Gransport fails to start on occasion

[Swedish Paul]

This happened today. Started up, stopped after 5 mins to fill up with petrol, get back it, nothing happens when I push start. Cars stays in first. No errors, even checked with the ODB reader. Battery is reading 12.7v so no issue there. Can manually go into neutral and select 1st. Got out, swore, I can't hear the pump priming but it may still be full. Tried several times off and on. After 20 minutes, turned all the power off. 5 minutes later, power on. Still no start. Got out again. Got in one last time, heard the pump, all the usual noises, started but didn't blip, just straight to 800rpm. Been for a thrash, it's now fine.

Any ideas?

 

[CatmanV2]

Check your brake light switch.
What happens if you select neutral manually and try to start? If I recall PTS won't be given if it's in gear and the brakes are not on.

C

 

[conaero]

Its not dropping out of gear to start and mine did the same till I replaced the battery (GTS).

What happens is after the car has not been started for a week is the initial startup drains all the battery amp. Then you immediately stop it then restart and there is not enough guts in the battery to fire the actuator to remove from gear. on a GTS you get a Gear Unavailable warning.

Put it on charge overnight and test the same scenario and see if its fine, if so, its worth a £100 battery as a cheap potential fix.

 

[Swedish Paul]

Working fine now. But earlier, the brake pedal was definitely pressed. When you say check your brake light switch, what do you mean, check the brake lights are working?

 

[conaero]

Working fine now. But earlier, the brake pedal was definitely pressed. When you say check your brake light switch, what do you mean, check the brake lights are working?

Yes, if the brake lights are coming on then the pedal switch is working for start procedure...same circuit.

 

[CatmanV2]

Yes, if the brake lights are coming on then the pedal switch is working for start procedure...same circuit.

Not quite. The switch is double NO for the lights, NC for PTS. They must both be reading correctly.

C

 

[conaero]

Ah, well there you go. They are cheap so worth changing.

 

[Swedish Paul]

So where are these switches, connected to the brake pedal or?

 

[CatmanV2]

Yes, on the brake pedal. Stick your head in the footwell and you can see it

C

 

[conaero]

Its self setting/collapsing so when you get the new one, it will appear too long. Fit it then gently press the brake and it sort of snaps to the correct adjustment.

 

[Swedish Paul]

It has happened again. The brake lights are working, I can select/deselect gears, all the dash lights go out and no warning code. Does anyone know what the part code is for the sensor on the brake pedal? Any easy way to find out?

 

[Wanderer]

Its not dropping out of gear to start and mine did the same till I replaced the battery (GTS).

What happens is after the car has not been started for a week is the initial startup drains all the battery amp. Then you immediately stop it then restart and there is not enough guts in the battery to fire the actuator to remove from gear. on a GTS you get a Gear Unavailable warning.

Put it on charge overnight and test the same scenario and see if its fine, if so, its worth a £100 battery as a cheap potential fix.

I’m flying to Dublin next week, leaving the Maser at DSA for a week, mines a DD, hope I don’t get the same issue, surely it can be left for a week?

 

[CatmanV2]

It has happened again. The brake lights are working, I can select/deselect gears, all the dash lights go out and no warning code. Does anyone know what the part code is for the sensor on the brake pedal? Any easy way to find out?

183433
I assume you just couldn't get the engine to turn?

C

 

[Swedish Paul]

183433
I assume you just couldn't get the engine to turn?

C

No, I can select neutral manually but when pushing the start button when in 1st, the auto select to neutral doesn’t happen and the engine doesn’t turn. It doesn’t turn if I manually select neutral and press start either.

 

[CatmanV2]

No, I can select neutral manually but when pushing the start button when in 1st, the auto select to neutral doesn’t happen and the engine doesn’t turn. It doesn’t turn if I manually select neutral and press start either.

I reckon it's the switch. At £15 I'd be willing to give it a try.

C

 

[Swedish Paul]

So I got into the footwell, located this switch and noticed that the plunger is moved/extended only a couple of mm when you push the brake pedal, so instead I compressed the plunger to fully closed and released it a few times and guess what? Started first time. And second. And third. I will change it but I wonder if a squirt of contact cleaner will be enough.

 

[MC_Bob]

Great diagnosis skills Catman!

 

[Swedish Paul]

Great diagnosis skills Catman!

Yep, he’s the man!!

 

[CatmanV2]

Yep, he’s the man!!

Ummm, thanks. It's really more an ability of data recall. This is not stuff that I've worked out, but stuff that other people have worked out, and I've regurgitated if you like

If you swap out the switch, and you get consistent starting, I'll be happy that you're happy And I'll take a compliment

C

 

[safrane]

You can adjust the switch... Emblem did mine