Help! Diesel Arosa not starting!

[Fidge]

Typical, just got this car, been running error free for 3 weeks but today did not wanna start!

The coil light lights then goes out as normal but when ticking over, the coil light flashes on and off continuously! Any one know whats happening? I haven't got a clue about diesels!

Thanks

 

[m0rk]

would suggest a coil problem... do you have vag-com?

 

[Fidge]

would suggest a coil problem... do you have vag-com?

I do but never managed to get my cable working with my laptop!

Is it possible for the coil packs to go even to it's showed no sign of misfire before? If a single coilpack is at fault would it still not turnover atall?

thanks

 

[stoneyfordNI]

no coils on dervs , funny aulde fish is they

just means a general electric fault , but yes , vagcomm is the key

 

[m0rk]

coils = pre heaters? that's my understanding

 

[Fidge]

coils = pre heaters? that's my understanding

Didn't think they had coilpacks as they dont have sparks!

Any checks I can do to find out?

thanks

 

[stoneyfordNI]

if its a PD arosa the heater plugs wont activate below 9 degrees C anyhow ,

 

[m0rk]

yes - you need to run diagnostics

get that cable working!

 

[m0rk]

if its a PD arosa the heater plugs wont activate below 9 degrees C anyhow ,

you mean above....?

 

[Fidge]

if its a PD arosa the heater plugs wont activate below 9 degrees C anyhow ,

Yeah forgot to say it is 1.4 pd tdi!

Thats not good for cold weather starting then? But the light goes out when glo plugs are at temp?

 

[Fidge]

yes - you need to run diagnostics

get that cable working!

Might need your expert help with that one!

 

[stoneyfordNI]

i mean above , damm cider

 

[EdButler]

Check your brake lights mate, Flashing coil light usually signifies a short in that circuit or the brake switch is broken.

 

[stoneyfordNI]

and clutch and accelerator switches too when ur in the pedal box

 

[Fidge]

Check your brake lights mate, Flashing coil light usually signifies a short in that circuit or the brake switch is broken.

Will this prevent her from starting?

 

[basstard]

glow plugs light [stop calling it coil!!] flashing is brake light bulbs shot or brake switch fuct only if the engine start and goes ok,,, it obviously won't affect the start,,,

Sorry for the question but english isn't my first language, when you say tickover you mean while you try to start it and it cranks but won't start or you mean the engine idling??

If it cranks and the coil lights flash and it doesn't start I'd bet on the electrical part of the ignition [I mean the place where you put the key to start the engine],,, in this case, vagcom won't tell you anything [I'd have a check anyway if I were you] but I can tell you how to carry a lil test,,, just lemme know what you mean with tickover,,,

 

[Fidge]

glow plugs light [stop calling it coil!!] flashing is brake light bulbs shot or brake switch fuct only if the engine start and goes ok,,, it obviously won't affect the start,,,

Sorry for the question but english isn't my first language, when you say tickover you mean while you try to start it and it cranks but won't start or you mean the engine idling??

If it cranks and the coil lights flash and it doesn't start I'd bet on the electrical part of the ignition [I mean the place where you put the key to start the engine],,, in this case, vagcom won't tell you anything [I'd have a check anyway if I were you] but I can tell you how to carry a lil test,,, just lemme know what you mean with tickover,,,

By tickover I mean the starter motor is turning the engine over but its not starting, as if the fuel and ignition has been deactivated or somat!

Cheers

 

[basstard]

ok, I had a similar problem on mine, glow plug light flashing but car wouldn't start,,, I'd try and move energically the key inside the ignition then try to see if that cures the problem a bit,,,

a step forth would be connecting a wire to the starter [don't know where tbh, an autoelectrician did it for me]. In this way you can turn the ignition on with the bonnet open, [in neutral!!!!] then you place the wire on the battery + and the car starts,,, in this way you bypass the ignition switch,,, if it works this way I'd deffo say it is the ignition switch,,, it ain't that expensive but you need to take the steering wheel off [with airbag and all] so it's a bit of a pita,,,

best of luck!

 

[Muttley]

From what I've read, a flashing glow-plug light means an ECU problem. Bearing in mind that the ECU takes input from all manner of sensors in the car, there are a lot of areas where a simple fault (bad connection, wire loose etc) or a bad sensor can cause a fault that is critical, and the ECU won't let the car start.

You have the means to find out what is wrong. Get that VAG-com working and look at the fault codes! Carlo's analysis could point you in the right direction, but VAG-com will get you a much closer diagnosis of the problem and where to look next.

By the way, tickover is normally used to describe an engine that is running at idle speed. When it turns over on the starter but won't start, that is usually described as cranking.

 

[basstard]

By the way, tickover is normally used to describe an engine that is running at idle speed. When it turns over on the starter but won't start, that is usually described as cranking.

I had that right then! That's why I asked fidge to clarify,,, I'm always confused cos I don't know if a term I know is english or american and this could lead to misunderstanding,,,


I don't really think the ecu won't start the engine because of a bad connection or a shot sensor,,, these are intermittent faults usually and the ecu uses standard values when it doesn't get data from the sensor,,, I'm pretty sure it's this way that it works,,,