Me car won't start :-(

tr82

Rover 25 ... last serviced Jan 09 ... 2001 plate

Anyway. First few attempts I turn the key, it starts to turn over but won't start. Even starts running a few seconds (sounds healthy enough) then just dies.

Can call the AA out but don't really need the car until Monday so it can wait a day or two, plus the garage isn't open until then anyways.

All suggestions appreciated :beer:

Kilty_2

Sounds like the battery/starter motor to me....

tr82

Kilty wrote: »

Sounds like the battery/starter motor to me....

Ayes. Have had the car since new, the battery's the original one, has always come up good in each service but maybe it's past its best now ? That plus the cold weather's probably sapped the life out of it ?

Ho hum. Thanks for your tip !

Tiddlywinks

Just for info... it's worth getting a quote for a battery from your local Volvo deaer as they were actualy cheaper than Halfords the last time I needed one. Who'd have thought it ?

tr82

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

Just for info... it's worth getting a quote for a battery from your local Volvo deaer as they were actualy cheaper than Halfords the last time I needed one. Who'd have thought it ?

Seriously ?!

I'm laughing here, I've just reserved a battery online at Halfords, £109 with a view to getting the AA out tmorro then off to Halfords ... can you remember roughly what the price difference was compared to the dealers ?

ianian99

Op says it sometimes runs for few seconds so doubt its the battery. You only really need the battery to start the car, the alternator powers everything really.
Possibly its simply out of petrol as they are known to have faulty fuel guages and the fault is that it appears on the guage that you have petrol when infact the tank is empty!
Stick a gallon of petrol in it and try that..
Symptoms do resemble no fuel.
If its not that could be fuel filter, fuel pump, clogged injectors etc.

Viper_7

Why is everyone thinking battery?

If it is turning over ok and even splutters into life then dies, it is unlikely to be the battery.

If you've not had any problems then it could be any one of many issues.

Also, if you have the Info center it will tell you if it's the battery.

Do you have the info center? any messages?


Also is it the Petrol or Diesel engine?

ianian99

tr82 wrote: »

Seriously ?!

I'm laughing here, I've just reserved a battery online at Halfords, £109 with a view to getting the AA out tmorro then off to Halfords ... can you remember roughly what the price difference was compared to the dealers ?

Dont go and spend over 100 quid on a battery. Its not your battery, its turning the engine over and even starting it now and then so its fine.
Stick some petrol in.

Davey2009

Im just an amatuer when it comes to cars but the cold weather means thicker oil which is harder for the engine to turn over & start.... Id be looking at putting the battery on a slow trickle charge overnight 1st & check / clean up the battery terminals, if it's not garaged could it be damp a spray of WD40 on the ignition components ie coil plugs leads might shift some moisture just a couple of easy cheap things to do otherwise leave it to the car breakdown people to diagnose, good luck !

Tiddlywinks

There was around £20 difference between the dealer and Halfords for the battery.

Anyway, as it seems that it may not be the battery, you could pop and have a look at the Volvo Owners' Club website which has a really active forum - the people there are really friendly and some members are Volvo mechanics who may be able to suggest any known faults for your model.

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/

tr82

Got info centre ... no messages.

Petrol model. Came home last night, there wasn't an awful lot of petrol left in the car, maybe a tenners worth, wasn't near the redline and the little "50 mile" warning light thing hadn't come on (or is it 35 mile ? can't remember).

Only thing different I've done recently is put in super unleaded rather than the ordinary stuff when I was at the petrol station the other week, a one off, they'd run out of the ordinary stuff. But I've since filled up and used near enough a tank of ordinary unleaded.

The car's been 100% reliable to date, never a problem with it of any kind, apart from going through bulbs at an insatiable rate.