Car won't start - starter motor failure?

Kennyn1980

Active Member
May 21, 2019
8
3
Hi, I hope someone can offer some advice with this one!

I bought a used poverty spec Leon (1.2 petrol Dynamic Technology) a week ago. It is less than 2 years old and had < 8000 miles on the clock and in almost new condition. I got it for a pretty good price (£11000).

I've done 250 in the past week without any issues, but today it just wouldn't start. The electrics come on when you turn on the ignition, but you can't start the engine. When you turn the key it is just dead - no 'clicking' of the starter motor, absolutely nothing at all.

I have an ODB11 and checked the car and it came back with the following two faults.

01 Engine

System description: R4 1.2l TFS
Software number: 04E906027GR
Software version: 2394
Hardware number: 04E907309BL
Hardware version: H24
ODX name: EV_ECM12TFS01104E906027GR
ODX version: 001005
Long coding: 01190032232419082000

Trouble codes:
P261C00 - Coolant Pump "B" Control Circuit Low
Passive
P305400 - Starter does not turn Mechanically blocked or electrical malfunction
Active

I'm not mechanically minded, so when I Googled these the results they didn't mean a great deal to me really.

Now I am starting to wonder if I have bought a lemon, given that someone traded it in at 18 months old for a Mazda 3, and that the price of the car seemed to be quite a lot cheaper than similar cars on Auto Trader. Maybe this car has been someone elses problem and they decided they needed to get rid of it?

I spoke to the dealer and their servicing department aren't open again until Tuesday with it being a bank holiday.

Many thanks in advance.
 

Deleted member 103408

Guest
Not had this personally but based on the few threads I have read the first question people ask is "is you battery ok" have you tried to jump start it to see if that will make it work.

Is it a manualy or DSG car, Have you tried clearing the codes and seeing if they just come back again.

Sorry I cant be of more help
 

Kennyn1980

Active Member
May 21, 2019
8
3
Cheers for the reply.

Yeah, I tested the battery with a multimeter and that tested OK. It's a manual gearbox.

As soon as you clear the codes they come back instantly.
 

Kennyn1980

Active Member
May 21, 2019
8
3
It was 12.6v when I tested it. I haven't tested it while trying to start the engine though. I'll give that a try tomorrow.
 

kazand

Is powered by Medtronics
Jun 6, 2010
4,138
73
Brum
Have you tried rocking it in gear to see if the starter is actually stuck in?
 

heliophile

Active Member
May 1, 2016
146
39
Manchester
Can’t offer any advice but welcome to the Leon family and sorry your ownership hasn’t gotten off to a better start (no pun intended)
 
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EFF11

Active Member
Jun 16, 2016
138
38
The fuse for the starter motor is fuse 23 in the engine compartment fuse box. This is the green 30A fuse at top right in the fuse box, above two 646 relays.
 

Kennyn1980

Active Member
May 21, 2019
8
3
Thanks for the replies everyone.

I've tried rocking the car in gear as suggested by Kazand, but that hasn't helped unfortunately.

I bought a set of fuses today and replaced the fuse EFF11 mentioned but still dead.

I think this is one for the dealer now.

Thanks again for everyone's help so far.
 

Kennyn1980

Active Member
May 21, 2019
8
3
Can’t offer any advise but welcome to the Leon family and sorry your ownership hasn’t gotten off to a better start (no pun intended)

Thanks! Yeah, not off to a good start sadly. I traded in a 10 year old Mitsubishi Lancer for the Leon which never let me down once in all those years. Hopefully it'll get sorted soon and the Seat will serve me well like the Mitsubishi did.
 
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Kennyn1980

Active Member
May 21, 2019
8
3
I've handed the issue over to the dealer now and I'm waiting for a call back shortly. Fingers crossed it'll be sorted by the weekend. Many thanks again for everyone's help so far. I'll report back once they've investigated and (hopefully) fixed it.
 
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