Golf IV / Jetta IV :: Starter Motor Doesn't Engage Or Spin When It Is Very Cold
Feb 20, 2015
My starter motor in my 2004 Golf 2.0 doesn't engage or spin when it is very cold. By very cold, I mean below 5F.
The battery has plenty of juice, and jumping the battery doesn't work. I turn the key to "start" and nothing happens. When key is in the on position, fans, wipers, etc all work fine. When the car warms up to 20F or so, everything is fine and the car starts.
Here's the funny thing. If I put a little space heater on the driver side floor to warm up the fuse and relay panel, it starts with no issue.
I don't know enough about the interlocks between load reduction, starter motor, ignition switch etc to make a good guess as to which relay (if any) may stick in extreme cold. It's a tough problem to diagnose, because I can only experiment when it gets REALLY cold, when it isn't very fun to experiment anyway. I don't think it's the piggy back harness, because the wipers, horn and fan all work.
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Came home from a trip and the Santa Fe had been parked for 3 days. No starting issues prior, but went to move it and no go. When I turn the keys something "spins" but the starter does not engage. 99% sure it needs replaced. 02 GLS V6 AWD
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I have a 2000 Ford F150 lariat with the 5.4 liter engine. At least once or twice a day, its like the starter hits a bad spot and will spin but not engage the flywheel. It has a new starter, battery, and solenoid. What this might be?
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I have a 2011 sonata SE w/ 30K miles, the starter failed on me.
The motor would spin but would not engage the gears b/c of the solenoid or the rod malfunctioned.
They towed my car to the dealer for free and it was replaced but I'm concerned because the towing guy told me he towed quite a few Hyundai's b/c of this problem.
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My AC doesn't work right now, however, sometimes it works. It's very random, it doesn't matter if its hot outside or if its cool.
What happens is my AC clutch doesn't engage. when I turn ac on, it raises the idle for a second, and as soon as it does that, my ac compressor gets around 12 volts for less than a second, and the idle drops again. it does that in a loop.
My fans work fine, both high and low speeds, everything else works, all the fuses are good. I changed the pressure switch, didn't fix the problem. I also checked the ac coil and clutch. everything clicks and works. ground on the compressor is good.
Other odd thing - positive wire on the compressor constantly getting around 3 volts. What can it be and what else do i need to check?
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AC went out last week, was working great earlier that day. Checked under the hood and the clutch isn't engaging. Noticed an RPM spike every four seconds or so at idle when the AC was on. Checked voltage coming off the wires that go to the clutch and saw a voltage spike from essentially nothing to 9-12V which occurred in sync with the RPM spike. I poked a screw driver in the high pressure port and got a nice blast of coolant so I figured refrigerant isn't the issue.
Fuses are all good, in car and on battery. Replaced the fan control module and now there's no RPM spike and I get a constant 12v with the AC on at the clutch wire, but it still doesn't engage.
It's a 2000 Jetta 2.0 auto.
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Car doesn't seem to want to start when warm.
1.8T AWD, 02J swap, no clutch switch (I can start without pressing the clutch).
Cold start, cranks and starts on a dime, after the car warms up and I've turned off the car, say went for a quick grocery run, the car won't start afterwards.
No cranking, nothing. Fuel pump primes, then not a sound. Everything on the dash lights up just fine. No starter motor noise, no clicking.... nada...
Fairly new starter motor pulled from a junkyard donor. Can't think of anything else.
Last time I got stranded in a parking lot, I gave it a few whacks with a tire iron and the car started just fine. Could it be a bad solenoid?
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My 96 Tacoma has recently developed an issue where the starter doesn't engage when I turn the key. If I let out the clutch/break and start over, it typically works.
The weird part is that I never had this issue until I had the clutch replaced. The day after I got it back was the first time I had any issues. It is intermittent and doesn't happen anywhere close to all the time. I took it back to the shop that did my clutch and they told me I needed to replace my starter but I'm wondering if there is any other explanation for what's happening that would make sense given the timing of the whole thing. Could work they did replacing the clutch be causing this?
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08 Lexus GS350. Drove car Christmas Eve everything was fine, Christmas morning I go to start the car and it attempts to start once and before it cuts on it stops. Then anytime afterwards when I push the start button the starter doesn't engage and the radiator cooling fan comes on. I let the car sit for half a day and try to start it again I get the same cycle (it engages the starter but quits before the car turns over)...
- Battery is new as of September 14 (also took the battery to get checked 100% charged).
- I replaced the alternator in November 14
- I currently have the car at my mechanics but they can't figure it out as of yet. So far they are saying that the can't the cars computer to respond to their machine.
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The starter in my '93 Dakota was dying (usual signs of worn brushes) so I replaced it with a new one from AutoZone. The starters looked the same, and after calling back to double check the part #, the store swears it's the right part. However, when I engage the starter, it spins but the pinion gear doesn't engage the flywheel. I can't see how I could have installed it wrong - the two bolts seem to have only one place they can go.
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I had to replace one of my Ac lines. The skinnier one.I have never seen the air work in this car. That line was broke since I have owned it.
I went to try and fill it today with r134. I have as much pressure on the low side as I can put in. (55 says the cheap gauge) But when I turn the car on the clutch does not engage to cycle the freon so no cold air. What I know,The fans do not turn on when Ac button pushes.The connector to the compressor only read 4v. I cannot get any number on the high pressure switch connector. (3 pin)
I don't know if it just doesn't turn on because nothing in the high side? Is there a way to bypass? I read jumping the switch is a bad idea.
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Okay so my 2003 Jetta GLI normally starts without a problem. But it seems like whenever it gets cold (below about 40) it doesn't even try to start. I turn the key and nothing happens, the engine doesn't crank. All the lights turn on like normal and they're not dim so I don't think it's the battery. It'll still start if I roll-start it, but there isn't any sort of hill for a few miles. Normally once it warms up later in the day it'll start up.
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I have a 2003 F350 6.0 liter crew cab. It's all stock minus the FICM and bullet proof I did a few years ago when I purchased the truck. truck runs amazing with 136K miles on her, but i rarely drive the truck and she's been sitting. SO, I went out to start her up because it's been in the low teens and I wanted to keep the battery up to par. When I had turned the ignition key on to start the truck (after I cycled the glow plugs), I could hear the starter spin but instead of turning the truck over, it made a grinding noise followed by a spin type sound which I assume is the drive gear of the starter not engaging. I can get her to start but it takes multiple attempts.
Once she's warmed up, it seems to stop grinding when i try and start it which makes me think it's more of a resistance issue, possibly a relay. BTW, where is the starter relay on our trucks? I am wondering if the cold has something to do with the proper power and amps to the starter via the relay causing the starter not getting enough power to the starter. Anyway, I'm hoping there is a way to diagnose this through my torque program by looking at amps but not sure which parameters to look at on torque android.....I'm hoping it's a relay problem instead of a starter problem. I really dont want to replace a starter with a bum shoulder.......in the cold to top it off
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I am back with the same issue as the last 2 batteries. Ever since the wife has had this car, the last 2 batteries would spin the starter, but it wouldn't run. Bought batteries and it fixed it.
But damn, now her battery is only 13 months old. Is it true that if the battery gets just week enough that the motor is starved for enough juice for it to run?
Last dealer couldn't figure out why she needed a battery when the one she replaced was good. I told them do it anyway, and it worked, last year.
She called the dealer today and their saying its the alternator is pulling it down. I say BS. Its not a dead battery, its a temperamental motor, I guess. I dont know what to do. This is getting old.
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Developed a problem that I'm trying to research a bit to see if there is a common problem. Haven't really seen too much info yet, other than a potential clutch switch that will continue to display "depress clutch!" That's not my problem.
I don't drive this thing more than once a month or so. But occasionally I'll drive it to work for week or less.
Basically, every once in a while I'll try to start the engine and the starter will engage and turn the engine for about 1/2 second and then stop. All lights on the dash stay on. I'll reset the key, and it will usually then start normally on the next try. Sometimes it does the same thing on the second attempt.
Battery is 100% topped up, as it stays on a battery tender. Battery load test shows great. Connections are tight and clean.
The other day I cleaned the main B+ terminal on the starter, made sure the terminal jamb nut was tight and cleaned; then assembled the terminal and torqued. Removed, cleaned and re-torqued the top bolt on the starter. Cleaned and re-tightened the main grounds. Also cleaned the solenoid connection and made sure it fit back on securely.
Was fine for about 6 starts then it did the same thing again.
The last work I did on the car was a clutch upgrade (myself)...literally almost a year ago. I've driven it about...500 or less miles since. So I'd have assumed bad starter connections, but I think I've ruled those out. I didn't drop the subframe, just the transmission. the problem did start pretty much immediately after that job and hadn't done it at all before that job.
So what other interconnects are in the system to control the starter? Relays, control modules, switches, sensors...I'm sure all of the above. Something is allowing the starter to turn for 1/2 second and then drops it.
Perhaps the battery is dropping below voltage while cranking and something is aborting the start?
I haven't really done much diagnosing other than a simple load test on the battery. I haven't taken voltage readings under cranking, voltage drops across wires or voltage readings at terminals yet. Ugh..I really just don't feel like it. Maybe I'll just dump the car into the Pasquotank River.
Not that it really matters, but I've also installed an APR K04, full exhaust, Carbino intake...I don't know what else. But it was all done quite a while ago, by me. This second clutch I've done seems to have been the thing that triggered this particular problem.
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I've had my .:R for a while now, gotten used to its little quirks. But one thing that sparks my interest (not really worrisome though) is I have a squeaking noise when the starter motor engages. It definitely squeaks once per revolution for about 4-5 sqeaks, and it's noticeable in and out of the car. Is it a bearing going bad?
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I have a 1998 chevy blazer and I cant get it to start. I removed the starter and turned the key and can see the starter popping out and spinning, but when I put it back into the flywheel all I get is clicking noise(like if the battery is dead) I had it on jumper cables so I don't think its the battery?
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This is about a 2011 Sonata. I picked it up for my son.
The car has been running really well for the past few months, then out of the clear, when trying to start the car, the starter does a quick spin-free, then a short whine. The battery voltage is at 13.1 prior to attempting to start.
The car finally started under a jump from another car, but only after several turns of the key. And with each turn of the key, was the spin-free, then short whine, like described above. It's like the starter had a dead spot -or several dead spots- and I caught it just right, and it started.
I have the battery on an overnight charge. It sound like the starter to me. What do you think? And if it is the starter, how big a deal is it changing it out?
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I am having trouble with my air conditioning system in my 1996 Chevy Lumina. When I turn on the AC, the compressor clutch does not engage and the fans do not spin. I was able to jump the compressor so the clutch engaged, however, the fans still did not spin and the AC was not cold. I then jumped the low pressure cycling switch (near the accumulator), which caused the fans to spin while the compressor was running. However, this still did not produce cold air from the AC and none of the AC lines were cold to the touch. I am starting to think the system is low on Freon, but I do not have gauges to test the pressure.
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On my '92, 302, I have a failing compressor. It is "catching" after 1 - 3 turns. The clutch doesn't want to spin freely, not cooling well at idle and local shop advised me to get a new everything, if I want it to last.
My question is if I can pull a compressor from the JY, from same year/model, replace orifice tube, run a cleaner thru, evacuate the system, and fill with appropriate refrigerant. The reason I'm not doing the full repair with new compressor, new condenser, new drier, is I'm going to be pulling the engine at some point with a newly rebuilt engine I'm working on. I know the old system have R-12, but isn't there a way to just get by with the 134 retrokit's?
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My 2003 VW Jetta TDI has a major problem. The engine has likely been damaged by an oil leak that was not discovered until the oil ran out. I now have much reduced compression (340lbs or less) and the car doesn't like to start in cold weather and when it does it smokes much. I need to know if it is worth rebuilding and, if so, where I might have this work done.
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