lost and need help

[KingLeo]

i have a 02 p5 and i am having trouble with it starting. some times it will start no prblm other time i have to let off and repress the clutch and it will start and other times it wont start at all if i pushstart it i fires every time no issue never seen this b4 and know idea where to start

 

[pcb]

If you mean that the engine won't turn over at all, then you need to check your clutch switch.

The car won't let you engage the starter motor unless the clutch is pressed so you probably have a bad clutch switch.

 

[Fresco]

also check your battery terminals, and make sure they are not loose

 

[KingLeo]

i have already changed the terminals cuz that was my first guess but ty

 

[KingLeo]

is there any way to test the switch or bypass it

 

[tweety2300]

Find the wire off the switch that sends power to starter, splice in a new wire and run it straight to the starter. That's how I did it on my 323

Had the same issue with the protege and it was the switch just not sending power to the starter, ran a wire from the battery to a button then to the starter for push button start/ race car status

 

[pcb]

Looks like Tweety's method should work. (and it sounds like a pretty cool way to start your car)

Find where the black wire with a yellow stripe goes into the starter. It should be a single wire in connector by itself. Cut it and splice in a new wire going into the starter,.. then to a button then to the battery.

OR,... your could test your switch right at the pedal. There should be a switch on the clutch pedal with a connector on it. It has a black/yellow wire and a black/blue wire.
When the key is held in the start position, there should be B+ (12 V) on black/blue wire. When the clutch pedal is also pushed at the same time, then there should be B+ on the black/yellow wire as well.

Be aware that the starter could kick in while you're doing that so you might get dragged down your driveway. I suggest putting it in neutral.

You could also disconnect the b/y b/l connector and put a jumper wire across the terminals (jumper the part of the connector with the wires not the part going to the pedal.) That way your clutch switch is bypassed so there is no need to push in the clutch to get your car started. (although you should still push the clutch so you're not jumping curbs in the parking lot if it's in gear)

 

[hornsfan10609]

It could be an ignition switch or relay as well as the clutch safety switch

 

[pcb]

^^ What he said,...

Your starter may be starting to crap out. There's a big relay built into the starter motor that may be working intermittently as it dies.

I've heard of a bad connection at the battery causing this as well. The connection is good enough to run the car but not good enough for the high current demands of the starter motor.

One guy had to replace the terminal lugs on the battery wires before he finally fixed the same problem as you. Those little straps around the battery terminals don't really cut it.

He checked and cleaned his connections a bunch of times then finally replaced the lugs at end of the battery wires to fix the problem.

 

[M2P503]

Hey before you start hacking wires off the Starter and splicing stuff why don"t you check the Fuse Panel box and see if there are any Fuses blown? If there isn"t then perhaps run a Prong Test light and see if your Ignition switch is bad.

 

[pcb]

Testing the black/blue wire for 12V while holding the key to start will test the ignition switch.

A blown fuse wouldn't give intermittent starting.

 

[M2P503]

Testing the black/blue wire for 12V while holding the key to start will test the ignition switch.

A blown fuse wouldn't give intermittent starting.

Ok Thanks for the advice but i was just mentioning it to them as an option about a possibly blown fuse because with these cars you never Know.

 

[pcb]

... with these cars you never Know.

I know what you mean,... that yellow wire going from the starter wire to the starter signal fuse only goes into the instrument cluster.

I went and pulled out mine but it didn't seem to do anything,... my car started normally,... all my gauges appeared to work.

 

[kms1990]

Looks like Tweety's method should work. (and it sounds like a pretty cool way to start your car)

Find where the black wire with a yellow stripe goes into the starter. It should be a single wire in connector by itself. Cut it and splice in a new wire going into the starter,.. then to a button then to the battery.

OR,... your could test your switch right at the pedal. There should be a switch on the clutch pedal with a connector on it. It has a black/yellow wire and a black/blue wire.
When the key is held in the start position, there should be B+ (12 V) on black/blue wire. When the clutch pedal is also pushed at the same time, then there should be B+ on the black/yellow wire as well.

Be aware that the starter could kick in while you're doing that so you might get dragged down your driveway. I suggest putting it in neutral.

You could also disconnect the b/y b/l connector and put a jumper wire across the terminals (jumper the part of the connector with the wires not the part going to the pedal.) That way your clutch switch is bypassed so there is no need to push in the clutch to get your car started. (although you should still push the clutch so you're not jumping curbs in the parking lot if it's in gear)

how do you get pictures up under the dash like that? i can never even see under there hardly! yeah to me it sounds like the clutch switch or starter maybe bad or shorted. start cheap and start with battery and follow back to clutch switch then to starter.

 

[thuzil]

This is classic starter failure. The coils in the starter motor will start to fail and there are certain spots in the rotation that will not begin rotation when you turn the key. You can get past these points by bumping the car and moving the starter a bit.

Replace your starter.