We often get asked the question my engine will not start, what should I do, and the answer is no idea too many variables, it needs narrowing down, cranking but not firing, starts but then cuts out and so on
Here we are talking about, no crank, no weerweer noise, not turning over, not cranking however you like to phase it, with two exception if it cranks, stops, cranks stops cranks, or there is a high speed spinning noise but no weerweer noise
Often there are minor faults before it fails fully
Clock resetting and flashing (battery)
Cutting out, bumps, slopes, during cornering (earth cable)
delay before the rev counter registers (battery)
Needles on the dials vibrating violently (battery)
Turning more slowly (battery, earth cable, starter)
Taking longer to start (battery)
You need to turn key slowly or more firmly (ignition switch)
You need to try several times (ignition switch)
only works as you release the key slowly (ignition switch)
screeching noise release the key (starter)
Because you have lived with a minor fault for some time does not mean that it's the cause now, but it does alter the order that the next simple tests are performed
Here's mine with a fairly dead battery, the body computer has lost power and rebooted, notice the delay in the rev counter,
There no need to throw any parts at the problem, yes it's normally the battery or earth lead, everything is very easy to test. Let's suppose there is a break in the wire from the ignition switch to the starter, a repair that costs nothing, yet instead of diagnosing the problem you guess at the earth, then the battery, then the starter, then the ignition switch, you now have big bill and still no crank. Fiat kept these cars very simple, no relay, no request to crank signal and so on, its only about four wires, a switch, a starter motor and a lead acid battery, nothing more than test light/multi meter or both is needed
generic tests via scannerdanner
warning. don't hold the key in the crank position for long periods if the engine isn't turning over and the interior light dims, if the wiring to and from the starter is in good order but the starter isn't turning the amps can be huge and left connected will cause further unnecessary problems
this is the amps of a car staring normally, the big increase at the beginning is before the starter starts to turn
assuming you have a working interior light, put it on, if the light goes out on trying to crank the car check the battery also check its not a mechanical seized. Put the car in 5th and push it a bit, make sure the auxiliary belt turns
In front of you are some dials this tells you quite a lot
as a general rule if there is a bad block ground the dash lights will be wrong, immobilizer, engine check light, alternator, oil pressure are the ones I have seen. Never seen an example yet where the lights were correct, but there will always be an exceptions to the rule.
This is the correct dash sequence
Here's the dash in a car with a faulty earth, no battery, oil, engine. Plus the immobiliser shouldn't be on, the immobiliser has nothing to do with cranking, its just lost communication between the body computer and the ECU
here's me testing a 2011 1.2 with a faulty block ground, Battery negative to the camshaft cover
Is there a click or or rapid clicking from the from under the bonnet as you turn the key if yes the ignition switch is okay
High speed motor noise but no weerweer, if the starter motor is spinning fine but not turning the engine, then the problem is likely to be a failure of the Bendix either the starter most likely, or the ring gear very rare. On the petrol it should be fairly easy to see whats going on with an endoscope, from the inspection hole at the top, before crawling under the car. Without one you have no option except to remove the two bolts from the starter and inspect
I have had two ignition switches fail, at the garage the mechanic said it was very common. Both failed no click nothing, but both had a temporary work around, First one if you turned the key a little more force full it would normally to start, the other if you turned the key on then slowly released it instead of letting it go it would start. Both had the switch changed, both started of as random
You can check the ignition switch without crawling under the car
Here you can (just) the ignition switch is working and the car cranking without the ECU connected
this has checked the wiring from the ignition switch to this point, what I could have done here was to move the test light to battery positive and this would have also lit confirming continuity all the way to the starter motors via its ground
Here the it cranks, stops, cranks due to a faulty solenoid hold in coil, rare but does happen
watch the Rev counter drop at the 3 second mark then instantly pick back up again as the pull in coil is automatically reenergised
Here we are talking about, no crank, no weerweer noise, not turning over, not cranking however you like to phase it, with two exception if it cranks, stops, cranks stops cranks, or there is a high speed spinning noise but no weerweer noise
Often there are minor faults before it fails fully
Clock resetting and flashing (battery)
Cutting out, bumps, slopes, during cornering (earth cable)
delay before the rev counter registers (battery)
Needles on the dials vibrating violently (battery)
Turning more slowly (battery, earth cable, starter)
Taking longer to start (battery)
You need to turn key slowly or more firmly (ignition switch)
You need to try several times (ignition switch)
only works as you release the key slowly (ignition switch)
screeching noise release the key (starter)
Because you have lived with a minor fault for some time does not mean that it's the cause now, but it does alter the order that the next simple tests are performed
Here's mine with a fairly dead battery, the body computer has lost power and rebooted, notice the delay in the rev counter,
There no need to throw any parts at the problem, yes it's normally the battery or earth lead, everything is very easy to test. Let's suppose there is a break in the wire from the ignition switch to the starter, a repair that costs nothing, yet instead of diagnosing the problem you guess at the earth, then the battery, then the starter, then the ignition switch, you now have big bill and still no crank. Fiat kept these cars very simple, no relay, no request to crank signal and so on, its only about four wires, a switch, a starter motor and a lead acid battery, nothing more than test light/multi meter or both is needed
generic tests via scannerdanner
warning. don't hold the key in the crank position for long periods if the engine isn't turning over and the interior light dims, if the wiring to and from the starter is in good order but the starter isn't turning the amps can be huge and left connected will cause further unnecessary problems
this is the amps of a car staring normally, the big increase at the beginning is before the starter starts to turn
assuming you have a working interior light, put it on, if the light goes out on trying to crank the car check the battery also check its not a mechanical seized. Put the car in 5th and push it a bit, make sure the auxiliary belt turns
In front of you are some dials this tells you quite a lot
as a general rule if there is a bad block ground the dash lights will be wrong, immobilizer, engine check light, alternator, oil pressure are the ones I have seen. Never seen an example yet where the lights were correct, but there will always be an exceptions to the rule.
This is the correct dash sequence
Here's the dash in a car with a faulty earth, no battery, oil, engine. Plus the immobiliser shouldn't be on, the immobiliser has nothing to do with cranking, its just lost communication between the body computer and the ECU
here's me testing a 2011 1.2 with a faulty block ground, Battery negative to the camshaft cover
Is there a click or or rapid clicking from the from under the bonnet as you turn the key if yes the ignition switch is okay
High speed motor noise but no weerweer, if the starter motor is spinning fine but not turning the engine, then the problem is likely to be a failure of the Bendix either the starter most likely, or the ring gear very rare. On the petrol it should be fairly easy to see whats going on with an endoscope, from the inspection hole at the top, before crawling under the car. Without one you have no option except to remove the two bolts from the starter and inspect
I have had two ignition switches fail, at the garage the mechanic said it was very common. Both failed no click nothing, but both had a temporary work around, First one if you turned the key a little more force full it would normally to start, the other if you turned the key on then slowly released it instead of letting it go it would start. Both had the switch changed, both started of as random
You can check the ignition switch without crawling under the car
Here you can (just) the ignition switch is working and the car cranking without the ECU connected
this has checked the wiring from the ignition switch to this point, what I could have done here was to move the test light to battery positive and this would have also lit confirming continuity all the way to the starter motors via its ground
Here the it cranks, stops, cranks due to a faulty solenoid hold in coil, rare but does happen
watch the Rev counter drop at the 3 second mark then instantly pick back up again as the pull in coil is automatically reenergised
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