Hi

My daughter runs a Felicia 1.3 GLi. This morning it wouldn’t start, the starter motor would not turn the engine over, no clicking – nothing (the battery is new). I also noticed that with the ignition on the main lights would not come on and the wipers wouldn’t work.

I reckon that we have an electrical gremlin somewhere. I re seated all the relays on the fuse board but this didn’t change anything, the fault was still there. I haven’t checked all the fuses but I reckon that it is unlikely that this is cause by a fuse blowing. Also I haven’t had time to determine if all the relays are working

Does anybody have any ideas as to what is wrong.

Cheers

Mark

Hi

My daughter runs a Felicia 1.3 GLi. This morning it wouldn’t start, the starter motor would not turn the engine over, no clicking – nothing (the battery is new). I also noticed that with the ignition on the main lights would not come on and the wipers wouldn’t work.

I reckon that we have an electrical gremlin somewhere. I re seated all the relays on the fuse board but this didn’t change anything, the fault was still there. I haven’t checked all the fuses but I reckon that it is unlikely that this is cause by a fuse blowing. Also I haven’t had time to determine if all the relays are working

Does anybody have any ideas as to what is wrong.

Cheers

Mark

Flat battery or loose battery connection?

Do the lights etc work ok without ign. turned on are they dim?

Is it just the wipers and lights that don't work with the ignition on. Anything else not work. Do the dash lights come on.

This will help narrow down which fuse or circuit is affected, if it is that.

hi you will find that the yellow wire that goes to the starter has either broken or fell off..

it activates the starter solanoid and is also the earth for the relay that switches power to the wipers,lights ,heater etc

just cut an inch or 2 off it at the starter end and crimp a new terminal on

surely if there is no lights or wipers as well as no starter motor it's more likely to be a broken ignition switch jim? or a loose wire at the ignition switch end, terminal 50??

i'll have to check the wiring schematics tomorrow morning but from memory i though the x contact relay driver was wired in parallel to the stater solenoid... i could be wrong though :wonder:

Edited 24 March, 201016 yr by TeflonTom

Hi all

Thanks for all your replies. I don’t think I left enough information first time round:

1. With the ignition on, all the systems warning lights on the dashboard read normally i.e. the lights are like they should be just before the engine starts;

2. the battery is good and terminals are clean and tight;

3. we managed to easily bump start the car (all warning lights went off), but when the ignition was turned off the engine would not re-start;

4. the solenoid is connected correctly;

5. with the ignition on, the wipers wont work and the head lights wont come on (side lights only);

6. I have re-seated all the relays in the fuse tray;

7. the fuses see OK, but I will recheck (I don’t think one fuse controls all of the above);

8.

Is there an ‘ignition’ relay that controls power to the solenoid, wipers, lights etc?

Does anyone know where I can down load a wiring diagram?

hi you will find that the yellow wire that goes to the starter has either broken or fell off..

it activates the starter solanoid and is also the earth for the relay that switches power to the wipers,lights ,heater etc

just cut an inch or 2 off it at the starter end and crimp a new terminal on

Hi Maker of things

good call !

I went out and disconnected the yellow lead reconnected it and all is fine. Except that the lug that the lead connects to is a bit loose, do you reckon i need a new solenoid.

if so can you recommend a source.

cheers

Mark

Hi Maker of things

good call !

I went out and disconnected the yellow lead reconnected it and all is fine. Except that the lug that the lead connects to is a bit loose, do you reckon i need a new solenoid.

if so can you recommend a source.

cheers

Mark

I noticed that the lug that the yellow wire connects to was loose and would probably lead to a poor connection. To resolder the lug, I took the solenoid off of the starter motor (big mistake) i now realise that i should have removed the starter motor.

Does anyone have a step by step guide to reassembling the springs and levers between the solenoid and starter motor. i have tried a couple of times and the starter motor runs up but does not engage the flywheel. Any help would be most welcome.

thanks in anticipation.

Mark

ok first off well done for spotting the loose connection, that wire earths the ign relay thru the solanoid which is how they get it to switch everything off while you are cranking the starter, quite a clever and simple idea.......

second off....OOPS they are a bit of a pain to reassemble but the solanoid pulls the lever that sits behind the drive cog, i dont have any pics sorry