GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk6 => Topic started by: Pld118 on 12 September 2014, 20:52
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Hi,
My wife was just out for a short run in the GTi, parked it and returned to it after a few minutes on a car park but the car wouldn't start.
She turned the ignition key, all of the ignition lights came on as usual and the car gave what she describes as almost like a little cough as if trying to fire up and start but then that noise gave way to a click click click click click sound.
A further attempt to start the car via the ignition key resulted in the key being turned, no sound you would associated with firing the car up and in fact the only sound then heard was click click click click click.
The car has recently had a new timing tensioner, associated components and a new timing chain fitted by the main dealer under warranty.
Since buying the car in March this year, from the outset I have documented queries with the VW main dealer that I believed the starter motor was 'on it's way out' due to what I felt was a fly wheel type grinding noise on start up. Ultimately (and within the past 2 months) the main dealer concluded that the starter motor was fine and that the noises I could hear were in fact associated with the failing timing chain tensioner/ components.
The car has a full Das Welt Approved Used warranty.
Could anyone please advise as to whether they think the cause could be:
1. Timing chain related?
2. Failing battery?
3. Failing starter motor?
4. Failing alternator?
5. Something else?
Hopefully someone can please give me some insight based upon their own experience before I contact VW assistance and/ or the main dealer in the morning.
Thanks in advance.
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Sounds like starter not engaging give it a thumb
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Thump
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"Thump" = jump start?
Thanks for reply.
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Physically hit the starter motor I think he means
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Check the battery with a meter, then maybe use a rubber hammer to hit the solenoid attached to the starter motor. Check the cables fot tightness at the battery and also the ones at the starter motor.
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Ahem... Thank you... If that then enables the car to then start, does that mean that the starter motor is done for?
Ps... Where does one find the starter motor?
:laugh:
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Ave never looked from the poit of view cars nowadays have muckle plastic sheets slung underneath them for aerodynamics and are a pure bugger to take off and put back on. Should be the way down in the bowels either on the left or the righthand side. You can usually trace the cable from the battery, heavy red one. The solenoid gets energised and throws i think a thing called bendix. This is a little toothed thing that spins and engages with the ring gear on the flywheel and spins the engine over. This can stick and wont engage the flywheel hence battering it with the hammer.
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In the interest of science i've went out and had a look for the starter motor. If you trace the thick heavy cable from + terminal it goes to the piggy back solenoid on the top of the starter which is under the air box on the r/hand side of the engine. You may or may not find that the click click click is located there!
And that's why i never lay a spanner on a car now.....the size of the hammer you would need would be small..and you'd need "GIRLIE HANDS" to get it there! :grin:
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Thank you all and golfhappy for your midnight mission! :smiley:
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Well... Tool required to get the car going was... my jump leads.
To be fair, when attending to the car and trying to start it this morning, my instinct was telling me that a flat battery was all that was stopping the car from starting and indeed it fired into life as soon as the jump leads were connected.
Wheels turning as to what drained the battery (including alternator considerations).
I don't drive it very often and it's not had a decent run for a while so touch wood, it was "operator error" that resulted in some form of act that drained the battery.
When the car started, the ECP yellow warning light audibly displayed on the dash and seems to have since cleared so presuming that was due to the battery having been 'disconnected'.
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And it's gone again. Seems to jump start, drive fine, then will allow one restart before refusing to start again and the ECP/ other warning lights are staying on.
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I've had flat battery issues in the past and never had a clickmclicknjust a poor slugish attempt to start this iwhy i jumped stright to starter
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I had this on mine once when I drained the battery. Seems really strange with the clicking but yes, it was battery charge. I gave mine a good run then charged at home and all was well.
If it is happening again it could either be the battery that has a faulty cell (rare but possible) or the alternator?
It could be something as simple as a faulty/loose connection too.
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I agree, check the connections. If you do have a multi meter, cost very little from ebay, stick it on Volts(V) with the symbol straight line direct current(dc) and pop it across the battery terminals. This should read 12.6ish volts. Less 2 volts deems a dead cell, less 4 is 2 dead cells etc. If you do bump again, car running should be near 14volts with nothing electrically running. Putting wipers lights on with the car running results in a voltage drop, numbers like 13 something. A poor battery usually the car turns sluggishly and then dead no clicking. A faulty charging system will possibly give you the red alternator light on the dash.
Failing all this the orange ECP light is telling you something.....wait for it!! :grin: ECP (extra censory perception) you'll need to bring this into play to find the fault :smiley:
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VW Assist en route!
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VW Assist (it was the AA) tested and concluded the battery needs to be replaced but he says the alternator is fine.
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test it yourself with a multi meter, with the car running and nothing turned on IE heating aircon or such, should charge at the battery at 14 volts or just over, if its under 14 your altenator is dying too which is y the battery went down... sounds to me like something has killed the battery and caused a dead cell, as it started and drove the first time til parked up!! from experience its your altenator or something was left on inside and killed a cell in the batt....
im speak from my daily experiences working in the roadside game!!
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Car now fitted with a new 3 year guaranteed Yuasa car battery:
Type 096 YBX3096 12V 75Ah 650A Yuasa Car Battery