MK5 GTI Starting Issues

[Greenman]

Hey all.

Long time no post.

My 56 plate GTI has started getting issues with starting.

Some times it will start straight off no problems at all, but some times i can turn the ignition and nothing, you can here it quickly try and start but then just does nothing and i get many warning lights on the dash.  I can then turn the ignition again and it will start fine, the warning lights stay on until about 10 secs after pulling away then go off and the car drives fine.

I am suspecting some sort of electrical short as it is also affecting the automatic windows, sometimes you can press the button hard and the windows will go fully down on their own, other times (normally after it fails to start first time) you have to keep your finger on the button for the windows to fully go down.

Anyone had this before?

TIA.

[muff1991]

have you checked the battery? had similar symptoms... sometimes would start, I was adamant the battery was fine... but turned out to be battery 

[ChrisGT]

I had some similar problems and then one day it wouldn't start at all, had the starter replaced and no issues since then.

Chris

[DavGTI]

Had this exact issue last week. It was my battery due to my car only being used weekends/every other weekend. Done it twice that night then wouldn’t start left it over night tried the next morning and it just about started so I left it running for a while to try get some charge in the battery and now I just start it every night for 10mins or so and it seems fine again and hasn’t done it since.

[amanda]

Likely issues about not starting are going to be battery starter motor or altinator

[muff1991]

Likely issues about not starting are going to be battery starter motor or altinator

if none of these 3... then more than likely a wiring issue somewhere.

[ady-gti]

Starting issues could be battery or a sticking solenoid. Possibly could be corrosion on the solenoid wire, it could be a lot of relatively small things. The lights on the dash could be the normal lights you get when you switch the ignition on but don't start the engine, if they disappear when the engine starts then no problem.

The windows sound normal. They have a two stage switch which, when you pull it lightly it'll move all the time you have your finger on the switch. If you pull the switch slightly harder you can feel a micro-switch that, when clicked, will raise or lower the window fully up or down without having to hold the switch - it's a feature.

[amanda]

Try earth cables as they cause some unexplained problems........think there at least 2 if not 3 plus