Car trouble, help...

kapur · Post by **kapur** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 6:03 pm

My hair are starting to fall out.

The car doesn't start anymore unless jump started (Which it starts instantly).

Can anyone help me? I don't know what the trouble is, but, i believe that the battery is totally dead? (But it was replaced in January this year

) It can't be totally dead, because I've noticed that the light on the alarm isn't going out either. I had left the alarm disconnected for over 2 weeks since I had to jump start it. Even after driving around for say 10-15 mins, the car refuses to start unless jump started.

Could it be a problem with the alarm? Also, i've found a push button switch, which turns the starter motor. What is this for? Obviously it's for starting the car, but is it for emergencies? Is this supposed to bypass the immobiliser. It's driving me crazy.

I'll be picking up a haynes manual soon.

All comments and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

kapur · Post by **kapur** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:10 pm

Have been searching high and low over the net, and have come up with this thread:-

http://www.pitstopdevelopments.com/foru ... 205d6f7958

The ECU relay/fuel pump . Is this a common problem then? Strange, because after the car started, could smell the fuel, was pretty strong. Where is the fuel ECU relay or the fuel pump located?

P.S. - Will the alternator charge the battery at all if driven around with a bad ECU relay or fuel pump?

My guess is that the alternator is gone, because even after jump starting my car, and driving it down the road to the petrol pump, the car doesn't start if turned off for even a second.

pettsy · Post by **pettsy** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:42 pm

kapur wrote: My guess is that the alternator is gone, because even after jump starting my car, and driving it down the road to the petrol pump, the car doesn't start if turned off for even a second.

just going that far isn't going to recharge the battery mate. you need a good long run without using lights,heated rear window etc. The easiest option would be to disconnect the batterry off the car and charge it up using a battery charger.

Pettsy

kapur · Post by **kapur** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:58 pm

Aight their Petsy?

[edited]

Right, I drove the car home (15+ mins drive), and the car still didn't start up...

pettsy · Post by **pettsy** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:13 pm

sssssshhhhhhhhh

Don't want every man and his polo against me

If its completely flat then you really need to remove it from the car and buy/borrow a decent battery charger.

Might be an idea reading this on clubpolo
http://www.clubpolo.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14048

kapur · Post by **kapur** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:19 pm

Strange this is is that I changed the battery with a brand new one in January.

The battery has got charge in it, since the dials on the display are on.

Will check the link out, cheers buddy.

pettsy · Post by **pettsy** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:22 pm

Ideally you need to trace the wiring for that push button and see what it does. It would also be good if you could eliminate the alarm (removing the fuse if you can find it?)

One of the gt's i had used to cut out 5 mins after starting it, thought that could have been a dodgy relay, but after changing it for a known good one i traced it to some dodgy alarm wiring,removed that and all was good

kapur wrote:Strange this is is that I changed the battery with a brand new one in January.

The battery has got charge in it, since the dials on the display are on.

Will check the link out, cheers buddy.

it doesn't take that long for batterys to become discharged if they're not used regularly. Just because clock/alarm light it flashing doesn't mean its got enough power in it to turn it over

kapur · Post by **kapur** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:49 pm

Ideally you need to trace the wiring for that push button and see what it does. It would also be good if you could eliminate the alarm (removing the fuse if you can find it?)

The push button actually turns the motor over. So, i think it is some kind of by-pass. Since, it worked even with the alarm unit plugged in. The only main concern now is that the red led for the alarm stays on even after a jump start.

(The push button has two brown wires going into it (quite thick might i say)).

Will be getting hold of a newish alternator soon. Are they any easy to fit? Will i have to get underneath the car to fit it?

On the same subject, will a Bosch K1 alternator from a BMW fit my polo? I notice my polo uses a Bosch K1 alternator already. The BMW one is slightly more powerful (and it'll benefit once the ice is in).

pettsy · Post by **pettsy** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:25 pm

kapur wrote:
Will be getting hold of a newish alternator soon. Are they any easy to fit? Will i have to get underneath the car to fit it?

Why are you replacing the alternator though

The battery will go flat if it been left since january without being run a fair distance with no lights/hrwindow on etc!

Just bump starting it and running 15mins won't re-charge the battery using the alterator!

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 1:55 am

it should put enough oomph in it to just about kick it over and into life, though... it shouldn't still be "completely flat"

kapur, when you'd done the driving around etc, did it even crank the engine over once when you turned the key, move it at all (ie make any kind of noise), or was it just completely seized up?

see if you can borrow a known good battery that will fit and try driving it about regularly for a week and see what happens.

it will discharge over time without a charge going in - particularly if *anything* electrical on the car is still plugged into it (e.g, the ECU needs to keep it's memory chips alive) - but this still sounds chronic

kapur · Post by **kapur** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 1:02 pm

It's completely seized up, hence i'll be getting hold of a newer alternator.

Whats bugging me is the red light on the dash for the alarm. It doesn't seem to go out while driving around. All i get when i try to disarm the alarm with the fob a clicking sound is coming from the alarm control box.

Also, i've noticed how when i try and turn the car over with the key or even the push button, the clock on the dash slowly dims out, and if i hold the key in the starter position long enough, it resets the clock when i let go.

pettsy · Post by **pettsy** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:49 pm

kapur wrote:Also, i've noticed how when i try and turn the car over with the key or even the push button, the clock on the dash slowly dims out, and if i hold the key in the starter position long enough, it resets the clock when i let go.

thats because the battery doesn't have enough charge to turn the starter!

RE:alarm

Just disconnect it for a while! find where the power feed comes from and disconnect it!

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 8:27 pm

seconded

1. find alarm and chop the b@stard out
2. put a new battery in at least for the time being as you've probably shagged that one

kapur · Post by **kapur** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 2:40 pm

Have got the main alarm box lieing in front of me

I've got a feeling that i've disconnected the alternator from the battery while i was upgrading the battery back in january.

Have yet to confirm this though.

Cheers for the posts lads.

Mk2Adam · Post by **Mk2Adam** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:03 pm

if the alternator wasn't working then the "battery not charging" warning light would be on when your driving?