Help!! - Starting Issues.

[Messer]

Hi chaps,

Found the site by chance, and it's already proved to be a great resource!

I have a 2004 1.9dci Dynamique which when it is running right is a great car, but those days seem to be few and far between at the mo!....

My biggest problem is that it only starts when it wants to - not good when she who must be obeyed is due to give birth at any moment! When going through the usual procedure by inserting card, pressing brake and pushing the starter button, instead of the usual single audible "click" followed by the engine starting, I'm getting 3 audible "clicks" followed by a "steering locked" message (the "service" light has also been known to illuminate).

I've had a bit of a search on the site and can't quite find an exact match for this fault, but I may just be looking in the wrong place! Does this sound familiar to anyone, and if so, please tell me it's a quick, inexpensive fix!!

Hope you can help - thanks for looking.

[MONDO9]

Your battery might be on the road out mate.
Happened to me the other day...several clicks then the lights on the dash and clocks went haywire. Got a jump start and all was fine.

Worth a try anyhoo!

S

[Messer]

Thanks for the response!

Going to give it a try once I leave work - the car has stranded the wife at the mother in laws.....

[nickbell69]

Thanks for the response!

Going to give it a try once I leave work - the car has stranded the wife at the mother in laws.....

I'd look on the bright side at least it wasn't you stranded at the in laws

[AlexB]

Good point! Say that you'll fix it when it gets warmer.

Thanks for the response!

Going to give it a try once I leave work - the car has stranded the wife at the mother in laws.....

I'd look on the bright side at least it wasn't you stranded at the in laws

[nickbell69]

don't connect the negative to the negative terminal. Clip it the the frame or engine block.

Why not the neg terminal? Jumped mine when battery went like that and come to think of it so did breakdown guy

[AlexB]

nickbell69,

Friz wrote it, not me.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7681&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a#p51592
Could you please edit your post accordingly.

[Messer]

Spookily enough, the car decided it had stayed at the in-laws long enough and fancied a change of scenery!

Got a lift home from a mate who's a bit handy with all things electrical and we tested the battery, alternator and all 4 of the glow plugs (using a really useful guide on this site!), and guess what - everything's fine!! To top it off, the car has been idling like a bag of spanners intermittantly of late, and even that seems to have ironed itself out so I'm at a complete loss as to what to do next!! The problem is that there's a nagging doubt in the back of my mind that it will happen again, I just don't know when......

Perhaps it's time for a change.....