On a few occasions my new Citigo Elegance GreenTech 60PS won't start when I turn the key. All the lights come on on the dash, but the starter motor just doesn't turn. I repeat the process two or three times and it eventually fires up.

 

Anyone else had this issue? It's making me a little nervous!

It will have something to do with the stop start system, turn this off and see if it still happens.

Ah, that makes sense. Will try this next time I have the problem and report back. Cheers.

Are you pressing the clutch?

Yes - I always press clutch to floor before starting an engine. Shouldn't I?

It won't start unless you do.

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I know on my wife's Citigo with it being an ASG Auto I need to turn the key so the dials light up then put my foot on the brake, put it in neutral and then start it.

If I do all of the above quickly then it won't start. Just something to we have got used to.

 

Not sure if this the case with the manual gearboxes?

I think it's the clutch on manual cars.  Not much chance of that happening on an ASG, so they use the brake.  I've been caught out occasionally if wifey didn't put it in N before switching off the engine..

It does not matter if the ignition is on or off when the clutch is pressed. As long as the clutch pedal is down before trying to start the engine.

Is this clutch thing only on versions with stop/start because my manual S will start without pressing the clutch down first?

I think it must be as I have stop start and I need to press the clutch pedal to start.

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Think I've found the problem. The biting point happens when the clutch pedal is half-way down, so I had been tending not to press the pedal fully to the floor. When I do floor it, the engine starts first time from cold.

Interesting. My wife commented that the car wouldn't start the other day. But did after a few tries. I always depress the clutch first as a matter of course. Perhaps she didn't that time. I'll let her know...

I'm having this increasingly more often. My citigo is a driving school car so takes lots of abuse plus stalls a lot so the keys are often turned off/on in quick succession. Recently after a pupil stalls and they turn off the keys then on again all the dashboard lights come on but can't get engine on. After repeating 2/3 times it eventually "clicks" and goes on. It's not ideal and adds more stress to the pupil in a stressful situation so I'd like to get it fixed. Any ideas what I should do? I like my car to be perfect for pupils so want anything faulty replaced

If it is stop/start the clutch "MUST" be depressed to start and as the OP has found out it must be fully depressed to activate the clutch switch before it will start

Thanks, I should have said its not a start/stop

It generally only happens after when car stalls

I've just bought a new ignition switch so hopefully this works. It stalls 20 times a day and is 3 yrs old so the ignition gets used more than normal