Hi Guys.

Lately my otherwise totally reliable Felly is proving a little reluctant to start. I turn the key and can hear a click, but nothing happens. Turn off, turn on again and usually the starter motor will turn - maybe after a second's pause.

I suspect the starter motor relay may be failing. Asked at local car parts place (Wilco) and they quoted £140 for an exchange replacement, which seems like a lot. Could take one off a scrappie but then that might be on its way out, too.

On my LR Discovery the starter motor relay can be overhauled with a new set of contacts. Can you open up the relay on the Felly at least to give the contacts a clean and ensure the mechanism is moving ok?

Thanks

F.

Just get a S/H starter, you'll get one for peanuts from someone on here. 10 minutes to fit (2 bolts, one push-on terminal, one heavy gauge electrical connection on an 8mm stud), and away you go. I generally found Felicia starters to be very reliable (and mine spent a lot of time cranking over), and if it only lasts a year, it's still going to be worth it.

you only need a 16mm and a 13mm spanner to change the starter motor, in fact you don't even need to jack the vehicle up to do it either.

however in your case I think you should make a couple of other checks first, the fact that you can hear the solenoid clicking tells you it is working, I would start by checking all the battery connections and earth straps are tight

you only need a 16mm and a 13mm spanner to change the starter motor, in fact you don't even need to jack the vehicle up to do it either.

however in your case I think you should make a couple of other checks first, the fact that you can hear the solenoid clicking tells you it is working, I would start by checking all the battery connections and earth straps are tight

Makes sense - do any other solenoids click when you turn the key, or only that on the starter motor?

you may hear the fuel pump relay click which is up under the dashboar in the little pull down fusebox on the passenger side, it's not very likely that you hear these though unless you out your ear right up to them.

the starter motor doesn't have a relay as such, the single wire that attaches to the solenoid is wired directly to terminal 50 on the ignition switch.

like I said before, check the battery and connections first, it takes a he'll of a whack off the battery to turn the starter motor over and if any of the wires are loose this is the most likely time you will get a problem. It's not very common for the starter motor to fail on a felicia.

you may hear the fuel pump relay click which is up under the dashboar in the little pull down fusebox on the passenger side, it's not very likely that you hear these though unless you out your ear right up to them.

the starter motor doesn't have a relay as such, the single wire that attaches to the solenoid is wired directly to terminal 50 on the ignition switch.

like I said before, check the battery and connections first, it takes a he'll of a whack off the battery to turn the starter motor over and if any of the wires are loose this is the most likely time you will get a problem. It's not very common for the starter motor to fail on a felicia.

I'll check the connections - thanks for the tip, Teflon Tom and others.

F.