Technical Not turning over, clicking noise and light on

[Ez Winns]

Hi, trying to work out what's up with the Mrs 2003 punto active sport, we had issues with the steering light coming on randomly but it always seemed ok after switching engine off then on again.

I often had to put the battery booster on it to start as she was using only on short trips and not often, but was always fine.

Now it won't turn over, there is power in the battery, got booster on it too, when I turn ignition on, can hear pump, but it won't turn over at all, then there was a loud clicking noise from the fuse relay in engine, I found a diagram and appears to be relay r3, engine control relay, tried swapping this with r11 relay as it's the same but still does the same.

I've also noticed on the dash the light with they shape of a key with the word "code" is on and doesn't go off after a few seconds or does the engine management light with the rest of the dashboard lights.

Any ideas anyone?

 

[Ziggy122]

Code light disables fuel and ignition from occouring
But not cranking

If the solenoid is stuck on starter it wont engage or activate starter motor
Often a firm wack cures it

So it sounds like 2 faults
A crappy battery doesnt help the situation either by sounds of it....

Ziggy

 

[Ez Winns]

I've changed the battery over, had a spare, a bit overpowered but fits anyway. Tried knocking the starter etc, after changing battery the key code light and engine management goes off sometimes, not always, battery light flashes sometimes, the speedometer bounces between 0 and 20 mph.

Still got this loud clicking from r3 relay and no turn over.

 

[flisko]

starter motor doesnt have a connection with key code light

 

[oscar52]

Had a similar issue on my old punto. From the top looking down at the back of the engine, give the thick red lead that goes to the starter a good wiggle.


Worked on mine several times when all I got was a single loud click noise.

 

[flisko]

i had some starter problems with my hgt few weeks ago, one morning i tried to start the car and i could hear starter spinning but nothing else was happening, i thought for sure timing belt snapped, took a rock and started banging on the solenoid- nothing, so i was bumping it in second gear few times in that day to start it, right before i would lift the car up, i turned the engine off and tried to restart it, it started, i tried like 20 more times to be sure and it started everytime, still works today, strange

 

[digger58]

i had some starter problems with my hgt few weeks ago, one morning i tried to start the car and i could hear starter spinning but nothing else was happening, i thought for sure timing belt snapped, took a rock and started banging on the solenoid- nothing, so i was bumping it in second gear few times in that day to start it, right before i would lift the car up, i turned the engine off and tried to restart it, it started, i tried like 20 more times to be sure and it started everytime, still works today, strange

Pinion sticking on starter! How did you get a rock to the solenoid? It's well hidden

 

[flisko]

from top left
rock to solenoid didnt help, i tried to start it after that

 

[burrowsdeano]

Sounds like your main earth from battery to gearbox. Just attach a jump lead from the battery negative to the gearbox somewhere and give it a try.

 

[Ziggy122]

Sounds like your main earth from battery to gearbox. Just attach a jump lead from the battery negative to the gearbox somewhere and give it a try.

Anywhere on the engine works too
Engine mount is a good hit
Not the body side of the mount - but engines side

Easier to clamp onto a big bolt vs a tiny bolt that may slide off

Ziggy

 

[Ez Winns]

Cheers guys, I don't have jump leads but have a battery booster, connected it to live on battery and earthed it to engine mount, hey presto, clicking noise went away and it turned over and fired up, just need to find where the bad earth connection is now.

On a side note, the power steering was playing up, red light came on periodically and would reset after turn off and on again, could this be something to do with the bad earth or am I likely lumped with a new power steering motor and taking it to garage to get coded?

 

[oscar52]

Bad earth or weak battery can cause issues with the power steering motor

 

[burrowsdeano]

Follow your battery earth down from the terminal on the battery, check/clean where it bolts to the body. Then check where it bolts to the gearbox which is under the battery box. Make sure you give the cable a good tug at all the connection points. They have a tendency to corrode and brake under the heat shrink. Will probably look fine but with a good pull the cable will probably come away from the terminal. I've replaced dozens of them