Technical Car won't start - urgent help needed

[Killeybh]

Hey all,

Haven't driven the car for two weeks, wouldn't start. Bump started it but as I was driving I was loosing electrical systems like power steering, abs, hillstart and so on. It would come back and then cut off again with warning lights on the dash. I had to two constant lights both exclamation marks with a triangle around.

Car eventually lost power and died. Now won't start again. All I get is a clicking noise from the start motor.

Have changed battery, tried jump start from another car and given the starter motor a whack whilst trying to start it. Nothing.

Could this be one thing or is it both starter motor and alternator are nakered? Seems odd for both to go at the same time.

Any help much appreciated

 

[Snails]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, please.<br />
I think bumpstarting a modern car is a savagery that shouldn't happen. Forcing the engine to start without its governing electronics can't be good. The only cars you can bumpstart without damaging them are the ones with carburetors and the old diesels with a mehanical injection system.
Find the ground cable and give it a good clean. If it starts or not you should still take it to a shop that has dedicated Fiat diagnostics software to see if something broke in the process.

 

[varesecrazy]

Hey all,

Haven't driven the car for two weeks, wouldn't start. Bump started it but as I was driving I was loosing electrical systems like power steering, abs, hillstart and so on. It would come back and then cut off again with warning lights on the dash. I had to two constant lights both exclamation marks with a triangle around.

Car eventually lost power and died. Now won't start again. All I get is a clicking noise from the start motor.

Have changed battery, tried jump start from another car and given the starter motor a whack whilst trying to start it. Nothing.

have a read of this;
https://www.fiatforum.com/grande-punto/318839-electrical-gremlin-thread.html

so - when it bumped did the battery symbol ( charge light) go out..??

if it' still on the alternator isn't putting enough power into the battery..
however it SHOULD go with a decent battery..

I'd check the EARTH cable for corrosion 1st.. then use a jumper cable - as in the GUIDE,
Charlie

 

[Killeybh]

Thanks for the help. Have tried everything above and still won't start. Don't even get clicking from the starter motor anymore. have triangle with exclamation mark in and engine light on now.

Anymore ideas?

 

[varesecrazy]

Thanks for the help. Have tried everything above and still won't start. Don't even get clicking from the starter motor anymore. have triangle with exclamation mark in and engine light on now.

Anymore ideas?

ok - basics,


put the key in , turn to MAR, does the key symbol light ..then go out,

does the fuel pump - under rear seat - BUZZ for 5 to 10 seconds..??

if these don't work it'll not start . run

however your lack of cranking is ODD,so what happened with the jump lead from battery to metal..??

 

[Andy Monty]

Try bypassing the earth strap see FAQ section

 

[Killeybh]

Thanks for the help. Yep lights come on and go off. Fuel pump buzzes. Jump leads to metal produces a spark.

Could it just be the starter motor? If it was I'm guessing that wouldn't lead to engine light being on or would it?

 

[flisko]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, please.<br />
I think bumpstarting a modern car is a savagery that shouldn't happen. Forcing the engine to start without its governing electronics can't be good. The only cars you can bumpstart without damaging them are the ones with carburetors and the old diesels with a mehanical injection system.
Find the ground cable and give it a good clean. If it starts or not you should still take it to a shop that has dedicated Fiat diagnostics software to see if something broke in the process.

what will get damaged with bump start? cat?

 

[Avocet]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, please.<br />
I think bumpstarting a modern car is a savagery that shouldn't happen. Forcing the engine to start without its governing electronics can't be good. The only cars you can bumpstart without damaging them are the ones with carburetors and the old diesels with a mehanical injection system.
Find the ground cable and give it a good clean. If it starts or not you should still take it to a shop that has dedicated Fiat diagnostics software to see if something broke in the process.

No, they should be fine (assuming manual transmission, of course). Not sure what it would do to a dual mass flywheel though. Electronics should be on if the ignition is on. Clearly not in the case of the OP, but if it's just a normal case of a flat battery and no other faults, there shouldn't be a problem with making the engine turn via its driven wheels rather than the starter motor.

 

[Avocet]

what will get damaged with bump start? cat?

Cat should be fine. You can kill cats by dumping lots of unburned fuel into them, but that shouldn't happen as I'm pretty certain most engine management systems won't open their injectors unless they see a signal from the crank and / or cam sensors to let it know the engine is turning - possibly even a signal to let it know there's a spark there in the case of a petrol engine too.

 

[Avocet]

Thanks for the help. Yep lights come on and go off. Fuel pump buzzes. Jump leads to metal produces a spark.

Could it just be the starter motor? If it was I'm guessing that wouldn't lead to engine light being on or would it?

Having put a jump lead from the battery negative to the engine block, try a SECOND jump lead, ALSO from the battery negative (just clip it on the the clip of the first jump lead that's already on the battery terminal) and run it to a good earthing point on the BODY. Try starting it with both those on and report back. Make sure it's a good earth, and not a stud that has been painted.

 

[varesecrazy]

Thanks for the help. Yep lights come on and go off. Fuel pump buzzes. Jump leads to metal produces a spark.

Could it just be the starter motor? If it was I'm guessing that wouldn't lead to engine light being on or would it?

the fact you're getting a spark from the jump lead ..means it's making a decent connection - possibly the MAIN connection

at the bottom of the gremlin thread there is advice on using 2 x EARTH jumper cables.. do that, also check fusebox for damp (again)

IF the starter is faulty..you've also got another issue ( as it won't bump start now..) - rule out the basic power connections 1st

good luck - let us know what you find,

Charlie - Oxford

 

[Killeybh]

Thanks for the help from everyone. Tried two jump cables, nothing. Cleaned the earth and now I don't even get clicking from the starter motor.... still have engine management and the triangle with an exclamation mark on. Fuse box is fine. Took it off and had a good look at it.
Where the earth is secured to the body, just under the battery, there is a bit of plastic which is stopping it from touching the body of the car. I presume this is to stop the nut rattling off and it will have always been there but I thought it odd...

Any other ideas?

 

[varesecrazy]

Thanks for the help from everyone. Tried two jump cables, nothing. Cleaned the earth and now I don't even get clicking from the starter motor.... still have engine management and the triangle with an exclamation mark on. Fuse box is fine. Took it off and had a good look at it.
Where the earth is secured to the body, just under the battery, there is a bit of plastic which is stopping it from touching the body of the car. I presume this is to stop the nut rattling off and it will have always been there but I thought it odd...

Any other ideas?

disconnect the battery for a couple of hours.. ideally give it a top-up charge,
then try again..,
its possible something has wandered out of spec..

the ECU should default to factory setting with the reboot

where are you / the car based..??

 

[Avocet]

Is the triangle the immobiliser symbol?

 

[varesecrazy]

Is the triangle the immobiliser symbol?

don't think so - they said the immob circuit was fine - and the fuel pump runs..

something odd going on - or they've missed something simple.

 

[Avocet]

Fair point. Much of it sounds like what happened to my daughter's car. I ended up changing a perfectly good starter motor, only to find that the main earth strap had corroded away INSIDE its insulation just above the crimped terminal that goes on to the body earth stud on the chassis leg. I had, of course, tried the jump lead-to-engine-block trick with no success, but what I had failed to realise is that the break in the earth ALSO prevented electricity getting to the body, so although the starter was well earthed through the engine block and jump lead, there was no earth for the ignition feed to the solenoid. However, the second jump lead to the body sorted that out for me - but by then I'd changed the starter!

 

[matts07punto]

Killeybh, going through this problem myself and was wondering how you are doing. What's the latest?
Regards

 

[varesecrazy]

Killeybh, going through this problem myself and was wondering how you are doing. What's the latest?
Regards

hi,
heard nothing from Killeybh for a month now..:shrug:

what exactly is your problem ..??

the FAQ's in the GP section are a great place to start.

Charlie - Oxford

 

[ArthurM]

Hi. That's one of the annoying things on the forum, is that we get very little feedback on on issues, people ask and get good advice for free for no return.