Intermittent starting problem FIAT PUNTO 1.2, 2004, 60000 miles regularly serviced
Have read through lots of threads on starting problems but nothing quite matches my situation and I’m hoping that my symptoms will suggest some obvious things to check before I take it back to the garage - which is likely to prove expensive.
Car can start/run fine for weeks then when I come to start up, either from cold or even after stopping for 10 minutes, turn the key and just just get a single click and/or ticking sound, generally engine doesn’t turn over at all. Clock reading (time clock not speedo) goes to zero. Will then sometimes start OK. Has happened in cold/warm/wet, weather doesn’t seem to make a difference.
Car will always start easily with a small push. Also has started on one occasion when hand break let off whilst in gear and car rolled forward about a foot and then engine turned over fine.
Last week EOMD light came on during a long run in daylight ie no lights being used (car went into limp home mode). Stayed on despite several stops but had gone off by the time we got back to our local garage. Diagnostics showed ‘low voltage to battery’ in the memory.
The roads round here are not great, very uneven and lots of potholes so the car does get bounced about a bit, don't know if that is significant.
Don’t know if these symptoms are all due to the same thing but would appreciate any thoughts.

Sounds like it could be your battery to me. If it's dying it may not always be able to provide the current needed to run the starter motor.

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arnie1971 said:

Sounds like it could be your battery to me. If it's dying it may not always be able to provide the current needed to run the starter motor.

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i would like to believe its the battery if it was old

but it crys out to me - Starter motor is tired
the fact it clicks and dash dies it sounds like the motor is weak = Pulling huge amps and car fails to start
Click is often just relay moving - not solenoid activating

Bumping in gear to move starter motor around = Car starts is what makes me wonder

Pot holes dont do any car any good -
But the worry that the EML (engine managment light) came on and limp home mode makes me think 1 sensor is getting jolted and not making a sufficient connection

The car wont go into limp home mode if the battery is low
the car keeps running till it cant no more (he says when his alternator failed and battery was weak)

Ziggy

For EML, code read.

For the rest, I suspect a poor earth or battery contact. Undo, clean, smear with silicone grease, tighten up.

Failing that, check out the starter moror connections and, finally, the starter motor itself.

Thanks for all your comments, much appreciated. Will check out your suggestions.

I suggested battery because I've been having similar issues with mine. Replaced the battery last week and is working fine now. I have replaced it with something kicking out more amps so that might also have helped.

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