Technical Car not starting
- Thread starter Ali786
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Technical Car not starting
If it runs fine once bump started with no warning lights or error codes, I would check there is power to the starter motor, first make sure the main leads heavy thick leads, live and earth are all good then see if you are getting voltage to the solenoid terminal the small wire at the starter. If you are then can be the starter, though I would expect to hear some sound from it, if no voltage when turning the ignition key ( keep your self safe from moving parts!) check ignition switch for power to the starter when key turned to start position. All this is assuming you have a good fully charged battery.
A common fault on Fiats is a broken earth between the battery and the engine when you try and start the car the earth is not thick enough to allow enough power to the starter motor to flow, but all other electricals seem to work normally and you can push start the car fine usually.
Fiat usually attach the earth to the engine low on the front of the gearbox so it is subject to a lot of water and weather and corrodes over time right at the lowest point.
You can measure the voltages but there are other small earths or a small part of the main earth can still be intact so you will still measure good voltages, but what you won't get and what you shouldn't try to measure is the current that gets to the starter.
The standard test for this is to take a single jump lead and attach it to the battery earth/ground and the other end to a large non moving metal part of the engine itself. there is usually a lifting eye or some other lump of metal sticking up that makes a good contact point. Wiggle the lead around to make sure it bites into the metal a bit and creates a good contact then try and start the car on the key. If it works or the starter starts trying then chances are you have a dodgy battery earth cable.
Fiat usually attach the earth to the engine low on the front of the gearbox so it is subject to a lot of water and weather and corrodes over time right at the lowest point.
You can measure the voltages but there are other small earths or a small part of the main earth can still be intact so you will still measure good voltages, but what you won't get and what you shouldn't try to measure is the current that gets to the starter.
The standard test for this is to take a single jump lead and attach it to the battery earth/ground and the other end to a large non moving metal part of the engine itself. there is usually a lifting eye or some other lump of metal sticking up that makes a good contact point. Wiggle the lead around to make sure it bites into the metal a bit and creates a good contact then try and start the car on the key. If it works or the starter starts trying then chances are you have a dodgy battery earth cable.
I think this would be the problem because after the incident of not starting it began to start funny and making loud screeching noise before starting. And today the car never started again so I wiggled the earth wire and it started straight up
Worth replacing the earth wire entirely it goes down to the inner wheel arch/metal body of the car just below the battery and carries on to the gearbox. you can get replacement earth wires really cheaply from auto part stores as its such a common failure point.
When I had my Mk2 Punto I put a second earth between the body and the engine just to make sure I wouldn't get any more failures.
darciejr
New member
Hi, not sure if anyone will be looking at this thread anymore...
I am having same issue with my 2006 1.2 Punto, however, over the last year and a half, I have now had a new earth wire installed, a new starter motor installed, and a new starter relay installed... Still having the issue. It is completely random, sometimes goes for months without it happening, but sometimes does it multiple times in a row. But the strange thing is, it seems to correct itself after leaving it for a few minutes to a few hours...
I know for a fact that the first time it happened, it was down to the faulty earth on the battery as it actually triggered the immobiliser light to appear on my dash. However, the mechanic didn't realise this, assumed it was a starter motor issue, and replaced it when it wasn't necessary. I then found another forum that mentioned the earth wire problem which eventually led him to replace the earth, and it started.
But since that first instance, it has happened many times. No sign of immobiliser light, but exactly the same symptoms... Key in ignition, everything comes on as normal, turn the key to start and... silence. Not sure whether maybe the immobiliser could still be causing trouble even without triggering the warning light? Is it worth getting someone to wire in a direct push button start to completely bypass the immobiliser system all together? Or could it be something completely different that could still be causing this?
Any advise would be greatly appreciated!
I am having same issue with my 2006 1.2 Punto, however, over the last year and a half, I have now had a new earth wire installed, a new starter motor installed, and a new starter relay installed... Still having the issue. It is completely random, sometimes goes for months without it happening, but sometimes does it multiple times in a row. But the strange thing is, it seems to correct itself after leaving it for a few minutes to a few hours...
I know for a fact that the first time it happened, it was down to the faulty earth on the battery as it actually triggered the immobiliser light to appear on my dash. However, the mechanic didn't realise this, assumed it was a starter motor issue, and replaced it when it wasn't necessary. I then found another forum that mentioned the earth wire problem which eventually led him to replace the earth, and it started.
But since that first instance, it has happened many times. No sign of immobiliser light, but exactly the same symptoms... Key in ignition, everything comes on as normal, turn the key to start and... silence. Not sure whether maybe the immobiliser could still be causing trouble even without triggering the warning light? Is it worth getting someone to wire in a direct push button start to completely bypass the immobiliser system all together? Or could it be something completely different that could still be causing this?
Any advise would be greatly appreciated!
You can't "bypass the immobiliser system" like that.
However you seem to be indicating the starter not activating which if other work has been done unsuccessfully , may indicate the ignition switch side it's self and as you mention it was something often bypassed by a wire to the starter solenoid with ignition light on as a test, though not as easy to get to on some cars these days.
Though something we often did in the past and much older Fiats were known for poor ignition switches, Fiat 124s and others using that design of switch.
However you seem to be indicating the starter not activating which if other work has been done unsuccessfully , may indicate the ignition switch side it's self and as you mention it was something often bypassed by a wire to the starter solenoid with ignition light on as a test, though not as easy to get to on some cars these days.
Though something we often did in the past and much older Fiats were known for poor ignition switches, Fiat 124s and others using that design of switch.
darciejr
New member
Hiya, I seem to remember an old relative having an immobiliser issue with an old land-rover defender, and to get past it, they did use some sort of connection to by-pass the immobiliser... but maybe they did what you said and installed a new direct wire to the solenoid...?
Appreciate the info. Hopefully going to book it into a near by electrics specialist to see if they can sus anything out... just wanted to see if anyone else could help further my understanding of the issue...
I just don't understand how it seems to correct itself without me doing anything to it? Makes me think it could be some sort of ecu issue? Or immobiliser... or like you said, possibly ignition, but nevertheless, very strange fault!
Earlier "immobiliser systems were far easier to "bypass" if that was the problem, but generally they did not prevent starter from turning the engine, more often just stopping diesel fuel supply to the injector pump.
So just to clarify does engine turn over but not fire and although I wouldn't advise it, has the vehicle been able to start by rolling down the hill and "bump " starting. Please don't take this as advice to try "bump starting" as has been known to cause damage, so I would advise against it, though many do do it.
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darciejr
New member
No, engine not turning over, when I turn the key, there is just silence, no clicking/ticking, nothing. I would imagine a bump start would work, as it has for others with this issue, and it seems like there is nothing "mechanically" wrong with the engine. I haven't had the chance to try a bump start, as by the time I manage to gather people to help me, it normally starts by itself. That's the most annoying thing about it being such an intermittent issue. By the time I get anyone to look at it, or run diagnostics, it's usually fixed itself...
I would start by checking that when you turn the key to the start position that there was current/volts coming from there using a multimeter or similar.
The problem is if you take it to an auto electrician there is a good chance it will not happen so you will get a bill with no result
darciejr
New member
I do have a multimeter, so will have to keep that in my car from now on, and just wait for it to go wrong again... just very annoying as most of the time, I then end up stranded until either someone tows me home, or I leave it, and get a lift to it after a few hours to start it up again 
At this point, I'm willing to pay for an electrician to look at it, they may have seen this fault before, or atleast have rough idea of what it could be...
My job heavily relies on me having a reliable car, so really want to get to the bottom of this now
At this point, I'm willing to pay for an electrician to look at it, they may have seen this fault before, or atleast have rough idea of what it could be...
My job heavily relies on me having a reliable car, so really want to get to the bottom of this now
