symptoms of a bad starter
 

Hi all

ok what I have had for the past few months on a cold start is that most time regardless of if I use the stop-start button or the key is a long delay in the car firing up. I turn the key or push the button and for 3-4 seconds nothing and then she starts up and when this happen I also get the EPC light staying on. This is only from a cold start.

...I'm thinking starter motor ..but would like to know want the members think
....do the symptoms sound like the starter .

Thanks for the help and input all
Steve

Have you got a scan? seems like a strange fault your describing there and i struggle to see the connection so a scan would be the best place to start

Hi Yep sorry should have said my local specialist checked it out and it showed

1 electrical fault
2 starter not turning

I cant recall the code but that was what was shown.


also its a new battery fitted so have ruled that out.

yeah without a vcds scan cant even give you a place to start, starter not turning could be something else like a bad relay so would need vcds scan

They did do the vagcom scan and also replaced 2 of the starter motor relays. one was under the steering wheel and the other under the glove box. But did not seem to work.

I've seen this before on D3's and there's a thread somewhere on here where at least 1 person replaced their starter motor finally (which apparently isn't the nicest/easiest of jobs) and that cured the issue.

Having said that their issue related mainly to warm starts after using the car for a journey then re-starting again and there was a similar delay of a few seconds with no action and sometimes a click, then the car would start ok randomly a few times later

Yes think I remember that post. Mine seems fine of warm starts its just the
Cold ones that seem to give a problem. Also the. Colder the weather is the
longer the delay is.

From a natural oil burner,
is it waiting for the glow plug cycle?

Hmm that may be related to bad earth to the car or starter perhaps? have you check the state of those?

I did have my garage check it over and all looked good. I have found that it seems to start well with the key but when using the stop start button there is a delay. I was think of changing the button. I have one that I picked up from A8 parts. But I could not see how to remove the connection from the old one. I did not want to break it. Would anyone know how to disconnect the connection from the start stop button once I have removed the consol ( which was very easy )
Thanks for the tips

Well today the car would not start at all and had to call the AA. Still would not start. Then he rolled the car back abit and it started up. Have left it outside my garage for them to fit a new starter. The AA guy did a scan and it came up with
Starter not turning and electric fault. What a start to a Sunday

I think fitting a new starter will cure it once and for all Steve +++
Hope you get it sorted and back on the road soon

Yep hopefully wil fix the problem and no more starting drama. Thank I will keep you all updated. She is locked away with my garage to have a new one fitted in the week

I guess 11th and 13 years of starting will wear the starter down

Well with a much lighter wallet and a new starter motor she starts right up no probs and not EPC light. My indi told me that it was not a fun job

New starter fitted all better so far so good will keep an key on things

One thing that I have noticed is the new starter spins much faster then the old one. You can tell by the sound it's stronger then the old one.