engine starts but stops after 1 second

rica1981 · Post by **rica1981** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 2:09 pm

Hi,

Got an intermittent problem with my â€˜95 1.3CL:

When starting, the engine starts but will often die after 1 second. Giving it some throttle sometimes seems to help but sometimes the engine just wont keep going.

Called the RAC out twice:

1st time the car started fine by the time they arrived. They said it was probably a temp sensor problem: ie. the ECU thinking its way colder than it is and flooding the engine. He recommended opening the throttle as I start the engine to burn the excess fuel .

This worked for a couple of weeks, but now the problem is worse.

2nd time I called the RAC out they said it was probably an immobiliser problem. I mostly use a non-official key I got made 2 years ago, but even using original key and the problem still occurs. The RAC man thought the immobiliser might have a memory problem and suggested getting VW to re-program the immobiliser to recognise the keys. He also said it might be the amplifier portion of the immobiliser

Anyone go any thought? Iâ€™m really worried Iâ€™ll take it to VW, get ripped off and get the wrong thing fixed.

cheers

omicron · Post by **omicron** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 4:05 pm

Immobilser/fuel pump seems to be the way to go for me. Assuming it's an electric pump on those, can you hear it priming?

rica1981 · Post by **rica1981** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 4:36 pm

not sure what a fuel pump priming is suposed to sound like. is it that faint 3 second whir folowed by a click when you turn on the electrics? Just been out to have a listen and as per usual, the fault has disappeared when help is at hand! There seems to be no pattern to it; hot/cold day, hot/cold engine makes no difference, sometimes its fine sometimes its not!

omicron · Post by **omicron** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 7:37 pm

That's the noise.

rica1981 · Post by **rica1981** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 7:59 pm

Iâ€™ve still got the problem and its getting worse!

Iâ€™m convinced itâ€™s the immobiliser system as disconnecting the immobiliser produced exactly the same problem. Sometimes moving the steering column magically cures the problem but it doesnâ€™t always work and Iâ€™ve tired looking inside the steering column and fuse box area for any loose wires but none to be seen! (just a hornets nest of wires everywhere! The car seems to be at itâ€™s worst when its really hot (ie. around mid day when the sun has made the air in the cabin hot, not when the engine is hot.)

Any one else had a problem like this?

Any idea how much it might cost to get the immobiliser fixed/replaced?

Cheers