S-Max not starting

TheTacticsGuy

I bought a second hand 2006 Diesel S-MAX about 3 months ago. The car would not start at christmas time and I was told that the battery was dying. It started again a few days later so I got the battery replaced. This wasn't the problem at all.

Every time it's cold out, the S-MAX fails to start after the glow plugs have gone out. I have to re-start the ignition and allow for the glow plugs to come on about 3 or 4 times before attempting to start it again. When the car eventually sounds like it's going to start, I have to apply some acceleration to get it ticking over. After a successful start, a large amount of white smoke comes out of the exhaust. This is happening every morning. Once the car is successfully started for the first time in the morning, it starts fine for the rest of the day until the next morning.

Any ideas on what the problem is?

Snaggerman

Had similar problems recently with van, turned out to be alternator. Not giving enough charge apparently. Might be worth getting a battery tester/ multimeter?

bbam

TheTacticsGuy wrote: »

I bought a second hand 2006 Diesel S-MAX about 3 months ago. The car would not start at christmas time and I was told that the battery was dying. It started again a few days later so I got the battery replaced. This wasn't the problem at all.

Every time it's cold out, the S-MAX fails to start after the glow plugs have gone out. I have to re-start the ignition and allow for the glow plugs to come on about 3 or 4 times before attempting to start it again. When the car eventually sounds like it's going to start, I have to apply some acceleration to get it ticking over. After a successful start, a large amount of white smoke comes out of the exhaust. This is happening every morning. Once the car is successfully started for the first time in the morning, it starts fine for the rest of the day until the next morning.

Any ideas on what the problem is?

You need new glow plugs is what it sounds like to me.. One or more have stopped working..
Remember you're only seeing an indicator on the dash and doesnt mean all the glow plugs are actually heating.

Diesels can run a bit "lumpy" if they've been hard to start, its the excess unburnt diesel in the cylinders being burned off and it should clear quickly.

turbostan

TheTacticsGuy wrote: »

I bought a second hand 2006 Diesel S-MAX about 3 months ago. The car would not start at christmas time and I was told that the battery was dying. It started again a few days later so I got the battery replaced. This wasn't the problem at all.

Every time it's cold out, the S-MAX fails to start after the glow plugs have gone out. I have to re-start the ignition and allow for the glow plugs to come on about 3 or 4 times before attempting to start it again. When the car eventually sounds like it's going to start, I have to apply some acceleration to get it ticking over. After a successful start, a large amount of white smoke comes out of the exhaust. This is happening every morning. Once the car is successfully started for the first time in the morning, it starts fine for the rest of the day until the next morning.

Any ideas on what the problem is?

Id check the fuel filter.
Cap mite not be on right, causing fuel to flow back the line.
Try this simple test to confirm or eliminate this guess;
Park it facing down a hill (or with the bach jacked up if yer on level ground) overnight. The fuel won't flow back then.
If it starts ok after this you've cracked it.

TheTacticsGuy

Thanks for the replies. I will try that test asap.