- Messages
- 10
- Likes
- 17
- City
- Cambridge
- State
- Non-US
- Country
- United Kingdom
- What I Drive
- Ford Fiesta Diesel 2007
Originally, it wouldn't start and when we checked the battery, it looked like this was the problem as some of the battery cells looked warped and needed topping up. Bought a new battery and it started first time, I drove it to my mum's (5 miles), stopped the car, unpacked her shopping, restarted the car - all no problem - completely back to normal. Got home, and my partner suggested that he would drive the car around the block to make sure it was fine - wouldn't start at all - just made a noise as though the battery was almost flat and didn't have enough power to turn over the engine - this was literally less than 10 minutes after I got home and switched off the engine. Took battery off again and recharged it - put it back on, still didn't start and struggled to turn over the engine. We thought perhaps it was an electrical fault, tried to see whether there was a drain on the battery or a short-circuit somewhere. Checked all the fuses, all the relays - nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Partner therefore reckoned it was the starter motor and we bought a replacement. Spoke to my usual mechanic who said that if I could get the car to him, he would fit the new Starter Motor. Tried to bump start the car, nothing worked. Even got a friend to tow it up the road to give it a bit of a boost - nothing. This was during really freezing weather and, as a diesel, it's so much harder to start than a petrol car. As I couldn't get the car to my usual mechanic (he only works from his premises as he's a one-man band - not a mobile mechanic), my partner spent a horrible (still freezing) weekend under the car putting on the new starter motor. Unfortunately this didn't solve the problem. It now tries to start but the engine sounds like it immediately jams or something is blocking it. Almost like when you start the car and immediately stall it because you've accidentally left it in gear. Partner checked the cam belt and it is still intact and doesn't appear to have slipped. Running out of ideas now, but think something is seriously wrong with the engine and that the car is heading for the scrap yard. We're worried that trying to bump start it may have done more damage.