Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Other subjects

Flip

Original poster

My car won't start

24 replies

Maureen80 · 22/01/2019 00:02

I'm not sure if this is the best place to post this as I'm not sure if you peeps can help.

Anyway, when I went to drive my dd home from school, my car wouldn't start so I had to get a friend to tow us home which wasn't ideal. After dd went to bed, I went to try it again but it still won't start so I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas.

First of all, its a Citroën C1. When I go to start it, all that happens is that the engine cranks, even when I continously pump the pedal it does not come close to starting.

OP posts:

Finfintytint · 22/01/2019 00:04

Battery?

chocolatebrazilnut · 22/01/2019 00:07

Flat battery? Engine will turn over but not start.

Or it could be the Starter motor. Mine failed once. It made an odd sound a bit like a shriek when I turned the key.

Other than that I have no clue, sorry.

AornisHades · 22/01/2019 00:07

Does it crank regularly for a while or does it get slower? If it slows then it probably is your battery and they do get affected by the cold.

Original poster

Maureen80 · 22/01/2019 00:09

It cranks regularly without getting slower.

OP posts:

GiantKitten · 22/01/2019 00:10

um - you have fuel?

chocolatebrazilnut · 22/01/2019 00:10

If it’s the battery you can get a charger and plug it in to recharge from the mains (takes a few hours) or jump start it and take it for a longish run, but if it’s failing you’ll probably have to get a new one soon anyway, because even if you recharge it, it won’t hold its charge so well any more.

Finfintytint · 22/01/2019 00:11

Starter motor then poss.

chocolatebrazilnut · 22/01/2019 00:11

Could be a fuel pump failure.

GiantKitten · 22/01/2019 00:14

if you do have fuel, continuously pumping will flood the carburettor (or some such thing )

leave it for a while, then next time put L foot on clutch, pump accelerator just 1-2 times, then try again.

If it still won't start you'll need to call somebody to help

Original poster

Maureen80 · 22/01/2019 00:14

Yup GiantKitten, it has 3 quarters a tank of petrol.

OP posts:

GiantKitten · 22/01/2019 00:15

it's not battery or starter motor if it's happily trying to start.

it is a fuel issue - maybe pump as chocolate suggests.

AornisHades · 22/01/2019 00:15

So not the battery. If it's not catching then it could be fuel or starter motor. Do you have an immobiliser? It could be a fuse has gone.

Original poster

Maureen80 · 22/01/2019 00:24

Yes, it has an immobiliser.

OP posts:

GiantKitten · 22/01/2019 00:30

if immobiliser problem it wouldn't turn over, would it?

AornisHades · 22/01/2019 00:39

You may be right Giant yes. Sorry, that one was a long time ago. It clicked rather than turned.

JollyHolly30 · 22/01/2019 00:41

I second a fuel pump problem. Or possibly a problem in your fuse box (I had this exact problem recently, and it took the RAC man about an hour to finally narrow it down to a certain fuse only drawing 3amps instead of 12, and having to do some magical bridging of fuses)

He was relentless, wouldn't give up until he solved it. Do you have any RAC/AA etc membership?

Original poster

Maureen80 · 22/01/2019 00:45

I don't have a membership no but we do have the service available.

OP posts:

JollyHolly30 · 22/01/2019 02:11

Definitely get an RAC (etc) patrol member out. I'm confident they'll be able to diagnose why it won't start and will either fix it at the side of the road or get you to a garage.

JollyHolly30 · 22/01/2019 02:12

Good luck by the way. Fingers crossed it's something cheap like a fuse issue.
For me there's nothing worse for that pit of the stomach feeling of dread, than something being wrong with your car and not knowing how much it's going to cost!

Original poster

Maureen80 · 22/01/2019 02:15

Thanks JollyHolly.

Looks like I will be walking dd to school tomorrow so hoping for decent weather lol.

OP posts:

JollyHolly30 · 22/01/2019 15:01

Did you have any luck with your car today?

Original poster

Maureen80 · 22/01/2019 18:41

No, still waiting for someone to come look at it.

OP posts:

Original poster

Maureen80 · 22/01/2019 23:01

I went to try it after DD went to school, in the hope that it would start but, no, it still won't start.

OP posts:

JollyHolly30 · 22/01/2019 23:34

A lot of RAC/AA memberships are for the person in the car, rather than the car itself, so if you get someone over who has a membership like this, they can phone their roadside assistance and they'll come and look at any car they happen to be in/with at the time.
Obviously this would then possibly affect their premium slightly next renewal, so it would probably need to be someone you're pretty close to such as a relative or good friend. A very good way to get your car seen to and possibly back on the road for 'free' without your car itself having the policy.

Flip