Help with no ignition lights

[damondavies]

Hi All,

Tonight my car was struck by a weird ignition problem.

All of sudden my car no longer has any ignition lights and wont start (not even turning over almost like its immobilised).

Theres power in the battery, the plip appears to lock and unlock the car, the radio comes on etc.

Does anyone have any suggestions as I will be going back to the car tomorrow morning (it is currently stuck down a lane in the middle of nowhere )

Thanks in advance

Damon

 

[neilpjam]

Looks like me and you have the same problem..

Check out my thread I cant add it on here as im new but if you click on my profile then threads started by me,

 

[damondavies]

Yeah just a quick look... Mine doesn't cut out just seems to happen after the ignition is turned off.

No lights and not starting or turning over at all, almost like there is no power going to the ignition at all.

One thing I have noticed over the last few weeks though is the radio/temp lcd's flickering now and again when cold..

 

[vaux_gled]

same hear. ive noticed them lcd's flickering aswel

 

[neilpjam]

Yeah maybe if it was an immobilizer fault tho it would start then cut out.. you could have something as simple as a ignition switch.. even tho its sort of working they have cross over points that fail.

 

[TarekElsakka]

I had the very same problem the second day I bought the car, and it was brand new, not used. Turns out one of the two big screws on the top of the battery wasn't in correctly and when I fixed it everything worked fine.

 

[vaux_gled]

Yeah maybe if it was an immobilizer fault tho it would start then cut out.. you could have something as simple as a ignition switch.. even tho its sort of working they have cross over points that fail.

yh thats what i was thinking. also when ignition is turned on and the lights dont appear, repeatedly turning off and on a few times will bring them on eventually. going to check the outputs on the ignition switch.

when these are immobilized should they fire then cut out or keep cranking but not fire or nothing at all. customer has lost his remote central locking key so he is using the spare without buttons. when you lock the car all doors lock and turn lights flash. when opening, the drivers door opens but no flash even when turning the key twice still no flash and no other doors open. only after taking key out of ignition the other doors open.

 

[neilpjam]

yh thats what i was thinking. also when ignition is turned on and the lights dont appear, repeatedly turning off and on a few times will bring them on eventually. going to check the outputs on the ignition switch.

when these are immobilized should they fire then cut out or keep cranking but not fire or nothing at all. customer has lost his remote central locking key so he is using the spare without buttons. when you lock the car all doors lock and turn lights flash. when opening, the drivers door opens but no flash even when turning the key twice still no flash and no other doors open. only after taking key out of ignition the other doors open.

If its immob it'll fire then cut out. As for opening the car via the door lock turn the key twice round to unlock the same as you would if you had the remote... press the remote once for drivers and twice for all the doors its the same principle when unlocking turn the key once for drivers door and twice for all the doors. All the doors will open when you pull the key out and they will probably all lock when you go over 15mph.
Hope that helps.

 

[James_R]

sounds like a relay fault to me.

they'll fire then cut out if its the immo cutting in, you'll also see the immo light flash if theres an issue with it.

 

[vaux_gled]

sounds like a relay fault to me.

they'll fire then cut out if its the immo cutting in, you'll also see the immo light flash if theres an issue with it.

heard people mention this a few times, im new to the vag stuff. whats the relay control!

 

[damondavies]

yh thats what i was thinking. also when ignition is turned on and the lights dont appear, repeatedly turning off and on a few times will bring them on eventually. going to check the outputs on the ignition switch.

Worth a try will give this a go tomorrow and check battery connections... I also didnt realise but there is another fusebox on the side of the dash?

 

[greyfloppyhat]

Sounds a battery issue, either the battery is gone/going or your alternator has stopped working and no longer charges it. I had an issue with my alternator which meant I had no battery power. I could still however lock the car and if I left it for a while it was able to have enough power to turn it over.

I had to drive it home with this issue of low battery power because the alternator wouldn't charge the battery and it would cause the instruments to first die, then the lcd screen to flicker and go dim, basically off, then no power steering, but the engine never cut out on the journey home.

 

[James_R]

fuse boxes on a mk2 leon are on the drivers side of the dash nearest the door, in the engine bay on the passenger side nearest the battery and the relay plate is located near the steering wheel.
The ignition switch sends the trigger signal to live the relay but if its opening the dors when you remove the key this would signify the ignistion swicth is ok.

the relay might be sticking and when you toggle the ignition on/off its breaking free and making a connection. if you can gain access to the relay plate try tapping the relays hard with a screwdriver handle then try to start the car, hitting a relay that is sticking will often kick start it into life.

 

[damondavies]

Thanks guys for all your suggestions..

Will give them all a try tomorrow, wish me luck!

D

 

[damondavies]

OK..

Tried reconnecting battery, and checking connections.

Checked all fuses/relays were connected properly.

Still no lights when turning ignition on.

Radio and interior lights come on fine, and also tried locking and unlocking car so I guess theres still power in the battery.

I am currently at a loss now! I have a fear of taking it to the autoelectrics place and them doing "investigatory work" which may cost 100s..

Time to order the recovery anyway!

D

 

[James_R]

Did you tap the relays?

 

[damondavies]

Yes, this didnt seem to do anything at all..

The car is now with a local autoelectrics company who will "hopefully" work out whats going on.

If I find out I will post on here for future use!

D

 

[vaux_gled]

Did you tap the relays?

sorted mine today. went into work and ordered a new bosch battery, i thought it was a long shot but worth a try. anyway fitted and still no lights. next turned ignition to position 2 and got my screwdriver out and started tapping relays and it worked a treat. fuse box under steering wheel black relay with 460 on it. removed the relay pulled top off and it stank of burning so gave it a blast of brake cleaner, pushed it back into fuse board and it started straight up.

got a new relay coming tommoz from the dealers only £6. thanks for the help guys.
hope you manage to get yours sorted aswel davies.

 

[damondavies]

Awesome, glad you managed to sort yours out and not break the bank!

I did try that with all the relays (wasnt sure which one it was) and nothing. :/

They had mine in for 2 hours today but still haven't heard anything back expecting a call tomorrow.

 

[Nath.]

^^^^^Sounds to me as if you're gonna get stung £100's for a £6 relay

Tapping relays works on intermittent relay connections but totally burned out relays won't work however much banging they get. Best option is to swap 2 relays over that look to be the same and see if the fault moves.