Panda Intermittent start problems and steering locking whilst driving

[AJN98]

Hello folks, I am a newbie and not at all mechanically minded so please bare with me

My Panda occasionally doesn't start. The lights on the dashboard all light up so it has power but it takes a few attempts at turning the key for anything to happen... but it only happens occasionally. So I have had a mechanic look at it. It started for them. They advised it had recently had a new start motor (I have only had the car a few months) and they couldn't say what was wrong.

My dad applied dw-40 to the key and put this in the ignition and this seems to have helped. It has been starting ok for a little while.

Today the first strange thing I noticed was that the radio did not come on when I started the car (it always comes on, in fact I don't know how to turn the thing off). Approaching speed bumps, traffic was stop / start so was very slowly going over speed bump when car stalled. Wouldn't immediately restart. After a few more attempts it did start again. Then drove home. As I was slowing down to park it became difficult to steer, and the warning light for the steering lock came on. Stopped car. Restarted and it was fine. This has happened before, again when driving slowly and was fine when engine turned off and started again.

Have since been out somewhere else, started fine, drove fine, no problems at all.

Any suggestions as to what is going on? So I can pass on information to somebody more mechanically minded than myself Thank you.

 

[koalar]

Both of my pandas have intermitant no Crank due to the ignition switch.


mine you switch on. Wait for the dash light to go out and turn the key firmly all the way round. On this one if you try and start it normally it either starts or the starter slows down until you apply a bit more pressure


the other fails if you turn the key too far. The easiest way to start this car is to turn the key too far then inch the key back very slowly until the starter engages. if you try to start it normally it will either start or do nothing. Which seems to fit your description 100 percent


as I have a work around I haven't bothered with them. You need to take the old ignition switch off before ordering as there were two different types fitted and both are still running a couple of years later


must be fairly common as I forgot to tell the MOT guy and he coped okay

 

[Wee Smurf]

When you put the key in, turn it to the first setting, wait for the lights and then turn the key the rest of the way. It needs to do its checks before starting.

The power-steering is electric, power hungry and therefore requires a good battery. If the battery is old or not charged properly, you may find that it will get heavy, fail and the warning light will come on. It normally will go off again on re-start and drive fine. As your Panda is new to you, do you know when / if the battery was changed. If you don't know, then get a new good quality one.

 

[AJN98]

Thank you I will give this a try and see what happens.

 

[DaveMcT]

The immobiliser antenna can weaken with age. Early signs are the amber padlock icon on the panel. Eventually, the ECU wont be able to recognise the ignition key ID chip. However, it's an easy fix to replace the antenna ring. If the ignition switch (that's switch not lock) is suspect, it would be wise to change both.