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View Full Version : help with car trouble.....Calling all mechanical minded.....


justine
08-Jun-07, 17:46
Took kids to school this morning and the car started fine. We then went up to the vets with the dog and when we left to come home the car wont start...It is a fiesta automatic, and we have checked most of what we think may be wrong with it....When i turn the key all the electrics come on, there is no clicking so i doubt the starter motor, new battery is ok it just wont turn over.Any suggestions would be mighty helpful as it is our only mode of transport and have 3 weeks of school left and need the car. Thanks in advance......
riggerboy
08-Jun-07, 17:49
did you try and put the car in park and try starting it then, my auto wont start unless in park,
justine
08-Jun-07, 18:09
yes. I have only ever owned a automatic, if i was meant to drive a manual i would have three legs. I have tried it in park, Neutral and it just wont start. It started twice this morn with no problem but then stopped. We have tried jump starting her but nothing....
EDDIE
08-Jun-07, 18:39
get a bar and tap the starter motor while someone trys to start it that works sometimes if the starter is dodgy failing that check the little wire that goes onto the starter solenoid if that loose it will give the symtoms you are having
percy toboggan
08-Jun-07, 19:28
Make sure your battery temrinals are free of corrosion (use hot water then smear with vaseline) also make sure they are tight. There is tight, and there is tight. They may be tight enough to turn all the lights on but not tight enough to convey the massive amount of power needed to turn over your engine. Could also be a loose earth strap on your starter motor perhaps.
j4bberw0ck
08-Jun-07, 20:44
If there's no clicking it means the relay / solenoid (the solenoid looks like a box with two big cables, one of which goes to the starter motor and one to the body somewhere - it has what looks like a pushbutton between the contacts, usually) that passes current to the starter motor isn't being energised. Check for corrosion on the earth strap / cable from the solenoid to the bodywork - take the cable off and sandpaper the flat contacts. Bolt them back in place and cover liberally with Vaseline. Then do the same for the positive cable from the battery to the solenoid. Remove all cables from the battery (negative / earth first) and sandpaper / Vaseline.

You've got a dodgy earth or live somewhere - sorry, not familiar with Fiesta. I take it being auto it's petrol? Don't try to tow start it.
johno
08-Jun-07, 20:53
could be that the engine to body earth is corroded or broken.
check this first. cant tell you where it is on a fiesta though. but a good search around the engine bay you,ll find it.
good luck johno :~(
justine
08-Jun-07, 20:57
hi there. I would like to thank you all for your input , and a big thankyou to RS 2K who has took the time to come out and solved the problem straight away..It was the solenoid and my car is now fixed. I never thought that so many people would offer there help and it is nice....Thanks again. Happy owner to a fiesta.......THANKYOU RS2K...You are a gentleman and a scholar....
EDDIE
08-Jun-07, 23:39
could be that the engine to body earth is corroded or broken.
check this first. cant tell you where it is on a fiesta though. but a good search around the engine bay you,ll find it.
good luck johno :~(

A quick way to find out if you have a bad body earth is 2 get a piece of wire attach it to the positive of the battery and use the other end of the wire and scratch it of the engine and body quickly if it sparks earth cable are ok and if it doesnt spark you know there is a problem with the cables useless information