Author Topic: Car starting itself?  (Read 1438 times)

Offline Jay

  • Forum addict
  • *
  • Posts: 4,416
  • balding fat cvnt
Car starting itself?
« on: 10 May 2008, 19:53 »
Has anyone heard of this? apparently my car was trying to start itself just after I had got in doors... I've got no remote c/l or fancy things that start the car by remote.

I did also have some trouble with my car driving around Newbury this afternoon, I put my foot down to get moving and it started picking up speed then suddenly lost power and started coasting so I turned the car back on while still coasting and it cut out again and I revved it hard to keep it going then it was fine after that...
Passat B5.5 2.3 V5 170, with all the extras.

Want some online storage? Click here to sign up for a Dropbox account.

But for the purest engine experience, displacement has no replacement. All other methods are simply attempts to artificially recreate the benefits of displacement.

Offline daniel-1986

  • Here all the time
  • ****
  • Posts: 394
Re: Car starting itself?
« Reply #1 on: 10 May 2008, 22:35 »
try getting something like redex or similar to clean the crap off the pistons as it sounds like there are hotspots in the cylinder which is trying to re-ignite though cant remember what this problem is called

Offline Jay

  • Forum addict
  • *
  • Posts: 4,416
  • balding fat cvnt
Re: Car starting itself?
« Reply #2 on: 10 May 2008, 22:45 »
hmmm... if they are hot spots, maybe it was because I was doing over a tonne back from Newbury and need to do a coolant flush as I don't have any anti-freeze in the header tank according to Mr AA's thinga mabobby... tbh I think the car needs a good service.
Passat B5.5 2.3 V5 170, with all the extras.

Want some online storage? Click here to sign up for a Dropbox account.

But for the purest engine experience, displacement has no replacement. All other methods are simply attempts to artificially recreate the benefits of displacement.

Offline DarnPB

  • I live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,958
  • Formerly Darnpistonbroke
Re: Car starting itself?
« Reply #3 on: 11 May 2008, 00:55 »
Hotspots in the cylinder would not turn the motor over inadvertantly. Seems to me that you may have a faulty starter solenoid. The solenoid is an electrically operated switch. The switch contacts are held apart by a spring. When you turn the key to start the car, you introduce a voltage into the solenoid to activate an electro magnet. This electro magnet moves a set of contacts, over-riding the force of the spring, to allow a large current to pass through to the starter motor through these contacts. If the spring is weak or indeed broken, you could get uncommanded starter motor operation. You will need to get the starter either overhauled or replaced.


THE FORUMS NUMBER ONE ANTI-FOOTBALL FAN!!!

Offline Uruk Hai

  • I live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,881
Re: Car starting itself?
« Reply #4 on: 11 May 2008, 10:02 »
Was it realy trying to start itself or do you think it was just "running on" after you turned the ignition off ?
Because it sounds like pre-ignition which as said could be down to a hot spot in the combustion chamber which ignites the fuel instead of the spark plug thus making the engine run on a for a bit and if you'd just been ragging it that could explain why it would do it.

Offline Conker

  • I live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,999
Re: Car starting itself?
« Reply #5 on: 16 May 2008, 15:41 »
Just a simple suggestion, but you could check/clean all your earth points and starter/battery connections first. You never know.

Offline monzablue16v

  • I live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,537
Re: Car starting itself?
« Reply #6 on: 16 May 2008, 20:03 »
My mini used to take 30secs to turn off after a hot run I'd get out lock the doors and go inside with the engine still running! I connected the battery up to an 8v I'm breaking after 2 days disconnected the other week and it just started up and ran and the ignition was off go figure that one.

Probably got lost in the "Great Crash of 08

Offline JC

  • 10k hero
  • *
  • Posts: 13,429
  • Back in the North.
Re: Car starting itself?
« Reply #7 on: 16 May 2008, 20:09 »
car service, car valeting and wheel painting services all available at the Busted Knuckle Garage.

Book in soon, summer is getting busy  :grin: :laugh: