Apart from the obvious "It's Winter!" answer, why would my car not be as eager to kick into life on cold mornings? Instead of just flicking the key quickly and it starting almost instantly, it now needs a good second / 1.5 seconds of turning the engine over before it kicks in, and does its usual noisy tractor like running until its warmed up.

Could this be the sign of something ignition related starting to fail?

You have of course been waiting for the cylinder glow plug light to go out?

The glow plugs should kick in when you open the driver's door, so normally you don't notice them. Your problems with the S contact couldn't have interfered with this function could it?

Sounds like it's a cold start thing...if it still does it when the weather warm up again, then there's a problem.

Rob.

The heater coil has been illuminating for what seems like an age these last few mornings, wait for it to go out and the Fabia fires up fine.

I do wait, but the coil light hasn't been staying on any longer really, it's just when it comes to fire up it's been a tiny bit longer, and *maybe, the engine is a bit rougher on cold start. Its coming up to the dreaded 60k service, so maybe its starting to need it. Might try using proper VAG oil this time.

Maybe because its not designed to run upside-down?

Coming up for the first anniversary, and still it goes on.

And anyway, with the pressures involved in the fuel system, it probably would run upside-down!

My Fabia TDI was doing the same for the last few weeks - just taking that little bit longer than normal to start. Didn't think anything of it until just now when it's suddenly gone from taking an extra second to not starting at all - hardly turning over so feels like a flat battery. :(

AA are on the way as I write!

The mileage I do (lots of motorways with 100+ miles a day daily commute) it isn't as if the alternator isn't getting a chance to charge it - so I reckon something's wrong.

Last week it was in the garage for a problem with the "Battery" warning light on the dashboard - the light hadn't been going on at all for weeks and weeks (not even before you start the car, when it would normally go on).

Garage said a while back that it was charging OK but some sort of wiring problem behind the dash. It was in last week to finally get that fixed and now the light goes on, but only a week later I have what feels like flat battery so I wonder if the wiring problem has broken something else...

The PD glow plugs dont come on when you open the door. Only when the ignition is switched on. Glow plugs arent really needed to start the car, thier main function is emission related these days, they come on for up to 8 secs to start with depending on ambient temp then go off. Once the engine is running they then light up again for a second phase to help burn the combustion gasses and reduce diesel knock.

OK so the AA man says my battery is b**gered - alternator is charging apparently but barely any life left in battery (only 3 years old too).

He got it going and, as he suggested, I've just been for a 10 mile run to try and charge it a bit.

Thing is, I'm guessing not many dealers are gonna be open tomorrow morning (does anyone open before Wednesday?). And I have a 150 mile journey to do tomorrow. :(

So what's my best strategy for maximising my chances of starting first time on hardly any juice?

I've turned off radio, interior lights, heater fan etc. to try and cut down on ancillaries using power. Is there anything else I can do? Do I wait till the glow plug light goes out or is it better to just turn the key? Any other ideas?

Thanks for your help,

David