Hello fellow briskodians,

I have a 1.4 MPI 2000 comfort which has 30,000 miles on the clock

The car has been fairly reliable up until tonight - Basically I drove it tonight for about half hour then popped into a shop.

When I came out I tried to start the car and the engine turned over but failed to start. I tried again but it still didnt work. I left it for a few minutes came back and noticed that when I put the key in no lights on the dashboard appeard. I turned the key and the engine ticked over but again failed to start.

Whats strange is that when the key is in, no lights appear but after you try and start the car the lights on the dashboard magically appear. The car does not start at all.

I have tried both keys with no joy. I know there is battery in the car as the starter motor does tick over, but it doesnt pick it up.

There definitely is a lot of fuel in the car.

Please can someone help - Its in a car park and I am concerned that it will get broken into if it doesnt get moved soon.

Thanks and have a great Christmas.

Looks like the battery is FUBR

Are you in a Breakdown club like AA or RAC?? If so get them in

Yep that's what happened when my battery went. If you're still on the original battery after 6 years, you're doing pretty well anyway

Chris

If it is only the battery then I am buying drinks for every member of Briskoda.

But what I dont understand is that if it was only the battery, how comes the starter motor turns without a problem, but there are no lights on the dashboard. It doesnt make sense as turning the starter motor, I thought, required the most amount of battery power anyway.

Scooby Doo - especially -

Do you remember if the starter motor turned okay when you had this problem?

Yep starter motor chugged away, the lights on the dash dimmed a bit, tried again, still chugged but the lights on the dash went out completely. Ah what memories .... trudging the mile down the road to Halfords in the snow and ice to buy a new battery :rofl:

Chris

Ah Chris,

You ve made my day - I owe you one.

Did you by any chance try to jump start the car?

Did that turn the car over okay?

Going to dash out to the car now and try that but I ll wait for a reply first

Thanks again Chris.

I didn't bother jumping it as I knew it was the battery (bitten before! ) so I just got a new battery and hey presto. Jumping it should get it started though and get you home ... or to Halfords car park lol

Chris

Thanks Chris - Will give that a try and post the results of my adventures

All the best

The more I think about the more likely it is the battery as I was doing a fair few short journeys all at night -

However the battery was replaced about two and a hlaf years ago so I m keeing my fingers crossed.

Just to confirm the symptons again Chris - Do you by any chance remeber whether the dashboard lights came on after the starter motor turned?

Which Chris?? :rofl:

Scooby Chris

Or yourself if you had the same problem

As far as I can remember, the lights were on and turning over the starter motor made them fade out. I think after a few tries, the lights on the dash just didn't come on at all

Chris

Chris,

As a final point

Do you remember which battery you ended up getting?

Was planning a trip to Halfords tomorrow.

hi mate, had a similar problem in my 2005 polo, before you mess with batterys check the fuse box. in the mini fuses there is a 5amp fuse which is for the cars speedo and since the speedo is linked to the imboliser in most of these cars its worth a check.

good luck john

Just tried to jump start the car admitedly using slightly old jump cables.

The dashboard lights didnt come up and the car starter motor started but the enine didnt fire up.

I guess it is nt the battery after all.

Also all the lights in the car were working fine - Even the main lights were fine

Radio was working too.

I hope it is the battery but I cant think how it could be - The fuse box is a good suggestion - I will check tomorrow

Basically I am worried to death about the car as there are a lot of shady charchters in the area and my car was broken into in a car park not long ago.

Can anyone think of what else would be causing this?

Could it not just be a fuse that has stopped the fuel pump working too

Oh no - Now me thinks that the engine has seized from reading other peoples posts.

If so I m going to jump off a cliff ......

I just cant understand it. The car was working fine till about 8PM after which the dashboard lights failed to come on.

Lady Elanore,

Which fuse is the fuel pump?

Any ideas?

Lady Elanore,

Which fuse is the fuel pump?

Any ideas?

I

Just read Skudmissles posting carefully and that looks like a very likely candidate I must say.

You think the engine has seized?? Why?

If the dash pod is down then it's going to do that as thats where the immobiliser is IIRC.

Not sure which fuse, try any one of f16, f17, f29, f43, f52 and f56 (Most of the instruments and control units) This box is located on the side of the dash on the drivers side. Also try F2 in the box under the bonnet (By ther battery)

All the fuses are labled and do not whatever you do try to bump start the car, use cables.

It's nothing to do with the battery as the dashboard light runs from the oil its self, not the battery

Oil powered lights?

Is this a metaphor? I suppose in a way they are oil powered but I am not sure that's going to help him...

Oh no - Now me thinks that the engine has seized from reading other peoples posts.

If so I m going to jump off a cliff ......

I just cant understand it. The car was working fine till about 8PM after which the dashboard lights failed to come on.

It’s not seized as it’s turning over and the battery must be OK if it can turn the engine over. This draws more current than anything else on your car and if it can do this reasonably, it is in reasonably good health. Fuses sound the place to go for definite now that 2 people have previous knowledge of it.

I had a Strada that did something similar, but that was down to the spade connector on the starter solenoid having rusted off. Bugger to refit as it was under 2 Twin Side Draft Carbs, with K & Ns on. Broke my nails too!!!!!!