WTF is up with my car??

[DeeKnow]

I've had this VW diesel for about two years now; never had anything worth mentioning with it. it's just an economical, reliable ride...


then today, i took the family out for dinner. came back, turned the key in the ignition ... and nothing ! no sound at all. no click or whirring. the starter doesnt crank at all. a friend had a jumper cable, which we hooked up, thinking maybe i left some light on and drained the battery... but no luck. then we pushed the car and i let the clutch go in 2nd gear, it starts up. we get home at least.

i drove home for about 20km... if it was anything to do with the battery, that should have charged her back up... after i parked her, i tried cranking it back up... and nothing. nada...

any ideas what is wrong ???


the car is now 3 yrs old, and has 60,000 km on it.

 

[thomsbrain]

i've seen this happen so many time in so many VW's, all the way back to 1960's Beetles. i'm pretty sure it has to do with the starter motor getting stuck in a position where it can't move. like if you have an electric motor, there is a tiny place where if you apply the current while it's there, it can't get moving. at any rate, the solution is generally to drop the car in gear and move it a bit by hand, or just bounce the car around a bit from the bumper. i've never seen this happen in anything but VW's, though.

VW's and electical problems go together like cake and ice cream. better get used to them.

 

[Ornery]

My first thought is the ignition switch. I would think you'd hear the relay click otherwise.

 

[CrackRabbit]

Originally posted by: Ornery
My first thought is the ignition switch. I would think you'd hear the relay click otherwise.

If it was the ignition switch i dont think he should of been able to push start it.
Im going with a bad starter.

 

[Ornery]

If the circuit of the switch is making contact in the "Run" position, it would push start. He said he heard "nothing ! no sound at all." If it ain't getting juice to the relay, there's nothing else it could be.

Edit: Oops! Duh, it could be the damn relay/solenoid!

 

[DeeKnow]

thanks for the responses so far guys... but thomsbrain - if the starter is not engaged, what good is pushing going to do?? its not moving the starter motor, is it ??

 

[AlienCraft]

Alternator or Battery or Solenoid. In that order.

 

[Analog]

You can check the solenoid by manually jumping a wire from the positive post of the battery to the solenoid. If it doesn't kick in, then its a bad solenoid.

 

[DurocShark]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft
Alternator or Battery or Solenoid. In that order.

Yep. You need voltmeter.

Also, VW starters often suffer from the same solenoid problems that chevy's were known for... Grab a bat or lug wrench or something and give the starter a good thwack. Sometimes that's all it takes...

 

[DeeKnow]

thanks again folks... took it to the garage this morning... the guy who took the first look at it seemed to think it was the ignition key
(at least that's what i think he said... my German is not all that good and he spoke little English!)
ahhh... the pleasures of being a foreigner...