Hello,my 2011 Octavia 1.6 se is having a strange not starting intermittent problem ,My battery seems fine but I've read that if the battery is old it could be the problem .

 

Can you recommend me a battery please ?

59 minutes ago, Hixy said:

Hello,my 2011 Octavia 1.6 se is having a strange not starting intermittent problem ,My battery seems fine but I've read that if the battery is old it could be the problem .

First principles. Does the starter go "clunk" and not spin?

No it doesn't do that ,last I drove home about 6 miles ,stopped at a shop got back into the car and it wouldn't start,it has done it before but usually starts. after 10 mins of trying I called the rac.He turned up 20 mins later and got in the car and it started ,which I was highly embarrassed about .When I turn the key so the car is on not starting I here a noise in the area of the glove box or fuse box but not always like a clicking noise ?

 

Thanks for replying .

@Hixy What I asked about are typical "low battery" symptoms for anything that doesn't have Stop/Start technology.

 

Now you need to describe the symptoms more clearly than just "intermittent non starting".

Could be the ignition switch failing? Read on here recently someone with similar problems. Car would randomly not start.Their garage  bypassed the ignition switch with a button on a temp measure until they got a new one.

Alasdair

Do yourself a favour check all leads for tighness and make sure they are clean, a friend had this issue and it was the 12v low current supply to the starter not the big red cable the smaller cables they were corroded after a clean up no issues, the only way you can really check a bad battery is a "drop test" where the put a connection on both terminals of the battery and get a read out of the battery condition but most batteries after about 5 years start to fail, bought my battery from a company call Batterycharger .co.uk  a Yuasa 7000 battery from Halfords £174 and you have to go and get it ought it from this company £84-75 delivered came well packed no issues same battery over half the price can't go wrong they also sell other makes at great prices

I agree wwith checking wiring etc especially as stated the small wire going to starter. I have had that problem a few times over the years. I get my batteries  from Tayna batteries. Half the priceI could get it locally and their delivery service was excellent.

 

43 minutes ago, Paws4Thot said:

@Hixy What I asked about are typical "low battery" symptoms for anything that doesn't have Stop/Start technology.

 

Now you need to describe the symptoms more clearly than just "intermittent non starting".

I don't know what else to say really .

 

I parked the car for a week went on hols came back car started straight away .It does seem that if the car doesn't fire straight away it won't start .When I'm driving it everything seems fine .If it doesn't start and I leave the car alone for 10 minutes it usually starts .The clicking im hearing in the cabin ,could it be a dodgy relay ? I'll try get it into a garage and let them look at it . 

 

Thank you all I will replace the battery and have a look at the weekend .

 

Mick

19 minutes ago, Murdockman said:

Do yourself a favour check all leads for tighness and make sure they are clean, a friend had this issue and it was the 12v low current supply to the starter not the big red cable the smaller cables they were corroded after a clean up no issues, the only way you can really check a bad battery is a "drop test" where the put a connection on both terminals of the battery and get a read out of the battery condition but most batteries after about 5 years start to fail, bought my battery from a company call Batterycharger .co.uk  a Yuasa 7000 battery from Halfords £174 and you have to go and get it ought it from this company £84-75 delivered came well packed no issues same battery over half the price can't go wrong they also sell other makes at great prices

Can you remember the AH size you bought  please ?

Do the panel lights dim when the car fails to start? If not, it is unlikely to be the battery.

4 hours ago, Paws4Thot said:

@Hixy 

No they don't.

5 hours ago, Hixy said:

I don't know what else to say really .

 

I parked the car for a week went on hols came back car started straight away .It does seem that if the car doesn't fire straight away it won't start .When I'm driving it everything seems fine .If it doesn't start and I leave the car alone for 10 minutes it usually starts .The clicking im hearing in the cabin ,could it be a dodgy relay ? I'll try get it into a garage and let them look at it . 

 

Thank you all I will replace the battery and have a look at the weekend .

 

Mick

 

5 hours ago, Hixy said:

I don't know what else to say really .

 

I parked the car for a week went on hols came back car started straight away .It does seem that if the car doesn't fire straight away it won't start .When I'm driving it everything seems fine .If it doesn't start and I leave the car alone for 10 minutes it usually starts .The clicking im hearing in the cabin ,could it be a dodgy relay ? I'll try get it into a garage and let them look at it . 

 

Thank you all I will replace the battery and have a look at the weekend .

 

Mick

Not sure if its any help but the clicking if it is a relay could be one for a fuel pump. I its contacts are failing it would explain the non start randomly. Think they are near the fuse box but under the dash.

Alasdair

Dont know if you have but it might be worth checking for fault codes?

 

Alasdair

I bought a cheap obd reader of Amazon and it shows no codes ,are the relays easy to get at ?