Car want start! Aaargh!

[AUIIForte]

Whats cracking everybody! Well, my car now doesn't start. I've checked the battery and its got the green LED on, meaning its good.

When I twist the key to start it, nothing, absolutely no sound, no engine turning, no nothing, except for a light coming up, it looks something like this (!).

It is just strange because just before, the car would start up perfectly fine and would drive just as fine!

I have done nothing to it, its a stock AUII Forte. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[curtleyw]

If it's an auto, try running the t-bar up and down the column a few times.
This has happened to me before, the car thought that the t-bar was not in park when it clearly was.
Hope this helps

[AUIIForte]

Aah! Hail curtleyw! Halleluja! Thank you firstly for the super quick reply, and secondly, but most importantly for helping me rectify the problem! Thank you so much. If you lived near me, I would buy you a case of beer. Thank you once again!

[curtleyw]

No worries dude, glad it was just a simple problem.
Scared the crap outta me the first time it happened.
This happened to me a few times and then magically disappeared. I think pulling out the centre console helped maybe.
As someone else said: "I guess it's just another one of those phantom AU problems." :

[Bobman]

This was common on EA - EL's too.

[b2tf]

I got caught by this once too, the shifter was only about 2mm out of being in park fully and it wouldnt start. spent 5 mins thinking "wtf have i changed on it today", nudged the shifter out of frustration, click - started. :

[HLC]

i did this.

and called NRMA. then realised the shifter was in R the whole time. didnt even look. oops.

[Crash Lander]

I think the (!) just means the hand brake is on doesn't it?

[AU2PWR]

Originally Posted by HLC

i did this.

and called NRMA. then realised the shifter was in R the whole time. didnt even look. oops.

haha would of been funny to see the NRMA guys look on his face ..

[james22]

Originally Posted by b2tf

] nudged the shifter out of frustration, click - started. :

Hahaha, yeah right. Big nudge I bet..

[steppa]

PLEASE HELP!

Same thing is happening to me, except it is NOT because it is not in gear!

It just refuses to start or even turn over, just one or two 'clicks' when i turn the key. The battery is fine as all electrics work.

If I leave it for a while, it somehow starts and I don't have the problem for another few days. However I'm starting to have to leave it overnight before it works again.

Any idea what it could be?! I probably need to get it looked at, but I'm a poor uni student and am heading away on Boxing Day - there's no time or money to get someone to look at it! Hopefully its a simple solution like "hit the starter motor with a hammer" haha.

edit: by the way, its an AUI Fairmont Ghia, 5.0L V8

[JC]

It's the battery. A hot battery produces less cranking amps, so while everything else starts, it won't start your motor. Once it cools, it "seems" to be working fine. Replace it with at least a 560CCA battery, and you should be good. If you're in NSW, and you're an NRMA member, NRMA offer a replacement battery service, and at the same time they will check that the alternator is working fine etc, etc.

[paddy_au2]

hey steppa, i am in no way a mechanic or even that handy around cars, but if you're certain your battery is working fine it could be your alternator.. it happened to mine and i had to get it replaced. when i was driving home from work and all the electrics started to slow down and the lights faded, finally bringing the car to a stand still. i was able to start it like you are every now and then but would have to wait. but yeah guess you'll have to get it checked out to be sure...

in other news, this is my first post and unfortunately i have a starting problem also but not like any above. i tried searching the forum, have been for the past half hour going through the threads, so sorry if a solution already exists.

anyways, the car clicks over and everything seems to be getting ready to kick in, and then nothing... fan belt stops its cycle and i'm left with a dead car. electrics all seem sweet, lights radio instrument lights etc., (battery's brand new). A mate suggested it could be the fuel pump but could it also be a starter motor problem??? it worked fine yesterday and today nothing so i assume this means its been a gradual problem. any help would be tops. cheers, pat.

[EvilChief]

simple test: turn headlights on, turn car over, if lights dimm battery is most likely cactus (even with green dot)

if lights do not dimm its points towards starter motor. a few gentle taps with a hammer can get you a couple more starts, but it will not last forever.

[paddy_au2]

cheers boss, i'll have to check that out. had to happen at christmas didn't it :togo:

[IH8HSV]

STEPPA --- I had the same problem and it ended up being the body control module under the dash.

This was in my ED - i presume AU still have the same set up and problem.

If you have no success with the battery, run a wire from the ignition barrel ( use a test light and twitch into the wire which lights up when you turn the key to start ). Run this through the fire wall and connect straight to the solenoid wire on the starter motor.

It works great and may help you out.

[BillC]

JC is correct. Its your battery. If its giving a couple of clicks it means your solenoid is pulling in but there is not enough power to turn the motor over. Go to the nearest battery shop and get them to test it. Depending on the quality of the tester its the only way you can be sure. I was an auto electrician in a past life and I can tell you that batteries can be difficult to diagnose. They must be fully charged before you test them or they can give false readings.

[steppa]

Thanks for the advice everyone, however it doesn't seem to be the battery as I've swapped it with one I know has plenty of juice left, but still nothing.

When I say it clicks, the sound is extremely faint (feint?) and just sounds like the computer or something is turning on, not ticking over like it does when the battery is dead.

Twice now, the engine has turned a little bit for about half a second, then nothing. REALLY BLOODY FRUSTRATING as I can't even get it home at the moment, and don't really want to call a tow truck on xmas eve.

I'll keep trying and when (if?) I find out what's wrong with it, I'll let you all know what it was.

[StealthAu]

If it isn't the battery, next time you are having issues try jumping the starter. If it turns over, you know it isn't the problem. Clean all your terminals first.

[BillC]

If you are sure its not the battery then it must be the starter motor. You said it turns over once then nothing. This sounds a bit rough but get a hammer and tap the side of your starter motor. This can sometimes release the brushes inside so it makes contact with the armeture. If this works and you can start your car then take it to an auto electrician and get your starter motor overhauled.

[mik]

it pays to check your electrical connections too , i was under mine servicing it just looking around sometime ago while it was on ramps putting a spanner on everything i could find just for peace of mind, and the starter cable was very loose and i suspect it was like that from the factory years earlier.

[iwannaford]

Originally Posted by JC

It's the battery. A hot battery produces less cranking amps, so while everything else starts, it won't start your motor. Once it cools, it "seems" to be working fine. Replace it with at least a 560CCA battery, and you should be good. If you're in NSW, and you're an NRMA member, NRMA offer a replacement battery service, and at the same time they will check that the alternator is working fine etc, etc.

Sorry JC just want to clarify a cold battery produces less CA than a hot battery.
If the battery has a cell discharge, the green dot still might be green but thats an charge state indicator for that cell, usefull if you want to make sure the battery is in a charged state. If another cell has a short in it, it will be discharged, while others remain charged thus not starting the car.

As evilchief said, a simple test is to turn the lights on, if they dim badly that means the voltage is not sustained in the battery >10V. If they stay bright, it could mean startermotor failure, dirty terminals, faulty safety switch on the shifter..

Seeing as you've replaced the battery, double check evil's theory, as if its a k-mart one or similar, its probably 6mths+ old.

Furthermore, "Im a poor uni student with no money"

Then..

Oh its a 5.0lt V8 Ghia.. :| :P Good luck.

[sly]

Originally Posted by steppa

Thanks for the advice everyone, however it doesn't seem to be the battery as I've swapped it with one I know has plenty of juice left, but still nothing.

When I say it clicks, the sound is extremely faint (feint?) and just sounds like the computer or something is turning on, not ticking over like it does when the battery is dead.

Twice now, the engine has turned a little bit for about half a second, then nothing. REALLY BLOODY FRUSTRATING as I can't even get it home at the moment, and don't really want to call a tow truck on xmas eve.

I'll keep trying and when (if?) I find out what's wrong with it, I'll let you all know what it was.

Couple of things have caused these symptoms for me. One is the neutral switch (lever position sensor) on the side of the autobox.

Another is the immobiliser (if the car has SmartShield). The car will crank & sometimes even start, then stall, if the key isn't validated by the immobiliser. A flaky Body Electronics Module (BEM) has done this for me... a mechanic I know has seen the same symptons from a worn lock barrel with too much freeplay in the pin that senses that a key is inserted.

[Falcon87]

Steppa try the engine fuse that's located in the fuse box in the engine bay!

[steppa]

Turns out that the problem was some broken lead, which when moved in the slightest way would allow the car to start. Cost me a slab of JDs to a mechanic mate of mine to fix it, after him spending close to 5 hours looking for the problem.