Technical Non-starter

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Technical Non-starter

Joined
Sep 12, 2012
Messages
10
Points
5
Location
Colne, Lancs
Hi everyone. :)

I have owned a 55 plate Croma Prestigio 150 auto now for a few months. Not been perfect and have a number of issues (liveable with) – up until now!

Drove to Liverpool last week stopped the car and then came to start it again – nothing.

Everything lights up (battery is 3 months old) and all green to go, foot on brake turn key nothing happens. Remaining lights on check remain unaltered; no warning lights or click even – dead. Tried a few times still no go. Got in and out of car – no go. After about 5 mins though it started and all was fine.

Tried to ignore it and forget it happened – optimistic as always. However, did it again 2 days later – Friday. This time no sign of life after a half hour so rang RAC. After I got a call later from the nice RAC man to say he would be with me shortly I tried once more – still no go. He then arrived and it started first time!!

So I have an intermittent problem and now dare not go anywhere in case it returns. The car is booked into my local garage on Wednesday to have a faulty thermostat fitted – lousy mpg as been running far too cool – so I intend to ask them to look into it but, as it is intermittent and the RAC chap said would not show up on diagnostics it’s not likely they will find problem.

However, I have a big clue, when I get into car and I press brake pedal to allow starter to function the pedal is SOLID; it’s like standing on a brick! When car is behaving there is give in the pedal as I press it before turning key.

I seem to recall that the issue happened possibly once before, just after I had had the new battery fitted – I was outside the shop where I had just bought and fitted it. It did it once and then was OK.

I desperately need to get to the bottom of the issue as I soon have a lot of regular trips some miles away and need to know I am not going to get stuck again.

Can anyone please advise me?
:bang:
 
It sounds like you have a brake problem. Either your handbrake cable is sticking (frozen?) or a caliper or master/slave cylinder is letting air in.
If it does it again, see if your brake lights come on when you press the brake pedal. If not then the immobiliser isn't getting the message that you are pressing the brake, because the pedal doesn't travel far enough.
 
I agree with Halilson, It looks like the brake hydraulic pressure is not releasing therefore pressing the pedal does not give enough travel to actuate the brake switch, it's a pity you didn't have a manual, you could have tried the clutch instead. I would not like to say what the probable culprit is but the master cylinder recuperation valve sounds a prime suspect.
 
Would there be an easy to check? Should there be fluid leaking from somewhere or would the fluid reservoir be lower than normal?
 
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