Problem with starting 2.0TDI

[fdacic]

Hi,

When I tried to start my car this morning i couldn't start my car the usually way. I have an Audi a3 2.0TDI -05.

The following conclusions:

- The car starts by doing a "push-start". No errors or lights on the cluser panel after the car is started
- The car DOESN'T jump-start
- I can hear a click from the starter motor
- The battery symbol appears on the cluster panel but the battery isn't low due the electronic is working well.
- A few days ago my clock on the cluster panel got resetted by basically no reason but it had no problems starting at that time, no indications on low battery

Should I spend my money on a new starter motor?

 

[Sidhu88]

New battery i would have said. Push starting allows the alternator to provide some power (assumption), hence y u can start it by push starting it. If the starter motor is clicking then its working but theres just not enough power from the battery. Does your car have the original battery? Also the cold weather puts more strain on batteries, most people tend to need new batteries in the winter period so chances are its just that. get it started and get ur battery tested

 

[fdacic]

New battery i would have said. Push starting allows the alternator to provide some power (assumption), hence y u can start it by push starting it. If the starter motor is clicking then its working but theres just not enough power from the battery. Does your car have the original battery? Also the cold weather puts more strain on batteries, most people tend to need new batteries in the winter period so chances are its just that. get it started and get ur battery tested

I recently bought the car(~4 months ago) and the old owner said that the battery war fairly new. And it's not an original battery.
Can the battery be totally broken? I drove ~30 min today, turned off the car, and tried to start it but still just the click sound from the starter motor.

 

[Sidhu88]

How often do you drive? and when you do, how long for? Have u actually checked the new battery to see what it is? by that i mean can u trust the old owner enough to be sure that it actually is a new battery. Everything uve said to me so far are all the common symptons for a battery thats almost dead. The "new" battery could easily be a used battery, and even then a fairly new battery can still suffer from a cell dying or a short circuit issue

 

[fdacic]

How often do you drive? and when you do, how long for? Have u actually checked the new battery to see what it is? by that i mean can u trust the old owner enough to be sure that it actually is a new battery. Everything uve said to me so far are all the common symptons for a battery thats almost dead. The "new" battery could easily be a used battery, and even then a fairly new battery can still suffer from a cell dying or a short circuit issue

I drive the car each day for at least 30-45 min depending on the trafic. I actually thought the battery was bad to today but when i tried to jump-start the car it didn't work

 

[Sidhu88]

Just get the battery tested then ull know for sure

 

[fdacic]

Just get the battery tested then ull know for sure

Will do that first thing in the morning, thanks

 

[Lewis583]

As said a battery test is your best way forward. Most motor factors have the ability to test batteries, possibly (I shudder as I say this) Halfords.

If the battery checks out ok then next step would be check the earths from the battery and to the engine.

 

[mike foster]

Bad earth connection on the battery or bad connection to starter motor. Click is the solenoid pulling in but not enough current flow to turn starter.

Check all connections first. Remove and clean battery terminals.

 

[fdacic]

Bad earth connection on the battery or bad connection to starter motor. Click is the solenoid pulling in but not enough current flow to turn starter.

Check all connections first. Remove and clean battery terminals.

The battery was Ok. Earth connection is to the right of the battery? How complicated is it to access the starter motor? Is it something that i can do? Tine estimmated for this? A guide would be nice...

Thanks for the help guys

 

[SootySport]

It does seem to the starter that is playing up now, all you can check now is lift up the car a fair bit and take the splashguard off, the starter is bolted to the on the gearbox end of the engine, first thing to check is the battery lead, the largest cable, brown or red is bolted firmly to the starter, no earth cable as its earthed via the fixing bolts through the chassis and engine block.
Hope your handy with the spanners then you can change the starter motor yourself.

 

[Bedders]

If the lights on the dash don't go dim when you try to engage the starter motor....I'd go with faulty starter motor. Ropey solenoid on starter motor used to be favourite years ago...but I'm not so sure with this modern stuff. Not wielded spanners for a couple of years.

 

[SootySport]

He does get a click from the solenoid so thats ok and it seems the battery and cables are ok as well, seems to me the starter itself is cream crackered.

 

[fdacic]

If the lights on the dash don't go dim when you try to engage the starter motor....I'd go with faulty starter motor. Ropey solenoid on starter motor used to be favourite years ago...but I'm not so sure with this modern stuff. Not wielded spanners for a couple of years.

The dash doesn't dim when i try to start the car. I also had my battery tested today and it was in good condition

It does seem to the starter that is playing up now, all you can check now is lift up the car a fair bit and take the splashguard off, the starter is bolted to the on the gearbox end of the engine, first thing to check is the battery lead, the largest cable, brown or red is bolted firmly to the starter, no earth cable as its earthed via the fixing bolts through the chassis and engine block.
Hope your handy with the spanners then you can change the starter motor yourself.

So i don't need to deassemble pretty much anything? Sounds to good to be true

I should be able to replace the starter just by removing the splashguard, removing 2 cables to the starter motor, 2 bolts(Size of the bolts?) and then assemble everything?

I apologize if I ask stupid question

 

[fdacic]

I managed to replace the starter today. Took me 1 hour, How to troubleshoot and replace a bad starter on VW Jetta, Golf, and Audi A3 TDI an excellent guide on how to replace the starter, thanks for all the help.

 

[mike foster]

I managed to replace the starter today. Took me 1 hour, How to troubleshoot and replace a bad starter on VW Jetta, Golf, and Audi A3 TDI an excellent guide on how to replace the starter, thanks for all the help.

Problem solved presumably ? Well done.

 

[fdacic]

Problem solved presumably ? Well done.

The problem is solved