Starting Problem

[donald packham]

As a relativly new owner of an 2009 6 speed 1600 petrol Auris I wonder if anyone out there can help me with a problem which occured this morning. The car was parked on the drive and refused to start although the clutch was pushed fully home. After several attempts I released the handbrake and rolled forward about one foot. Upon trying again the car started immediatly. I wonder if anyone can throw any light on this because no gear was engaged when I rolled forward, and thus the engine did not turn over, so why did it then start? No further starting problems have been experienced since this morning.

[Adam C]

Was the fuel level low?

One of my friends got stranded when her car was parked half on a kerb with low fuel

[donald packham]

Was the fuel level low?

One of my friends got stranded when her car was parked half on a kerb with low fuel

No but thanks for the reply. The fuel was over half full and it was parked almost level and it started first go this morning parked in the same place overnight and without additional fuel.

[Thir13en]

did the engine turn or just nothing at all?

[donald packham]

did the engine turn or just nothing at all?

The engine did not turn over - there was absolutely no sound at all.

[baba_metca]

It's like you did not pressed the clutch fully. But you say you did, so the problem could be electric. Could be immobiliser, alarm, or sensor on the clutch pedal, even the key lock. Moving the car and starting after that could be just a coincidence...

[Bemused]

Probably unrelated but I had the same. At the time I was looking at the speedo when a message came up something like (cannot remember exactly has its only happened once) "charging system" No idea what it means but the car started normally after about 10 seconds.

[donald packham]

Probably unrelated but I had the same. At the time I was looking at the speedo when a message came up something like (cannot remember exactly has its only happened once) "charging system" No idea what it means but the car started normally after about 10 seconds.

Sounds very similar - I dont know whether there was a message like yours but I didn't notice one.

[donald packham]

It's like you did not pressed the clutch fully. But you say you did, so the problem could be electric. Could be immobiliser, alarm, or sensor on the clutch pedal, even the key lock. Moving the car and starting after that could be just a coincidence...

My initial reaction was to think that I had not pushed the clutch pedal far enough in but if I hadn't the first time I certainly did several times afterwards but with no luck. You could well be right that it could be electrical. However, whatever the cause, it hasn't happened since and I trust it will not in future. All of my nine previous Toyotas (Carinas and Avensis models) proved to be 100% reliable. I would not like to think the Auris proves to be the exception.

[balli hi]

This has happened to me twice, most recently two weeks ago, i depressed the clutch and turned the ignition key, the engine turned over but refused to start, i made several attempts to start the engine but with no joy and gave up when i started to get a strong smell of petrol, a sure indicator that the engine was starting to flood, so i left it for about half an hour then tried again, once again the engine turned over but would not spark, i ended up connecting the car Battery up to my taxi via some heavy duty jump leads, got my son to rev the the taxi engine and keep the revs up, i then depressed the clutch and turned the key and the engine spluttered into life and i noticed an excessive amount of condensation coming from the exhaust.

Basically my wife and i are not using the car as much as we used to and mainly for short journeys in stop start traffic, so i guess what the car really needed was a good run out to burn off the condensation and charge the Battery, i took the car out on a long drive and its been fine since.

[donald packham]

This has happened to me twice, most recently two weeks ago, i depressed the clutch and turned the ignition key, the engine turned over but refused to start, i made several attempts to start the engine but with no joy and gave up when i started to get a strong smell of petrol, a sure indicator that the engine was starting to flood, so i left it for about half an hour then tried again, once again the engine turned over but would not spark, i ended up connecting the car battery up to my taxi via some heavy duty jump leads, got my son to rev the the taxi engine and keep the revs up, i then depressed the clutch and turned the key and the engine spluttered into life and i noticed an excessive amount of condensation coming from the exhaust.

Basically my wife and i are not using the car as much as we used to and mainly for short journeys in stop start traffic, so i guess what the car really needed was a good run out to burn off the condensation and charge the battery, i took the car out on a long drive and its been fine since.

From what you say your conclusions would seem to be sensible however your symptoms were not the same as mine as my engine would not even turn over. Turning the key produced no results at all.

[bruce e]

Probably unrelated but I had the same. At the time I was looking at the speedo when a message came up something like (cannot remember exactly has its only happened once) "charging system" No idea what it means but the car started normally after about 10 seconds.

"charging system" warning means you had the ignition "on" without the engine being started.

[Thir13en]

Check your Battery on both car and key

Remember you have a transponder in your key, so thay might be an issue too.

[donald packham]

Check your battery on both car and key

Remember you have a transponder in your key, so thay might be an issue too.

Thanks for that recomendation. I am not sure how to check the Battery in the key but it has performed faultlessly each time since that one occasion. If it does happen again I will have the Battery changed.

[Thir13en]

there is a indicator on new Battery, that shows the health. think it is normally on top of the Battery.

[donald packham]

there is a indicator on new battery, that shows the health. think it is normally on top of the battery.

I have had a look at the Battery in the key and the only thing I can see is a sticker on the module which has a bar code on it. There is nothing on the Battery itself.

[Bemused]

I think TH13en meant the car Battery ,not the key Battery. If its a 2009 model will it not still be under warranty? You could have it checked out as it could be a lot of things, the mostly likely sounds like the clutch is not activating the system when depressed or a duff car battery/starter motor. Has it happened again?

[Mooly]

Have you got additional carpet/mats that restrict the clutch pedal movement. The pedal really does have to be near the floor to activate the switch.

[donald packham]

I think TH13en meant the car battery ,not the key battery. If its a 2009 model will it not still be under warranty? You could have it checked out as it could be a lot of things, the mostly likely sounds like the clutch is not activating the system when depressed or a duff car battery/starter motor. Has it happened again?

Thanks for your help in clearing up my Battery confusion - the starting problem hasn't happened since but if it does I will refer it to the dealere. As you say it has a full years warranty still.

[donald packham]

Have you got additional carpet/mats that restrict the clutch pedal movement. The pedal really does have to be near the floor to activate the switch.

Thanks but I have checked and there is no restriction to the clutch pedal movement.

[dwilson]

Have you got additional carpet/mats that restrict the clutch pedal movement. The pedal really does have to be near the floor to activate the switch.

Thanks but I have checked and there is no restriction to the clutch pedal movement.

Can only really confirm what others have suggested. We have had my wife's Auris since March 2007 and early on had to have the switch under the clutch pedal raised to help it make contact - carried out by dealers and this solved the problem. The only other time it failed to start was after I had moved it off the drive into the road, stopped it washed another car and then restarted it and put it back on the drive. The next time my wife went to start her car it wouldn't. This was due to flooding - long time ago but I think the engine turned over reluctantly but didn't start.

All the best,

David

[donald packham]

Have you got additional carpet/mats that restrict the clutch pedal movement. The pedal really does have to be near the floor to activate the switch.

Thanks but I have checked and there is no restriction to the clutch pedal movement.

Can only really confirm what others have suggested. We have had my wife's Auris since March 2007 and early on had to have the switch under the clutch pedal raised to help it make contact - carried out by dealers and this solved the problem. The only other time it failed to start was after I had moved it off the drive into the road, stopped it washed another car and then restarted it and put it back on the drive. The next time my wife went to start her car it wouldn't. This was due to flooding - long time ago but I think the engine turned over reluctantly but didn't start.

All the best,

David

Thanks for that information. I will certainly keep in mind what you have told me regarding the raising of the clutch switch if this problem occurs again. That, along with a possible electrical fault, are obvious candidates for my starting problem. Do you know why one has to depress the clutch pedal to start this car? Certainly none of my previous cars, including the Avensis, had to be started in this way.

Donald

[dwilson]

Have you got additional carpet/mats that restrict the clutch pedal movement. The pedal really does have to be near the floor to activate the switch.

Thanks but I have checked and there is no restriction to the clutch pedal movement.

Can only really confirm what others have suggested. We have had my wife's Auris since March 2007 and early on had to have the switch under the clutch pedal raised to help it make contact - carried out by dealers and this solved the problem. The only other time it failed to start was after I had moved it off the drive into the road, stopped it washed another car and then restarted it and put it back on the drive. The next time my wife went to start her car it wouldn't. This was due to flooding - long time ago but I think the engine turned over reluctantly but didn't start.

All the best,

David

Thanks for that information. I will certainly keep in mind what you have told me regarding the raising of the clutch switch if this problem occurs again. That, along with a possible electrical fault, are obvious candidates for my starting problem. Do you know why one has to depress the clutch pedal to start this car? Certainly none of my previous cars, including the Avensis, had to be started in this way.

Donald

Hi

I don't know the reason but I assume it is a safety feature to ensure the car won't move forward if left in gear when started. Automatics have a similar feature with the brake pedal.

When I bought my wife's car no one thought to tell us! My wife and I have always started cars that way so didn't discover for a long time!!

David

[Parts-King]

Most modern cars have a clutch switch, it is there to stop you starting it up in gear

Kingo

[donald packham]

Most modern cars have a clutch switch, it is there to stop you starting it up in gear

Kingo

Thanks for the information. My previous avensis was a 2003/4 model and was not so fitted so it is obviously a more recent inovation. My driving instructor back in the 1960's (car - Triumph Herald) always told me to push the clutch fully home when starting the car as this saved wear and tear on the clutch and saved draining the Battery. He insisted that one must always check that the car is in neutral before attempting to start it.