car wont start?! advice please

Joe_Mk5 · Post by **Joe_Mk5** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 10:21 pm

hey guys, just been out learning in my polo, turned the engine off to open the garage and tried to turn it back on but it wouldnt start?
possibly the battery?
except it was worknig fine up untill now.
any ideas?

thanks joe!

adummy · Post by **adummy** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 10:30 pm

i have this problem sometimes

keep turning the key a couple of times and it fires up

i think it might be the ignition barrel or something

how many miles your car done?

Joe_Mk5 · Post by **Joe_Mk5** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:43 am

its only done 69 000
hmmm sounds a bit odd, had to do a bump start to get it going.
must have turned the key about 10 times and nothing =/

xcore · Post by **xcore** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 1:21 am

if it does nothing at all, tried turning lights on etc?

dead battery i thinks

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 2:16 am

Hi Joe
When you tried to start it did you get the dash lights up, also did they start to fade when you tried to start it? did the engine turn over at all, how long since you last drove it, how old is the battery.
At the moment it could be a number of things, need a little bit more information.

Joe_Mk5 · Post by **Joe_Mk5** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 10:49 am

thanks for the speedy replys everyone, ill fill you in as much as possible,
the lights work, so does the dash. however when you go to turn the engine on, the dash dims. havnt tried it with the headlights on though.
the car doesnt turn over now, you can hear it trying but doesnt have enough power. it just sounds as if its struggling to turn over.

the last time i drove it was just before the battery died yesterday. everything was working fine. and that was about a hour of use. and before that was about a week.

any ideas now guys?

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:02 pm

ahh battery problem, if the battery is old it's just shagged, but as you say you was out driving in it so it should have a little charge just enough to turn it over, which means the Alternator is suspect too, check for things like boot light staying on or any other voltage draining items left on.

If you can afford it go for a Bosch heavy duty battery well worth the little extra expense if your planning on keeping the car for a while, before fitting do a low charge on the new battery. you can fit it straight on but i like to give it a boost.

with the new battery fitted and charged try a volt-meter across the battery teminals with the engine running you should be getting Charging voltage around 13.5V - 14.5V then turn on your lights or another heavy load item and check what the drop is then turn them off again and see if the voltage climbs back.

If you getting below 13 volts your alternator needs looking at..

Joe_Mk5 · Post by **Joe_Mk5** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:05 pm

thanks guys!
i put in a new battery today, only a motaman one as i have lack of funds.
all seems to be working fine now!
thanks everyone.
will do a check on the alternator soon to make sure its not that