My wife's corolla verso (53 plate)1.8vvti, has just developed a non starting fault.

When I turn the key, I here the click, but nothing happens. I've checked that the Battery is fully charged.

I checked for any warning lights on the dash - she has a habbit of ignoring them

I bump started it down the hill, then drove it back. Turned the engine off then it started OK. Five minutes later it wouldn't start again.

Is it likely to be the starter motor (seeing as it started after a bump start), or is it something more sinisterexpensive or even easier to try first.

The temperature has been sub zero all day, so wondered whether that would have an affect on something.

Any idea's before I take it to the local garage on Monday.

Thanks
Rob

could still be a dodgy battery (test this by trying to start whilst connected to jump leads), or maybe a few contacts on the starter missing. Either way not the most expensive thing to fix!

I would check the engine earths, they tend to flex with the normal engine movements and can stress fracture over time, having said that it is probably the starter motor.

As above could still be a knackered battery, try jump leads?

Cheers

Rich

Thanks. I Will try in the morning

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mark Allanson
I would check the engine earths, they tend to flex with the normal engine movements and can stress fracture over time, having said that it is probably the starter motor.

---

+1 for the starter motor,bump starting the car will cause the engine/earth leads ect to move around alot more than normal starting

quote:

---

Originally posted by oadamo

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mark Allanson
I would check the engine earths, they tend to flex with the normal engine movements and can stress fracture over time, having said that it is probably the starter motor.

---

+1

---

Text book symptopms of a dead cell in the battery ---- not surprising as the battery is in its 8th winter, this type of battery fault tends to turn up on the first cold snap of the winter.

The way to test for a dead cell (aka a "gassing cell" is a high amp discharge test. You can sort of do this for yourself by a starting voltage test, disconnect the coil and measure the voltage accross the battery while you operate the starter, if the voltage drops rapidly below 9 volts to around 6 volts it indicates a dead cell. If the voltage falls slowly from around 8v it indicates a discharged battery.

Do aearch for Tanya batteries for a very good online supplier -----

The tests you can do for a defective earth lead (which in this case doesn't fit the symptoms anyway ) are either

(1) Connect a good quality heavy duty jump lead between a good connection the engine block or head and the battery negative terminal if the engine cold starts then it points to an earth fault.

or

(2) Measure the voltage between the engine block and the battery negative terminal when cranking the the engine if is more than a fraction of a volt then it points to an earth fault.


It is also quite handy to measure the voltage between the metal of the alternator metal casing and the negative terminal of the battery with the engine running and headlights and heated rear window on ---- any more than 0.1 v indicates an earth lead fault.

Definitely the battery. Car started first time when connected on the jump leads.

Also checked the earth strap with one of the jump leads, so not that this time - but worth noting for the future though.

Now a nice easy fix in the morning when the Motor Factors open.

Thanks all for the help

Rob