Random no start ? Anyone ?
07-22-2010, 03:43 PM
#1
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Random no start ? Anyone ?
Covering my bases here (sorry planet 9 readers if you saw this before)
My 06 CS will *occasionally* refuse to start on the first or second attempt. It always ends up starting but there is something going on here... It's always on a hot day, after I drove back from work 40+ miles in 90-95F, and shut it off to pick up my kid at daycare.
3 minutes after shutdown, I restart the car and occasionally (3 or 4 times in 4 months), it'll either : start and die immediately... Cough up but not start....or, make a tac-tac-tac sound (like it wants to unlock the wheel repeatedly) and not start. Again, it'll fire up on second or third try so far. Next morning, it's perfect. No codes either, so the dealer has nothing to go on !
In doubt, I changed the battery (06 could be 5 years old), no dice, it did it again right after, as if to mock me. The car runs *great*, really, so I'm confused and not willing to throw $$ at random targets such as an ignition switch, the part that unlocks the steering, or a clutch interlock switch. Just posting in case someone else has had that happen and has resolution, one way or another (fix or failure). Someone on Planet-9 mentioned the BOSCH ECU hates being hot and that happens to him too... I'm looking for more opinions... not much I can do until it fails completely anyway !
obligatory picture...
My 06 CS will *occasionally* refuse to start on the first or second attempt. It always ends up starting but there is something going on here... It's always on a hot day, after I drove back from work 40+ miles in 90-95F, and shut it off to pick up my kid at daycare.
3 minutes after shutdown, I restart the car and occasionally (3 or 4 times in 4 months), it'll either : start and die immediately... Cough up but not start....or, make a tac-tac-tac sound (like it wants to unlock the wheel repeatedly) and not start. Again, it'll fire up on second or third try so far. Next morning, it's perfect. No codes either, so the dealer has nothing to go on !
In doubt, I changed the battery (06 could be 5 years old), no dice, it did it again right after, as if to mock me. The car runs *great*, really, so I'm confused and not willing to throw $$ at random targets such as an ignition switch, the part that unlocks the steering, or a clutch interlock switch. Just posting in case someone else has had that happen and has resolution, one way or another (fix or failure). Someone on Planet-9 mentioned the BOSCH ECU hates being hot and that happens to him too... I'm looking for more opinions... not much I can do until it fails completely anyway !
obligatory picture...
07-23-2010, 03:39 PM
#2
Race Director
Covering my bases here (sorry planet 9 readers if you saw this before)
My 06 CS will *occasionally* refuse to start on the first or second attempt. It always ends up starting but there is something going on here... It's always on a hot day, after I drove back from work 40+ miles in 90-95F, and shut it off to pick up my kid at daycare.
3 minutes after shutdown, I restart the car and occasionally (3 or 4 times in 4 months), it'll either : start and die immediately... Cough up but not start....or, make a tac-tac-tac sound (like it wants to unlock the wheel repeatedly) and not start. Again, it'll fire up on second or third try so far. Next morning, it's perfect. No codes either, so the dealer has nothing to go on !
In doubt, I changed the battery (06 could be 5 years old), no dice, it did it again right after, as if to mock me. The car runs *great*, really, so I'm confused and not willing to throw $$ at random targets such as an ignition switch, the part that unlocks the steering, or a clutch interlock switch. Just posting in case someone else has had that happen and has resolution, one way or another (fix or failure). Someone on Planet-9 mentioned the BOSCH ECU hates being hot and that happens to him too... I'm looking for more opinions... not much I can do until it fails completely anyway !
obligatory picture...
My 06 CS will *occasionally* refuse to start on the first or second attempt. It always ends up starting but there is something going on here... It's always on a hot day, after I drove back from work 40+ miles in 90-95F, and shut it off to pick up my kid at daycare.
3 minutes after shutdown, I restart the car and occasionally (3 or 4 times in 4 months), it'll either : start and die immediately... Cough up but not start....or, make a tac-tac-tac sound (like it wants to unlock the wheel repeatedly) and not start. Again, it'll fire up on second or third try so far. Next morning, it's perfect. No codes either, so the dealer has nothing to go on !
In doubt, I changed the battery (06 could be 5 years old), no dice, it did it again right after, as if to mock me. The car runs *great*, really, so I'm confused and not willing to throw $$ at random targets such as an ignition switch, the part that unlocks the steering, or a clutch interlock switch. Just posting in case someone else has had that happen and has resolution, one way or another (fix or failure). Someone on Planet-9 mentioned the BOSCH ECU hates being hot and that happens to him too... I'm looking for more opinions... not much I can do until it fails completely anyway !
obligatory picture...
One is a starter problem. The other is a fuel problem. Either one of these may also be due to an ignition switch problem.
That is if you turn the key to engine start and nothing, no noises, just dash lights on as normal, this is a symptom of a bad ignition switch.
If you turn the key to engine start and get a tic tic tic noise this can be the starter solenoid attempting to energize and failing. While a switch can possibly account for this something closer to the starter also can.
If the engine catches and then dies.. that's a fueling problem.
I can -- make this can *NOT* -- buy the Bosch Ecu can't stand heat. Bosch makes good stuff and I can't believe the designers failed to recognize heat as a possibilty. Too many car owners enjoy their cars in extremely high ambient temperature areas with no symptoms like you experience, so I'd dismiss the Ecu too hot theory, at least for now.
You can consider replacing or disabling the clutch interlock switch. When my 02 Boxster failed to start, when I took it in the tech tried to get the symptom to reappear by restarting the engine many times on the service floor testing to ensure the interlock refused to allow the engine to start then would allow it to start, and so on. Not one time did the engine fail to start.
Because of the miles I replaced the clutch interlock switch, the cruise control disable switch, the brake light switch (earlier), and had him replace the ignition switch. Symptom in about a year's time has not reappeared. The only time the car died after starting was when the fuel pump quit. Engine died then would not start. Cranked fine but no fire. No smell of gas at exhaust either which made me suspect fuel pump.
Take that back: Another time the engine failed to start was when the battery was going bad. Starter would tic tic tic but of course not enough juice to fully engage the starter solenoid.
Sincerely,
Macster.
Last edited by Macster; 07-23-2010 at 10:44 PM. Reason: Added: make this can *NOT*.... and corrected typos.
07-23-2010, 09:11 PM
#3
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I doubt that it is related to the Bosch DME and heat also - I have had no problems restarting mine after running all day on the track at over 100 F ambient temps.
I'm no expert either, but I would suspect some kind of fueling issue - I recently had to replace the fuel pump on my Ford Expedition because it failed when it got too hot (according to the dealer). You might try running some fuel system cleaner through the car to see if that helps. Does anyone know where/how to change the fuel filter on a Cayman?
I'm no expert either, but I would suspect some kind of fueling issue - I recently had to replace the fuel pump on my Ford Expedition because it failed when it got too hot (according to the dealer). You might try running some fuel system cleaner through the car to see if that helps. Does anyone know where/how to change the fuel filter on a Cayman?
