The Wife's vRS will not start for some odd reason...

Dashboard lights all on...

No fault codes...

Healthy battery ...

No clunk / clicks... Nothing ...

Any ideas?

I might try bump starting it to rule out starter motor.

sounds like starter to me tbh give it a bump if she goes then thats it

This usually happens when the small red wire that feeds into the top of the starter motor breaks.

 

Edited 10 September, 201411 yr by Chris Berry

This usually happens when the small red wire that feeds into the top of the starter motor breaks.

Thanks... Just had a quick look at that in the dark and looks intact.

Thanks... Just had a quick look at that in the dark and looks intact.

 

Give it a wiggle!! Mine looked intact & I wiggled it and it fell out of the connector!. Also, try starting the car afterwards, if it starts you know its a loose connection.

My mrs car had the exact same as yours and the wire mentioned above had broken inside the connector so looked fine from the outside

Also gave it a wiggle ... Nothing ...

I'm going to try bump start it today. If works then will remove air box and battery to investigate further that connection.

Just installed new alternator this week too! :(

Does the starter come out from the top or the bottom?

Fixed

The starter motor earth cable had snapped where it mounts to chassis under the battery... Had to strip the battery / tray and airbox out to get to it ... A new £6 earth cable from Halfords did the trick.

Spent some time slacking some of the cables off as a few of them seem tight hence causing issues with these cars ... Then sprayed with acf50 to protect them from corrosion.

Cleaned up the gearbox linkage as well and greased the pivot.

Put back together and fired straight up... still no battery light or charging under 1500rpm which is the alternator sensor wire somewhere but I'm going to have to cut the block out as it's badly corroded.., that can wait till the engine tray comes off for the next service in a thousand miles...

Did a full auto VCDS scan and only one fault code which is to do with aircon wiring it seems but that's for another day.

The wife is happy she has her little car back.

Thanks for your help chaps!