R129 starter not turning

[chardF]

Not had a chance to investigate this one yet, it's happened twice so far.

Go to start the everything is normal (all lights come on nothing dims) except the starter doesn't turn. One time it did this I had only just stopped and locked the car. Realised I had parked crooked, immediately opened and tried to start all lights but no starter. Re-locking and unlocking again solved it.

Turn off lock car leave for a 60 seconds or so, open car and everything okay and car starts?

Am I right to suspect a relay behind the radio or should I look elsewhere?

I don't want to risk a breakdown away from home.

 

[television]

Some 129 cars have a K38 behind the radio, these are no to have poor connections. the K38 is a starter lock out relay.

 

[chardF]

Another job for contact cleaner, nuts it's a Kenwood stereo and I've no keys!

 

[television]

I would squeeze the spades a bit on the connections

 

[chardF]

Had the radio out can't see/do much, looks like the centre console needs to come out. That'll have to wait for another day.

 

[television]

Its up higher behind the heater control, that just pulls out. Not all cars have one.

 

[chardF]

Ahh okay thanks. I will be putting a new radio in soon so will have another look then. Trouble is I'm not sure hat I'm looking at, I don't want to be unplugging random things.

 

[television]

Its just a relay small square little box bolted to the inside of the firewall, with 4 wires.

I will try and find a picture for you.

 

[chardF]

I had a look @ a copy of the workshop manual I have on CD. It nots that clear but shows the K38 relay lower down. Under the console behind the AB crash sensor. Did they move it?

 

[television]

Its probably me wrong, and the info you have right.

 

[star]

Common fault on these is the ign switch, housed inside the lock.

 

[television]

Common fault on these is the ign switch, housed inside the lock.

Not so common on the early cars, it was the 06 mod where the N10 was passed through the ignition switch, as against the fuse box.

It is possible to check the switch with a volt meter, I push a pin into the starter wire leaving the switch, and clip the meter probe to the pin.

 

[star]

Still a possibility along with the inhibitor switch. All very easy to eliminate when the fault is apparent. It's a process of elimination.

 

[chardF]

Still a possibility along with the inhibitor switch. All very easy to eliminate when the fault is apparent. It's a process of elimination.

That's the tricky bit
I'm unlikely to be able to much testing when it manifests itself, lock and unlock the car and all is back to normal.

When I'm installing my new radio I will take a look at the relay and ignition switch for signs of anything obvious.

 

[television]

That's the tricky bit
I'm unlikely to be able to much testing when it manifests itself, lock and unlock the car and all is back to normal.

When I'm installing my new radio I will take a look at the relay and ignition switch for signs of anything obvious.

Unlocking and locking uses the K38 and the ignition switch is not involved, but stranger things happen.

The K38 connections being poor are in WIS

 

[chardF]

Okay not had a chance to look @ the lock out relay but this is whats happening.

The Alarm doesn't work (lock car with window open reach in and open door nothing is triggered)
The flashing dash board indicator lamp flashes as it should when the car is locked.

When I unlocked the car this morning flashing lamp stayed flashing and car didn't start. lock and unlock car flashing light on dash goes out and car starts okay.

Could this be more of an alarm/immoboliser fault than anything else?

 

[television]

Its a known thing that many of the added alarms fitted in the UK are now playing up, many take them out and restore the wiring to as it was.

 

[chardF]

This looks like the factory alarm. It's in the drivers handbook.

 

[chardF]

I can do without the alarm so would diconnecting the ATA (N26) module be a good idea?

 

[chardF]

I've pulled fuse 5 in the boot (anti theft warning system and telephone)

Alarm doesn't appear to be arming (little light not flashing) so I see if this fixes the not starting fault.