Car doesn't turnover - immobilizer problem or ignition switch?

[matth76 1]

Hi

I have an intermittent problem where sometimes I will try to start my car and it just won't turn over. Battery is brand new and has plenty of charge as all the lights work etc. My starter motor should be ok as it is only a year to 18mths old. My old battery did run flat and was left in a garage for a couple of weeks just sitting there - not sure if this has caused a problem with my immobilizer. Sometimes it will start fine after a couple of seconds but there is always a small delay of absolutely nothing- no turning over nothing. It should turn over straight away but it doesn't.

Could this be a problem with my immobilizer / alarm or igntion swtich? It is the stock cat1 factory alarm/immob. My car's a 1997 obd2 golf vr6.

I do have two small identical keys (they don't look like regular keys - they are very small circular bits of metal with a couple of grooves/nicks on them) that I got when I bought the car a couple of years ago. I've never used them - I assume they are to turn the alarm of? Could they be used to reset the immobilizer?

Is there a guide anywhere on here showing how you can change the ignition switch yourself - I am not very good at diy under the bonnet so is this a simple job!? Is there anything else I can try or test?

Any ideas?

Thanks for any help.

Cheers

Matt

[lee060 3]

do you a single click when you come to try to start ?

ignition switch could be on its way out .

aswell as what you mentioned , have you tried getting covers off and giving a direct live to the starter solenoid wire in the back of the lock barrel/switch . normally the red with black trace thick ish wire with the ignion on , if it still faults then its gonna be either starter or immobilizer

hope this helps

[matth76 1]

do you a single click when you come to try to start ?

ignition switch could be on its way out .

aswell as what you mentioned ' date=' have you tried getting covers off and giving a direct live to the starter solenoid wire in the back of the lock barrel/switch . normally the red with black trace thick ish wire with the ignion on , if it still faults then its gonna be either starter or immobilizer

hope this helps

[/quote']

No clicks or any noises at all. Haven't tried taking any covers off. Do I have to cut any wires to try and do what you say? How easy is it to change and where abouts is the ignition switch - is this a simple screwdriver cover off replace part job - or is it a fair bit more complicated? If it is simple what is the part number for my car (1997 golf) and how much is it and do I need any other parts?

Where abouts is the crank sensor plug and how easy is it to take off and clean? Are there any diagrams? What would I clean it with?

Not sure if this is linked but one of my whole headlight units doesn't work at the mo which is mysterious and none of the bulbs seem to have gone... could be fuse related - could a fuse be linked to the problem with my starter problems?

By the way my starter motor should be fine as that is around a year old. By the way my car sometimes starts if I bump start it which is strange as that would suggest the starter motor but it could be something related to the starter motor?

Thanks for any help.

[lee060 3]

i seem to remember its a pain in the a*** to do dont hold me to this as ive not done one yet. the parts not much at all its just a little switch that goes on the back of the ignition barrel its just getting to it hard bit normally its the sheer-bolts real annoyance to get off on other switches ive done.

dont have to cut any wires . use somthing like a power probe and just poke in and give it a live

another option bar fitting ignition switch is push button start , a whole lot easier and cheaper

the crank sensor if i rember rightly is at the front of the engine near the oil filter housing area should be held in with an alen key . might need to go underneath to get to it ,

cheak all fuses would be a good start matey , tho they wouldent be intermittently faulting , would be more presistant . it should start everytime if your bump starting it???

hope this helps , i do try when helping people over the net , but at the end of the day im used to having the car infront of me and then im able to be of a lot more use .

liam

[madhead 1987 0]

ive got a similar prob with mine but it bumps fine all the lights on dash nd tht dnt go dim or ote juss nothing from the starter nd no coenstant live tp the stereo