My wifes 1991 Ford Fiesta is refusing to start. When you turn the key all you hear is a large click from somewhere in the engine bay, it doesn't turn over at all. Anyone any ideas? sticking starter motor?
TIA Alan
Flat battery or knackered starter motor probably best place to start
don't think its the battery as it started fine only an hour before it started to refuse to start.
alan
It's likely to be the solenoid clicking but there isn't enough power to turn the starter. You may well find a poor connection, either on the battery itself or where the battery cables connect to the starter or the earth point. Take themn off the battery and clean both until bright, replace and test. If no joy, remove and clean the other ends.
If no luck now, then it could be the starter. Take it off and test it direct to the battery.
Rob Graham
Flat Battery. Cold wet dark days wipers. rear demist fan and lights all on and short runs all buld up to a battery that bit by bit loses charge. Eventually there isn't enough juice to turn the engine but still enough to move the solenoid.
Before you take anything apart try and jump start it.
Once you have it running check the battery is charging with a volt meter.
If it still won't start begin checking the wiring to the starter motor, check the engine earthing straps as well.
Phil
Still could be the battery. If its running low (and not holding its charge very well) the last start may have drained most of the remaining power and the rest has just drained away. When i had a fiesta last winter the battery just died. It just wouldn't hold a charge. Ur best bet is to jump start it (in 2nd) take it for a spin (long enough to charge the battery) then switch it off and try again, if it starts then its ur battery. If not prolly ur starter motor.
I have never had a Fiesta, but some experience with other older cars. If you turn the headlight on and then try starting, does the headlight then go down when the starter relay clicks, if not you probably have a bad ground connection from chassis to engine. This is often a woven copper strap very exposed to corrosion. Make sure this connection is in order, it can be the source of both badly charging and starting.
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I'm no expert, but I have checked the +ve and -ve connections from the battery to the starter and these are fine. There is a third wire that goes to another terminal on the starter and it goes +ve when the ignition is turned and the starter relay clicks. Given the starter doesn't turn does the above suggest that the starter has gone?
To test the starter should I connect the +ve from the batter to the terminal that goes +ve on turning the ignition?
Alan
Assuming there's 12V there at this point then it sounds like a duff starter. -ve should be via the engine block
Solenoid switch... or main earth wire from battery to engine or brushes worn down in the starter motor..
JK
My wifes Fiesta (89 I think) sometimes fails to start. After replacing the battery, HT leads and plugs the problem went away but then came back.
I ended up 'wiggling' any cables I could see and that fixed it. Eventually I found it was the cable to the engine management box. Whenever the problem recurs she unplugs the cable or just moves it about a bit - and it keeps working for months.
HTH Cheers PJ
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