VW Lupo Starter Not trying.

Hello

My MIL during reversing up the drive stalled today, then the car would not start. Firstly more about the car.

VW LUPO 1.4i Petrol About 5 years old.

What it does.

Key in, ignition on, all the dash lights are fine, then turn the key to the start position, nothing... The starter solenoid or motor do not try to turn or move. As normal the internal fans and radio turn off, all lights remain as normal, it is not producing a strain on the battery at this stage as if something has seized.

Thinking it may be the immobiliser, I try a bump start down the road, fine, bump starts and will drive ok. No warning dash lights etc..

Stop the car and it will not fire the starter up again.

We then decided to take it to the VW garage, so off we went...It was closed.

Upon getting home, I tried it again... and all is now fine. No problems, tried it a few times all ok. So what went wrong.

I don't think the starter had seized, I would expect it to either spin and the solenoid not fire into the fly wheel, or the solenoid to fire and the motor not spin??

Fuse, loose, I did push them all in and check (internal fuse box). Don't know which one it is, could not work out the picture.

Relay, I have been doing a little googleing and this stinks of a stuck/sticking relay??

Electrical connections to starter etc??

So my question is, does anyone know where the relays are for this car (it was dark) and which one is the starter relay and where can I get one from?? (Main VW dealer I suspect).

Any other ideas please?? Do you people agree that it sounds like a sticky relay??

Reply to
PhilÅ
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Does it have a 'clutch must be depressed before starting' switch? Or is it auto? If neither then AFAIK the wiring is direct from ignition switch to starter, no separate relay. First possibility is worn starter motor brushes. Second, it is the ignition switch itself. Next time it does it use a jumper wire between the two wire connections on the starter. (one is from the battery, the other from the ignition switch. If it spins over then there is either a wiring fault or an ignition switch fault. If it doesn't there is either a major wiring fault in the big lead to the starter (unlikely) or the starter is u/s.

mrcheerful

Reply to
mrcheerful

I don't think so, we have never pressed the clutch to start before. It is a manual.

If this is the case, would it try to fire into the flywheel regardless of the spinning, or is this part of the starter motor and bushes??

The starter does sound a little rough as if the brushes may be failing. I remember the sound of the washing machine trying to spin at full when the bushes where on there way out, sounds like this, can they be changed easily like a old washing machine or it a garage whole starter replacment??

VW Lupo 1.4 Petrol 5 yr old??

Reply to
PhilÅ

"PhilÅ" wrote

The brushes have failed. You may be able to wring a tiny bit more out of them by walloping the starter motor with a hammer but in the medium to long term you need new brushes at the very least, and realistically a new starter motor.

Reply to
Knight Of The Road

Cheers Vince

Do you know if the starter replacement on this model (1.4 Petrol VW YR 2000) is easy to replace for a novice.

I do have a large pit in the garage, a couple of bolts and a connector?? Looks accessible.

And the best place to buy, probably new as she will be keeping the car for a while.

Reply to
PhilÅ

Before you go buying a starter you need to be sure it's being fed from the switch. I don't think it is. If it was the brushes in the starter at fault you would be getting at least a click from the solenoid.

Steve

Reply to
shazzbat

Ohh, right, so we are back to a relay issue?

Reply to
PhilÅ

Probably not. It's far more likely to be the switch.

Get a test lamp, ie bulb and two wires, connect one end to the (small) terminal on the starter which is the feed from the ignition switch. Connect the other end to earth. Operate the switch and the light should come on. If it doesn't come on, then it's probably the switch, it could be the wiring between the switch and the starter, but the switch is the more likely culprit. If it does come on but the starter doesn't do anything, then the problem lies in the starter.

Steve

Reply to
shazzbat

NO. The relay (solenoid ) on the starter earths itself to operate through the brushes, no brush connection, no relay click.

mrcheerful

Reply to
mrcheerful

So when the solenoid connects it has 12V at both terminals & then disconnects Are you sure?

Reply to
Duncanwood

100 percent sure, take one to bits and have a look. or prove it foryour self, leave the big incoming cable and the little solenoid wires connected, but disconnect the second big wire, the one that takes power into the main bit of the starter, you will find that the relay no longer clicks, showing that it earths through the brushes.

mrcheerful

Reply to
mrcheerful

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