Starting Issues

[tanto65]

Anybody been having any problems starting their car? Reason I ask is the wife has told me that she has been having trouble getting her car to start at times. It is a 2012 SE Estate 2.0L Diesel Bluemotion. Sometimes when she puts in the key, the ''depress clutch'' message comes up as normal but the car wont start or even turn over. Doesnt matter if the engine is warm or cold, it doesnt always start. Today it took around 6 attempts at one point to get it started. Any ideas anyone before we go back to the dealers? The car is only 4 weeks old.

Thanks,

Dave.

[D4D]

Hi, I think it's unlikely there will be a problem.

Have you ever experienced this issue ? the reason I ask is that my wife has exactly the same problem, whenever she drives the car it's the same. To the extent that when it does start first time she comments on the fact its started !

I however have NEVER experienced this problem, and I do most of the miles, I have seen her do it with my own eye's and I'm convinced my wife is trying to "rush" the start procedure, as in not depressing the clutch and then pushing the key. She sort of tries to time the two together, like when you are changing gear. Ask your wife to slow down !

I would also take a guess that, like my wife, she doesn't like the push start !

[Hugh Jend]

I still do that from time to time..... less haste more speed!

Still...it could be a LOT worse.

I once had a 406 with a pushbutton pad, where a 4 digit code (factory settings of 0 0 0 0) had to be entered before turning the key.

That REALLY was a pain in the jacksey!

[tanto65]

Thanks D4D,
No I personally have yet to actually see it happen myself, she does all the driving as it is her Motability car( I use my Berlingo van for everything). I tried to get her to replicate the issue one day but it never occured when I was there. Maybe my presence made her slow down in her actions. I will watch her over the weekend to see if it happens but I wont tell her about the fact she might be trying to start it toofast.
Will monitor the situation and let you know the outcome.


Dave.

[tanto65]

Hi, I think it's unlikely there will be a problem.

Have you ever experienced this issue ? the reason I ask is that my wife has exactly the same problem, whenever she drives the car it's the same. To the extent that when it does start first time she comments on the fact its started !

I however have NEVER experienced this problem, and I do most of the miles, I have seen her do it with my own eye's and I'm convinced my wife is trying to "rush" the start procedure, as in not depressing the clutch and then pushing the key. She sort of tries to time the two together, like when you are changing gear. Ask your wife to slow down !

I would also take a guess that, like my wife, she doesn't like the push start !

Hi D4D,

ok, it seems you may be correct in what you say. I watched the wife in the car on Saturday and sure enough first time it wouldnt start. I told her to slow down a bit and promptly got an earfull in return. However after explaining what I meant, the car started every time she tried it in the drive. Result. Sunday was the same , no problem. Today she informed me that it failed to start despite the Key-Clutch-Key method she had adopted. So again we shall monitor this week and maybe go see the dealer next weekend to voice our opinion/concern. Being a woman, she thinks the problem is the car....could never possibly be her now could it? lol

[D4D]

Hi Tanto, All sounds very familiar !
Method i used with my wife was to get in the car, close the door , push the clutch down, then insert and push the key all the way in in one go. She always does it that way when I'm in the car and has stopped commenting* on false starts.

*Whinging

[sj_4x4]

I had the wife moaning the car kept cutting out after it started, transpired she was pushing and releasing the key with such force that the key was coming out just far enough to turn off the ignition, it was of course the cars fault.

[Hugh Jend]

does she open the door to let the clutch out?

[Hugh Jend]

ahem.... mine has presented the same 'problem'.
I will say that it is far easier to make this mistake than in the previous model.

[daviesr1]

passat newby of 2 days here, and i read this before collecting my lovely new car (2012 SE saloon, iron grey) and thought oh, yes it's just your wife not following the sequence correctly.However I encountered this on my second day and believe I can explain it.

I am used to holding the footbrake whilst starting as my previous automatic requred this to move the gearstick. So I got in yesterday morning, foot on brake, key in and press.... nothing! OK, key out, back in press again, still nothing. I was just wondering why, still with my foot on the pedal not touching the key, when the glow plug light went out, and it started by itself.

I deduce that you are not pressing a start button in the accepted sense when you press the key in,but intiating a start sequence. This checks such interlocks as brake pedal depressed, and crucially enging warmed by glow plugs. It would work subsequently whenever you tried it as the engine had a chance to warm up.

Tell your wife if she ever gets this again, just leave foot on the pedal and wait and see if hers starts by itself.

Richard