Problems starting

[Noosner]

Dear Ant

I bought my 2004/5 Hylo last year. After an active summer going hither and thither it now keeps refusing to start. I'm not sure it's just a battery problem: one day I drove it 15 miles, parked and cut the engine. Then I decided I'd better edge forwards slightly in my parking space but when I turned the key the battery was dead as a dodo. I made several attempts, then gave up and went to my meeting. When I came out two hours later the van started perfectly. Now, however, the van has refused to budge for the last fortnight.

The dealer I bought it from (not Romahome specialists) say they think it's an inherent problem with the alarm draining the battery. The local car garage say I need a new battery.

Have you ever come across anything like this? Is there a good garage you could recommend in West Yorkshire? Any advice would be VERY much appreciated.

Best wishes
Noosner

[alive23512]

Hello and Happy New Year.

I have had symptoms like this in the past with various vehicles. I have no experience of your particular vehicle, but the common cause of this are faulty connections, usually, but not always, in earth leads. More information from you would be useful.

Do the battery connections look OK? Is the earth lead from the battery to the chassis/engine OK? Can you hear any relays or solonoids clicking when you try to start it? What are the headlights like in the fault condition - none/dim/normal?

I am sure that Ant will want to know this before he can even start to help you. Good luck with this very annoying fault.
Regards,
Tony

[peterholden]

If it is the vehicle you need a garage with a good reputation for diesels or you need an auto electrician. Your camper has either the 1.9 DW8 engine or 2L HDI. Both engines are common across the peugeot/citroen range. The vehicle part is identical to Peugeot Partner and so a Peugeot specialist might be able to help. It does though sound like an electrical prblem.

[Sloeman]

I very occasionally have the same issue. I think my starter sometimes gets into a position where it just won't turn, trying multiple times with the key sometimes gets it going or leaving it in gear, moving the van an inch by hand then trying again has worked before too. Never have I not been able to get it going after a few minutes of effort so I haven't bothered yet with a new starter which will probably be the final solution.

[ant]

Hi Noosner.
There have already been some valid reasons suggested in reply to your problem, corrosion on battery leads and stuck starter all happen, I doybt the battery itself is at fault if it started hrs after not starting. You don't say which engine you have, the 1.9 non turbo has a glow plug relay on the n/s inner wing or behind the headlight, this also controls the starter solenoid trigger. If the connections on this get corroded then the starter will not always work ( especially in cold or damp conditions when corrosion has its worst effect).
If the problem is starter stuck, then the ignition lights will dim when you turn the key and fail to start.
If the leads on the battery are the problem then often the ignition lights will go out when you turn the key.
You may need to do some more research and come back to me with more info'
Thanks
Ant

[Noosner]

Hello everyone

Thanks a million for all these helpful suggestions. I really appreciate it. We are snowed in here today but I will go out to the van when the weather clears and try and work through them to more clearly see what is the matter.

Very best wishes
Noosner

[Noosner]

Or, to put it more honestly, I will send my partner out to the van to work through the suggestions... ;)

[Noosner]

Hi again

It turned out that a new battery solved the problem. Which was quite a relief.

Thanks again Ant, and everyone else who commented. Much appreciated.