Intermittent fault

Car will not start.

Dash lights up as typical, no dimming on starting.

Battery is 12.8v and 1 year old

I've checked...

• Trigger red live wire (wire of death)

• Cleaned X3 earth points and checked for breaks

• Used spare key in case of immobiliser or key fault

• Unfortunately, after 5 attempts I investigated engine bay and touched trigger wire (on blt it has an extension to stop it snapping due to being too short) then tried again starting car. It started no unusual noises. I got 12.4v on trigger wire using multimeter, but this was when car was starting up fine.

Starter motor has not made any unusual noises. Could it be on its way out (19year old and 115k.miles?). It either works perfectly or not at all.

Done this X2 occasions. At end of work day.

Suggestions?

Is this a Manual or DSG box?

Is there any indication showing on instrument cluster when it won't crank?

If it's not the wire of death, I think it must be the ignition switch.

...or transmission position sensor?

Car not returning any error codes. I wouldn't expect any though if starter. I'm changing starter motor (ECP supplied wrong one to start with!)

When starter motor area was disturbed car started. I'm thinking a burnt out segment on commutator ring? I tried steering wheel adjust and wiggling key, spare key before knocking starter and nothing. After disturbing starter motor it started. Wife said she wiggled gear stick and it started.

Dash light extinguish except the typical ones you'd expect. No unusual behaviour (dimming etc)

Manual 6 speed 1.9tdi pd MK1 vrs

Not dsg

Bosch 0986018390 is a physical match

2kw

10 rather than 11 teeth - internet and eco says 10 or 11 ok

If it worked when area was disturbed and also when gearstick moved it could be a wiring fault or bad earth? Are you getting any clicks but not cranking or nothing at all.

Alasdair

No clicks when it played up for me. It clicked when starting normally. I tried x5 times taking key out and using spare I had with me, adjusted steering wheel height and tapped it in case of ignition barrel fault.

Previous time was 2 weeks ago for wife. She rattled gear stick and then it started. Of course the gearbox mechanism is inches from starter.

I had previously duct taped that red trigger wire as it felt insecure, loose. I had to cut duct tape carefully and cable was still attached to started flat terminal pin.

Only after checking trigger wire and tapping starter did car start on next try.

I cleaned all earth points afterwards

With neg on battery disconnected and they weren't too bad.

The positive wire that is braided and part of solenoid on starter was a bit green.

The Bosch starter has a different starter sound to the valeo. I don't like it but if the car starts...

I've tried starting x4 times and it hasn't failed to start.

The starter is attached with X2 18mm bolts with X2 13mm nuts for earth or for a bracket. Also another 13mm for live big current connector.

I'll see how it goes over next week, if it fails to start then it will be ignition barrel which is a job I've not done. The cruise control has broke and brought up a code a few months ago, it was never good on setting speed since I bought the car.

Edited 39 minutes ago39 min by bmbmdmb