Hi all,

I've been having problems starting the car in the morning. Well, it always started 1st time but it sounded like the starter motor was being very lazy or jamming. Not a lot of noise or a very slow turn-over then spring into life.

I took it to a mechanic I know to see if he could spot the problem from the sound of it and he had a pull around in the engine bay (not sure where as I was in the driver seat). Now there is no noise, no turn-over, nothing at all when I turn the key.

It may just be coincidence but if something is knocked loose, I would rather drive it into the garage than have to get it towed in.

Any ideas about what could cause it to just cease to turn-over?

Thanks for any advice you can offer,
Lee

*EDIT* The car is a '98 Fiat Bravo TD 100 SX (Diesel)

i had a case of this on mine, dealer had changed battery before delivery, cross thread the positive terminal, which then bounced of when my wife drove over a speed bump. everything seized there and then.

check the battery connections are TIGHT

starter solenoid connection, at a guess. Is a thin live wire that goes to the starter. Not to be confused with the thick wire going to the starter 9although check this too) . have a look and see if its broken loose.

In any case it sounds like the starter was giving trouble before, it may be the starter itself or the wiring to it, also the battery / engine earth strap. If it does nothing now then maybe something has come off with the messing about.

You should always hear a click when the ignition is turned on = that's the starter relay / solenoid. If it's dodgy it might click but not actually connect the starter. As a test you can (carefully) touch a wire between the starter live supply (thick red cable) and the terminal for the relay (thin wire from wiring loom), that should do the same as turning the key.