Thread: Disco not starting intermittently

Originally Posted by Rad97

On occasions My disco wont turn over like there is no power getting to the starter motor,
Things I have done to get it to start,
rock it back and forward, it starts
put foot on brake pedal then it starts
put foot on accelerator, it then starts

What could be going on?
It seems it want a different routine every now and then when I get in the thing to see if its me driving.

Its a 96 tdi

When you turn the key & it won't start // Do you still get the "Click" sound from the soliniod (starter motor)

i agree with mike,
sounds like the starter is sticking -been near water?
i suspect you need to remove the starter and dismantle it, clean her up and bench test it - or buy a new one.

Ok had this problem with my disco and was told this by someone on here. Sorry can't remeber who . But check the small cable and spad plug on the top of the starter motor . If that is dirty then it will not tell the starter motor to klick in. This will give you situation that there is nothing when you turn the key. Everything else electronic works but nothing when you turn the key. Like trying to start an automatic in D. But if you have a clicking when you turn the key. then the starter motor soliode is on it way out

A few things to look for, all electrical

Do all of your dash lights dim when it does not start? if so then possibly check your battery terminals for good contact/ and or a faulty battery.

Remove, clean and re-fit the power cable on the starter motor, and the start wire on the starter motor (we had this one on the td5 disco)

More painful one (I had this on the 300tdi 130 fernder) the ignition switch had collapsed internally, and needed replacing. Try the others first, this one involves getting into the steering column and allot of mucking around. (I was able to do a temporary repair while I waited for a new one.)

Hope this helps

Cheers

Have you checked all connections from battery to earth, then to solenoid/ starter motor, make sure they are tight , check to see if the curcuit has a relay fitted in it, it may be a faulty relay, if it is an auto check by holding the Key in the start position and moving the gear lever between park and neutral .
Hodgo

No the dash lights dont dim
do not know if been through water hasnt since I had it and it
dose not click when it wont start

will check the little connector that goes to solenoid, had the batteries out the other day to clean terminals but been doing it before then and is still doing it intermitently now.

thanks for your posts.

I had a similar problem a while back with intermittent starting and it turned out to be in the solenoid. The contacts in the solenoid spin around to a different position every time you hit the starter, so if there is a dead spot on the contacts this will cause intermittent problems. If you keep hitting the starter, regardless of what other buttons / devices you press etc., eventually the solenoid contact will (or should) spin to a different spot and you will have a starter again. If this is the problem, then it is a pretty simple case of dismantling the solenoid and inspecting/cleaning up the contacts, and reassembling. It worked for me and the wagon is still starting consistently 12 months down the track! (fingers crossed!)
Regards
Glen

Also could be the key switch on its way out. Try moving the key around when starting. Maybe as you were putting your foot on the brake etc, you actually moved pressure on the key without realizing it. Would make sense if there was no clicking of the solenoid.