daytona600 0 Posted January 21, 2009 Over the past few months my '93 VR6 has failed to start on a few occasions. It turns over but will not fire until several attempts. Last week it just refused to start. RAC looked at it for 2 hours then gave up and took it to the stealers. They said it was the engine speed sensor. £250 later the car was back on the road with a noticable improvement in performance and starting. 3 days later I am back to square one! The car would not start on Monday morning. After much fiddling I plugged my laptop into the car and ran VAG-COM. No faults but after I unplugged it the car started. I thought that maybe I had cleared something on the ECU. Now to this evening. I collected my son from scouts, jumped back into the car and you guessed it... wont start!! Does anyone have any ideas what may be causing this? I don't want to get rid of the car after 4 years but she is starting to let me down to often. Please help! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Critical_Mass 10 Posted January 21, 2009 Changing the ignition switch would be a good idea mate. This give intermitent starting issues, its no more the £20 from Volkswagon. This is a common fault. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daytona600 0 Posted January 21, 2009 Thanks, I have been seeing that on a few posts. Going to show my ignorance now. If the ignition switch is os would the car still turn over? I would have thought it would just be dead? I eventually got the car going and back home tonight. Wiggling the key seemed to help but so did crossing my fingers and praying ;-) Also, is it a DIY job or is changing the switch a pro job? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruny 0 Posted January 21, 2009 Had same problem with mine , changed and checked allsorts before changing the switch, wiggling the key is defo switch problem, fiddly job but worth it , be prepared to sacrifice a small screw driver to get at it, need a gentle bend to get at the grub screw :bad-words: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Critical_Mass 10 Posted January 21, 2009 When my ignition switch was on its way out i turned the key and the dash lights came on. But the car wouldnt even attempt to turn over. To get the switch out its a pain in the a$$ - getting to the screw is awkward and requires you to get your head under the steering column cowling to see it and you have to bend a small screw driver to get to it. In the end i, as careful as i could, broke the old switch with a hammer and then cable tied the new switch in place - because at some point in the future will have to do this job again. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruny 0 Posted January 21, 2009 Memories come flooding back :lol: Laid upside down with the bent mini driver, sawn off at just the right length, turning 1/4 of a turn at a time whilst holding a torch between my teeth, blood rushing to my head :bad-words: I never realised I knew so many swear words :lol: Don't want to have to do it again :pukeright: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daytona600 0 Posted January 21, 2009 sounds like another load of dosh for the local vw garage. I hate the thought of wasting half a day with a torch in my gob. Been there and don't want to go back ;-) But I am still puzzled, can someone confirm. If the car does everything it should (except fire) then can it still be the ignition switch? I would have thought that nothing would happen if the switch was buggered. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruny 0 Posted January 21, 2009 Can confirm it turns over but will not strike, sometimes striking but not running for long, its a bugger but cheap if you perservere. Consider it as a character building exercise, an experience you will never forget. Good luck :lol: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aki 0 Posted January 22, 2009 hi had a similar fault on mine would sometimes crank and crank and crank with a total flatline regarding starting make sure all the relays are pushed into the fusebox one of mine had vibrated loose (main ecu relay) pushed it back in car started every time easy to check andy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattkh 0 Posted January 22, 2009 sounds like another load of dosh for the local vw garage.. Hi Can you hear the fuel pump prime every time you turn the ignition on ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daytona600 0 Posted January 22, 2009 Consider it as a character building exercise, an experience you will never forget. Good luck LOL, I am not in the mood for throwing spanners and skinning knuckles today ;-) Pretty sure it is not relay problem, i always check them if it wont start. I have never heard the fuel pump prime (going deaf) but I will get someone to check this when it stops raining. Will call the stealers later and get a quote for the ignition switch. Just wondering if there is a test that can be done to find a faulty switch? As my VW dealer spent 4 hours diagnosing the fault but did not mention the switch! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reggit 0 Posted January 22, 2009 When it turns over, do you hear a relay constantly clicking in the cabin? If YES, change the X-relief relay If NO, change the fuel pump relay I've had the same problem on mine with both symptoms at various times, the above changes solved it. Obviously can't say yours is the same, but it's a cheap is fix. I didn't suspect the relay for the 'NO' option, but I changes it and my cars been faultless since. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Neil VR6 0 Posted January 22, 2009 My non-start issue similar to yours was cured with an £8 fuel pump relay which was on its way out. For the sake of the outlay and ease of fitting I'd buy one anyway. They have a lot of juice going through them which you could see as the tabs were quite discoloured. If you've got a mate nearby with a C you could always pop his in to see if it works before you buy one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daytona600 0 Posted January 22, 2009 Ok, fuel pump is priming fine. I am sure it is not the fuel pump relay as I took it out & tried starting. The car was firing with the fuel that was left in the system. When it has failed to start in the past it has not done that, it just turns over without firing. So to recap. The fuel system seems ok, it is producing a spark, it is not the Engine speed sensor (new part fitted) so it still looks like the culprit is the ignition switch to me. Any other ideas most welcome. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tango 0 Posted January 26, 2009 this takes me back bud, try this, go into your fuse box try fuse 14 or about there(it's prob f**K*D)if it's not 14 try them all for all the time it takes you'd still be trying to start your Rad :D repace any fu***d fuses... now.... put your hand up and over the fuse board(behind it) and you'll find a wire ,pull it towards you (there is plenty of slack) and you will hopefully find a fuse like i did that was also fucKKD!!!! replace and say a wee prayer.... turn your baby over bud. Hope it's the same prob i had ,sure sounds like it... drove me mad for months-under £1 and it was fixed.... fingers crossed 8) Tango. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattkh 0 Posted January 26, 2009 Ok, fuel pump is priming fine. Any other ideas most welcome. What alarm/immobiliser system have you got ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wazza 0 Posted February 24, 2009 I seem to have the same symptoms with my VR6. Pump is priming, engine turns over but doesn't catch, sometimes hiccups and takes several attempts to fire. Do these sound like similar symptoms? I haven't tried fiddling with anything yet so where should I start? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_leon_ 0 Posted March 30, 2009 hi - did you ever get to the bottom of the problem? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
