Starter Motor issues possibly?

Darando

Have a 05 Focus, recently it has a few issue starting, now it won't budge. When I try start I heard a loud clicking sound, but teh car won't start....On the diagnostic menuit says battery 11.4 V, all lights etc still work so thinking its not the battery. Car was running earlier today.

Is ther a quick way to test if it is the starting motor or if something else (read about soleniods or relays?).

What is the damage for a starting motor? and how long to fix?

Any help would be great.

L-M

If it's clicking it sounds like the battery is dead. Get a booster or some jump leads. DId you leave anything on?

Anan1

Try push-starting it, run it for a bit and then try to restart. Sounds like a flat battery to me too, TBH.

Plug

Darando wrote: »

Have a 05 Focus, recently it has a few issue starting, now it won't budge. When I try start I heard a loud clicking sound, but teh car won't start....On the diagnostic menuit says battery 11.4 V, all lights etc still work so thinking its not the battery. Car was running earlier today.

Is ther a quick way to test if it is the starting motor or if something else (read about soleniods or relays?).

What is the damage for a starting motor? and how long to fix?

Any help would be great.

Was that 11.4v when it was running? if it was running it should have said about 14v.
What litre is it?

Darando

will try jump it, but nothing was left on, if it jumps then its the battery?

if it still won't start after that then whats the next step to solve the problem?

it a loud click from the engine bay

Plug

not nessesarly, read my post above.

Darando

11.4 V when not started (thats with radio etc off), was running 14 earlier when started ( I checked earleir as it happened in the morning, then started later, and now won't start again).

Its a 1.4.

Avns1s

Sounds like a cell is shot in the battery. Replace it... the battery that is. Should solve your problem.

Plug

right the battery and alternator are ok so its probably the starter motor. Its just getting stuck I'd say. Have you any tools? easy job to remove one.

Anan1

Darando wrote: »

will try jump it, but nothing was left on, if it jumps then its the battery?

Safet to push start it, IMO - modern cars aren't too fond of being jump started.

Avns1s

Plug wrote: »

right the battery and alternator are ok so its probably the starter motor. Its just getting stuck I'd say. Have you any tools? easy job to remove one.

Sorry Plug, but you're wide of the mark there.

The battery should read well over 12V when the car is no running.

Also, if the starter was shot, it wouldn't start on a jump start. If the OP hasn't tried this, they should just to be 100%.

Avns1s

Anan1 wrote: »

Safet to push start it, IMO - modern cars aren't too fond of being jump started.

AFAIK you've got that the wrong way round.

Modern cars don't like being push started due to the risk of unburnt fuel finding its way into the cat and doing damage there.

12v is 12v. The car doesn't know whether it's coming from its own battery or a booster. Jump start is the proper way!!

Plug

Avns1s wrote: »

Sorry Plug, but you're wide of the mark there.

The battery should read well over 12V when the car is no running.

Also, if the starter was shot, it wouldn't start on a jump start. If the OP hasn't tried this, they should just to be 100%.

I thought jump start was pushing it:D at mechanics now over a year:o

Avns1s

Plug wrote: »

I thought jump start was pushing it:D at mechanics now over a year:o

Sorry mate. Jump start = battery / car and jump leads or booster pack.

Push start or hill start is the other one, when the car is moving!

Plug

Avns1s wrote: »

Sorry mate. Jump start = battery / car and jump leads or booster pack.

Push start or hill start is the other one, when the car is moving!

I know push start was to start the car by pushing it but I thought jump start was the same thing(pushing):o
So op needs a knew battery.

superspark

Hi Everyone, first post here

Had similar problem last week, starter was sticking every now and again, try putting the car in gear and pushing it forward, sometimes this releases it or try starting it in gear

Darando

Cheers folks, after reading all the suggestions of the battery being dodgy, I nipped down to Halfords (only place open at this time) - got a new battery €70 (3 yr guarantee - not sure if I was ripped off by I needed it now).

Put in the new battery - and hey presto - all good. Checked the diagnostic menu again and the battery is reading 12.4V when the car is not running. So fair play Avns1s - sounds like you were correct.:D

Anan1

Avns1s wrote: »

AFAIK you've got that the wrong way round.

Modern cars don't like being push started due to the risk of unburnt fuel finding its way into the cat and doing damage there.

12v is 12v. The car doesn't know whether it's coming from its own battery or a booster. Jump start is the proper way!!

That would be make sense if the engine was turning over on the starter but refusing to run. Push starting a car is exactly the same as starting it normally, you're just using yourself as the starter motor!

Avns1s

Darando wrote: »

Cheers folks, after reading all the suggestions of the battery being dodgy, I nipped down to Halfords (only place open at this time) - got a new battery €70 (3 yr guarantee - not sure if I was ripped off by I needed it now).

Put in the new battery - and hey presto - all good. Checked the diagnostic menu again and the battery is reading 12.4V when the car is not running. So fair play Avns1s - sounds like you were correct.:D

Thanks for posting back Darando. It might help someone else with a similar problem. I'm glad you got sorted.