2002 Polo 9N sporadic starting problems

[8Z0]

Hi,

Perhaps someone can shed some light on this sporadic starting problem with a 2002 Volkswagen Polo 1.4 SE (petrol), BBY engine code, manual box. The car is driven by a retired relative with a corresponding short shopping trip/low annual mileage driving profile. In total, the car has only covered about 5,000 miles since new (1 owner).

Here’s the problem: Occasionally when you turn the ignition key, the instrument panel warning lights illuminate as normal but nothing else happens. The starter motor doesn’t turn and the solenoid doesn’t even “click” and after several attempts the engine finally starts without further ado. The battery has been replaced recently, however I don’t think this is a battery related problem as once the engine starts, everything runs fine (no low charge/alternator warning lamp, nice bright dipped beams etc.) The problem first occurred about 2 years ago and, like I said, is sporadic.

The local Volkswagen dealer checked the fault memory when fitting a new battery recently, however this did not show up any malfunctions. I know that there is an issue with the ignition barrel switch on the previous Polo 6N, however no such fault on the 9N as far as I’m aware. According to other forums which discuss the 6N problems, you can test the ignition barrel switch by setting the fan blower to full whilst starting. If the blower is interrupted while starting, it's apparently likely that the ignition barrel switch is faulty. This is indeed the case with this 9N model - the blower is definitely interrupted when attempting to start without success - however is this really a definitive test? Unfortunately I'm not an auto electrician...

If the problem doesn’t lie with the ignition switch, I suspect the starter motor or a bad earth somewhere. A bad earth or low battery is usually accompanied by the instrument binnacle resetting itself (instrument needles flicker and clock goes back to 00:00) - however this is not the case here.

I’d be grateful for any advice you could offer.

Cheers, 8Z0

[8Z0]

Problem has been tracked down to a dodgy starter motor which has been fixed and now the vehicle is starting without any problems.

8Z0