Hi, my car is a 1999 Seicento Sporting that likes to delight and frustate in equal measure. It had some problems starting last autumn, new battery seemed to fix them but the car hasn't been used much since then until the beginning of this month. Right then...

In the last two days my car has been giving me me the same problem. The electrics seem to be working until I turn the key to start the engine, when the whole lot suddenly stops. Generally no sound of the starter, just the key-turn click and sterile silence (although the very last time it mustered about a tenth of a second's effort before going quiet).

The unusual part - pulling the bonnet release, apart from the clunk of the mechanism I hear a steady clicking (akin to using the indicators, though possibly a bit faster) for 2-3 seconds alongside a whirring sound (still no signs of life from the lights etc), after which the engine will start with a little struggle and a bit of throttle as encouragment to stay alive.

I can't see the bonnet release cable fouling on anything obvious, so I'm confused as to how this seeming non-electrical component is my apparent saviour, or what the problem could be that this would temporarily fix it.

I'm clearly short on knowledge and diagnostic ability, any help you can give would be greatly appreciated

Jamie

Does sound like either a loose connection or an earth fault.

Get some vaseline, take off the earth straps in the engine bay, clean up both ends (wire brush, emery cloth, etc.) coat with vaseline, re-attach.

You can check if it is an earth fault by getting a single jumper lead, putting one end on the negative battery terminal, and the other on a solid peice of the engine.

Don't discount that one of the battery terminals may be a bit loose.

The movement of the bonnet cable or bonnet is definately changing something, so go with the jump lead test, and check all the earths.

Cheers

Gormless Cretin

Thank you for the responses, I'll investigate along those lines tomorrow and report back.

It's fixed.

It was a case of the negative battery terminal being loose . It didn't seem to be from appearance but tightening things up does seem to have cured it, at least for now (this little tyke hasn't been a great confidence builder).

Thank you for your responses, some of it helped today and the rest may well help in the future. You have my gratitude

Good it's sorted. They are very tough little cars.