I got into my 1996 40,000 mile, bog standard, yellow sporting this morning put the key in……..nothing.
I noticed the digital clock read 0000, the key code and lambada sensor light started flashing on and off and I could hear a clicking noise from the engine compartment on the passenger side. I tried a few times, but the starter wouldn’t fire. The same thing happened a few weeks ago, but started the second time I tried and hasn’t missed a beat until now. I didn’t have time this morning for checking anything, so used the wife’s car instead. Is it a sticking starter motor or anything to do with the reprogramming the keys? (I have the red key). Any help would be really appreciated.

1st thing to check is the battery to see if its holding a charge.clicking noise would most likely be the starter solenoid not getting enough power to engage.let us know how you get on.

Earth or positive leads from battery coming adrift?

:yeahthat:

Hi,
Check the battery and earth leads around the engine bay...

Thanks
Paul T

Thanks for the advice. I will check the battery and connections tommorrow.
I am the second owner of the car and have had it 5 years and have never changed the battery, so you may be right. But i think it may be a bit more serious.

Doubt it

Cheers

D

After reading a few more posts on this excellent forum i went home and dug the red key out, put it in the ignition, turned it then put the blue key in, result everything back to normal, car started instantly. (didn't even touch the battery). Seems to be just another one of those episodes that gives the cinquecento "character" believe me i've had a few.

Here we go again.
After a week of no problems my cinq was up to its old tricks again. Maybe it really was the battery this time, so with the ignition on and all the dash warning lights flashing and clicking again I tried the electric window switch………..nothing, then I tried the headlight switch and to my surprise all the lights went out on the dash and the clicking stopped and everything was back to normal, my cinq started perfectly. I think I have an earth fault somewhere. I took the battery out, cleaned up the terminals and the end of the leads and put it back in, then made sure the contacts were tight (the clamp was fun to put back on). I checked the earth points in the engine bay they looked fine to me. Are there anymore earth points to look out for, maybe under the car that could be corroded or do you think it is something else.

wozwoz said:

Here we go again.
After a week of no problems my cinq was up to its old tricks again. Maybe it really was the battery this time, so with the ignition on and all the dash warning lights flashing and clicking again I tried the electric window switch………..nothing, then I tried the headlight switch and to my surprise all the lights went out on the dash and the clicking stopped and everything was back to normal, my cinq started perfectly. I think I have an earth fault somewhere. I took the battery out, cleaned up the terminals and the end of the leads and put it back in, then made sure the contacts were tight (the clamp was fun to put back on). I checked the earth points in the engine bay they looked fine to me. Are there anymore earth points to look out for, maybe under the car that could be corroded or do you think it is something else.

Click to expand...

now i had something similar before i put the turbo lump in my yellowun, it would start perfectly, another time it wouldnt and just click, give it afew seconds and it would start fine. This would only happen every now and then so i came to the conclusion that i had some loose conections somewhere. After investigating it turned out my battery was fit to explode as it has swelled up so much due to no water in it! Needless to say the battery was buggered & i got a new one but im supprised it got me back & forwards to kent 3 days in a row just before i even realised the problem!!!

Re: Cinquecento won’t start

Interesting posts as I seem to be having similar problems with the smaller 'S' cinquecento, a 1996 N reg 899cc
The car, a very recent purchase by my daughter, for no apparent reason would not start again after having just been driven half a mile along to the shops.
It seemed that giving a sharp tap on the starter solenoid, it would work.
From then on, the car would start some times but equally not others.
On these occasions when it will not start, with the key turned in the ignition, there is no noise at all...no click from the solenoid....nothing.
The lights work and do not dim when the key is turned.
I changed the starter and cleaned off the earth points, bolts and washers into which the negative battery cable links on the off-side inner wing area.
At that point, each time I turned the key, the starter would operate no problem. So, the daughter went away happy....me too !!
HOWEVER, 5 days later, she is back on the phone again. Its not starting again. Same problem. No solenoid click. Nothing.
So, I am at a bit of a loss.
I have an almost new battery on charge tonight and will put this in tomorrow and hope that this will do the trick.
Is the starter switch known to be a problem?
Difficulty is, if it is that, we only have the blue key. I suppose that could cause a bit of a hassle if that needs to be changed.
You may know different.
Any new ideas would be welcome.
:bang:

Re: Cinquecento won’t start

can u hear the fuel pump priming on the occasions where its not starting. Ive never had a s/sx so don't know if you can normally hear the pump but with a sporting you can.

If you can't hear the fuel pump (when u can normally) when its not starting, then its sounding more like the imobiliser playing up. Try disconnecting the wiring harness to the ECU, and cleaning up any dodgy looking contacts in there.

Re: Cinquecento won’t start

Another idea could be the ignition barrel itself, I've a kind of niggly fault on mine that depending on how much pressure you put on it while turning the key dictates wether the pump primes or not.

Liam

Since i topped up the battery and cleaned the terminals with a wire brush and made sure everything was nice and tight, my car has been fine. I still have my doubts about such an easy cure, and every time i get in my car i think it won't start, hopefully this will fade with time. Life with a cinq.............never dull.

Hi, bit late in the day to answer this probably but I had similiar probs with my sporting a few months back. Turned out it was the main relay which is white and to the top right as you look at the engine. Cost about £17 from fiat and very simple to replace, no probs since.

I'd personnally blame it on a bad engine chassis earth