Technical Any help please..

[julie43]

Hello everyone.
I have a fiat bravo 1.4. My problem is this: the car starts fine when its been standing overnight or for a while but when I drive it anywhere, even a couple of miles, turn it off then try to start it again, it doesn't start. I had a re con alternater and new battery last year, it doesn't seem to be overheating, the temp guage goes upto just under half way then stays there, unless I'm stuck in traffic, and no lights light up on the dashboard. When I've drove it a couple of miles then turn it off and try to restart it, it doesn't even turn over, there's nothing, then I leave it for about half an hour and it starts fine! Any ideas on what it could be before I take it to a garage and get told its a whole load of stuff and being no whizz with cars would believe it? I need petrol and daren't take it as it broke down on the forecourt last time and the staff had to push me off...bit embarrassing! But after leaving it half an hour it started first time, any ideas would be great.

 

[Ffoxy]

Firstly, a BIG Welcome to The Fiat Forum!

OK for a starters (scuze the pun) either get someone to check the battery condition & connections are clean & secure or do it yourself if you can cope, the connections should not move at all when pushed around a bit. The battery earth to the car body should also be checked along with the connections to the starter motor. I would have thought you would get a dash light lit up if the immobilizer was operating.

 

[julie43]

Thanks for replying Ffoxy, I'll go and have a wriggle on what wires I can see for now then see how it goes when I have to out in it next!

 

[Ffoxy]

Be careful wire wiggling... dont tug on wires but use the connectors as your point of contact... you wont get a shock but be sure you dont have dangling jewelry & do it with the engine switched off & cold!

 

[julie43]

I went and checked the battery connections were secure and they don't move at all and checked what wires I could see seemed secure which they did, apart from 1 which I don't know if it should be connected to something or not...really need to invest in a manual! It hangs down from the wires which go in front of the washer container on the passenger side and has a clip that seems you have to push in to unclip it, like a telephone socket kind of clip where you have to pust the bit in to connect the phone to the wall socket, if you know what I mean...don't know if it's supposed to just hang down (and no idea where its supposed to go if it isn't), so it looks like a trip to a garage anyway. Thanks for helping me out though, I appreciate it .

 

[Ffoxy]

Dont worry too much about the dangly wire, that wont be a part of it as the car does start after while. Manufacturers use common wiring looms for each model, your car may not have anything to connect to fitted. Let us know what your garage says... And good luck...

 

[Izo]

Sounds like a main relay problem.

 

[julie43]

Thanks Izo. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to attempt it, changing the spark plugs and leads is my limit under the bonnet, but could anyone let me know if it's a major thing to fix if that is the problem?

 

[Izo]

Well, the main relay thing is more of Honda thing, sorry
Read this instead:
https://www.fiatforum.com/bravo-brava/172369-starting-trouble.html
Try searching the forum for 'hot start' - you'll find numerous for the 1.4 and the link I provided is just one of many you should look into. Crank shaft sensor comes to mind among many causes :S

 

[reddy4bed]

If the engine does not turn over then its really only starter motor.
T.

 

[bluejohn125]

???????

Nobody said the engine won't turn over, why confuse the isue with starter motors and engine earths ???

It seems that it spins OK but just won't fire up, so the usual suspects like crankshaft, temperature or other sensors not being right..

As usual, the best bet is to first get the engine management unit diagnosed for error messages by an autoelectrician or competent garage, and take it from there...

 

[julie43]

Thank you to everyone who's helped me out with what might be causing the problem. I'm going to attempt to get some more petrol soon, (with someone ready to help push me off the forecourt!) then will take it to get it checked. Will post once I know what it is, thanks again.