport, found the problem, it was down to a duff Foxguard JP2 Immobilisor and some burn out wiring leading into the box, probably down to a crap install that the previous owner had done.

Now running with a Secure microsystems M30 CAT1, which is a superb bit of quality kit, had this system on previous 3 cars + girlfriends GTi, without any problems at all.

Well done Steve!
Cheers
Howie

JoeyDeacon

Howie,

I jetwashed my car again on Sunday afternoon and guess what happened the next day?? First thing in the morning car started OK but was a bit rough and farty.

Started the car Monday afternoon and it took about three times longer to fire than it usually does. Back to normal now.

Seems to me that when I use the Jetwasher when the weather is cold the car is difficult to start for the next day until the heat of the engine dries it out.

The Secure microsystems M30 CAT1 is the alarm/immobiliser that is fitted to UK Imprezas as standard.


[This message has been edited by JoeyDeacon (edited 28 February 2001).]

Howie

Joey, I generally jet wash my car once a week to get rid of road crud as I do about 600 miles per week, things get dirty pretty quick, I try and avoid spraying directly into the scoop and bonnet vents, as you pointed out dampness in the engine bay is obviously causing your car to start poorly.

Your description of your car sounds a bit like me in the morning too

Cheers
Howie

[This message has been edited by Howie (edited 28 February 2001).]