Help - car will not start

M

Mike6

Senior member
2005 2.5SE
Car has not been used for a few months but it is on trickle charge and is showing 14.1V. Put key in ignition and turn it one click , fuel pump whirls and dashboard lights illuminate. Turn key to start car and it makes a donking sound and yellow engine , DIC and one other light next to it start flashing but car will not turn over. Plugged in the code reader and nothing showing.
Battery is very old so could just try replacing it but it does seem to be charged and key locks and unlocks car.
Any help would be much appreciated.
 
Should have added that starter unit was replaced a year or so ago with an RTX unit from ECP . Worried at the time how cheap it was but seems to have been ok (up to now).
 
Is the 'donking sound' coming from the engine bay?
Is the starter motor solenoid clicking?
If so, try clouting the starter. I know it's difficult to reach, I recently had the same problem. Used an extension bar and a hammer.
 
Thanks for speedy response. Starter solenoid is not clicking and donking sound appears to come from the three yellow dashboard lights although I will check . Unfortunately have our two year old twin grandkids today so not much time available. Instinct tells me the rtx starter motor must be dead and presumably the donking sound is telling me something.
 
Mike6 said:
Thanks for speedy response. Starter solenoid is not clicking and donking sound appears to come from the three yellow dashboard lights although I will check . Unfortunately have our two year old twin grandkids today so not much time available. Instinct tells me the rtx starter motor must be dead and presumably the donking sound is telling me something.
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Could be dead. If no click from the solenoid then it may be that a tap will make that move and then the starter will engage.
Get someone else to turn the key while you tap it.
Also, check for loose connections on the starter motor.
Failing that, I believe the E85 has issues with the ignition switch failing. I have not experienced that though, so no idea if it produces lights and 'donks'.
 
Got the wife to turn the ignition key and the donking sounds are coming from the starter motor area. Strangely the side lights are coming of and on whilst the noises are being made. I am certainly no car electrician but might this indicate a completely shorted motor and power is somehow getting to the side lights.
 
Mike6 said:
Got the wife to turn the ignition key and the donking sounds are coming from the starter motor area. Strangely the side lights are coming of and on whilst the noises are being made. I am certainly no car electrician but might this indicate a completely shorted motor and power is somehow getting to the side lights.
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Not sure about that scenario.
More likely to be that the current drain trying to turn the starter is meaning not enough power for the lights??
The 'donk' sounds as though the starter solenoid may be throwing the gear at the flywheel ring, but then not enough oomph to turn it once it gets there. If only the solenoid were working then its more of a click.
Have you tried the 'percussive calibration' yet?
May be worth a jump start, just in case it is the battery struggling?

I'm no electrician, and therefore stand ready to be shot down in flames, but is it possible for the battery to show 14v but not have the Amps required to power the starter??
 
I did wonder about the battery but it is always on trickle in the garage and is showing 14.2 volts and has switched to standby as battery fully charged. Starter motor is rtx brand from eurocarparts and was silly cheap with reviews fairly scathing. Probably best to replace it with bosch one and then if that doesn't do it change battery. Unless anyone else has any ideas. Thanks
 
Mike6 said:
I did wonder about the battery but it is always on trickle in the garage and is showing 14.2 volts and has switched to standby as battery fully charged. Starter motor is rtx brand from eurocarparts and was silly cheap with reviews fairly scathing. Probably best to replace it with bosch one and then if that doesn't do it change battery. Unless anyone else has any ideas. Thanks
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Be interested to find out as I just fitted an RTX starter on the basis it was so cheap and an easy job to do that if it lasted 1/3 the time of a Bosch I was still in pocket.
 
I've just fitted an RTX starter a few weeks ago and a forum friend fitted one 18 months ago...both fine...so far. If it only lasts 2 or 3 years it's cheap enough to replace again. Bosch new or even remanufactured ones etc are just extortionately priced imho :(
 
Mike6 said:
Got the wife to turn the ignition key and the donking sounds are coming from the starter motor area. Strangely the side lights are coming of and on whilst the noises are being made. I am certainly no car electrician but might this indicate a completely shorted motor and power is somehow getting to the side lights.
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Lights flashing, suggest to me that this is a battery issue, not a starter motor or solenoid issue. Have you tried jump starting the car from another. That would demonstrate if it's the battery or something else. Otherwise you just have to replace those three in the most likely order as cheaply as possible.
 
I fitted an RTX starter to my Z4 when mine failed, no warning just got ignition lights when key turned but nothing when turned to start. Fitted RTX replacement and back to first turn starting, so far so good for me. Do try jump starting just to eliminate the battery being bad and check starter connections are clean and tight, same for battery connections.
 
Thanks. Ignition switch was replaced when I put in the new starter. Tomorrow will try and get my day car into position and connect up the jump lead just to eliminate any battery problem. Will report back but so far thanks for all the useful suggestions
 
Cannot thank everyone enough. Connected up the jump leads and wham started first turn of the key. Now to find an appropriate battery. Ecp and autodoc seem littered with them but I was under the impression so didn't fit that well. Any recommendations
 
Mike6 said:
Cannot thank everyone enough. Connected up the jump leads and wham started first turn of the key. Now to find an appropriate battery. Ecp and autodoc seem littered with them but I was under the impression so didn't fit that well. Any recommendations
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That's a relief!
(And for me as I fitted an RTX Starter too!)
Just nipped out to look at the wife's E85.
Can't quite see the whole number as the bracket is over it, but it's a Bosch S3 ..... 640A, 70Ah and fits perfectly.
I'm sure there are many others that will be recommended too.
If you go to Autodoc you may have to wait a long while as they come from Germany.
Plenty of UK traders who'll deliver next day.
 
Thanks for recommendation . Will go with the Bosch 3. Don't want to wait for shipment. The way things are going could be waiting until next year see
 
Mike6 said:
Thanks for recommendation . Will go with the Bosch 3. Don't want to wait for shipment. The way things are going could be waiting until next year see
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Looks like there are different heights. If you wait 5 minutes I'm going to whip the bracket off mine so i can give you the full number
 
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