Starter Relay?

[goodevans]

Hi folks, long time listener etc...

I have an 08 Berlingo 1.6HDI car (last of the old models) that won't start. New battery with 12.5V across it. Turn the key to On and everything works - radio, fan, dashboard lights up, headlights are bright. Turn the key to Start and absolutely nothing changes. There's no click, there's complete silence as if I hadn't done a thing. I borrowed a code reader, there's no codes at all. Check engine light isn't on.

Looking through the history on this site and elsewhere everyone else seems to have had a click in the footwell (starter relay) or engine bay (starter solenoid).

I'm thinking starter relay, but my car knowledge is a bit old school. Motor factor tells me he can't find a starter relay for this car. I presume there is one? Where is it? There's two big blocks in the dash fuse board, can I assume it's one of those?

Cheers all

[geoff]

Starter solenoid ... attached to starter ... do you get 12v at this point ?

[sky's dad]

Hi folks, long time listener etc...

I have an 08 Berlingo 1.6HDI car (last of the old models) that won't start. New battery with 12.5V across it. Turn the key to On and everything works - radio, fan, dashboard lights up, headlights are bright. Turn the key to Start and absolutely nothing changes. There's no click, there's complete silence as if I hadn't done a thing. I borrowed a code reader, there's no codes at all. Check engine light isn't on.

Looking through the history on this site and elsewhere everyone else seems to have had a click in the footwell (starter relay) or engine bay (starter solenoid).

I'm thinking starter relay, but my car knowledge is a bit old school. Motor factor tells me he can't find a starter relay for this car. I presume there is one? Where is it? There's two big blocks in the dash fuse board, can I assume it's one of those?

Cheers all

Did you get this problem sorted? im having the same issue.

[oilyrag]

A couple of simple checks, if everything else powers up as it should. Ideally you need a meter, but can also just use a piece of standard gauge wire.
No click/clunk from the starter motor when the key is turned to the start position. Look at the starter motor and the small lead attached to it brings power from the 'key' to activate the solenoid. Check that there is 12v there when the key is turned.
No power could be an ignition switch issue .
I you don't have a meter - put the car in neutral, handbrake on. Using you spare wire run power from the battery + terminal and touch the lead onto the starter motor small terminal. This should make the solenoid work and the starter will turn over.
If the solenoid doesn't work then the starter will need to be removed & probably replaced.
If the solenoid works but the starter doesn't then check the terminals of the starter motor and battery, as there is either no 'heavy' current getting to the motor via the big lead or the motor itself has a problem.

[sky's dad]

A couple of simple checks, if everything else powers up as it should. Ideally you need a meter, but can also just use a piece of standard gauge wire.
No click/clunk from the starter motor when the key is turned to the start position. Look at the starter motor and the small lead attached to it brings power from the 'key' to activate the solenoid. Check that there is 12v there when the key is turned.
No power could be an ignition switch issue .
I you don't have a meter - put the car in neutral, handbrake on. Using you spare wire run power from the battery + terminal and touch the lead onto the starter motor small terminal. This should make the solenoid work and the starter will turn over.
If the solenoid doesn't work then the starter will need to be removed & probably replaced.
If the solenoid works but the starter doesn't then check the terminals of the starter motor and battery, as there is either no 'heavy' current getting to the motor via the big lead or the motor itself has a problem.

the starter works fine when putting a live to the small lead, im getting no power to the small lead when key turned, im just getting a clicking from inside the under bonnet fuse box.

[Kieron G]

I'm certainly no expert with modern vehicle electrics but I would locate the source of the click and try replacing / temporarily swapping that relay and see if that makes a difference. The relay clicking doesn't necessarily mean that the main supply is passing though. You could check the main live to it with a bulb or meter

[Sol]

The starter solenoid is driven from an electronic control unit in the engine bay fusebox. The fusebox is marked PSF1 in the drawings. That circuit starts with an ignition feed from position 3 on the key (START) which goes into PSF1 on plug 16V GR, pin 1. This must go live when the key is turned to "start". Next, it comes out of PSF1 on Plug 2V NR, Pin 1, which is the supply out to the solenoid. That must also go live when the key is turned to "start"

I've attached drawings for the starting circuit for you below. Find plug 16V GR on the fuse box, and check for 12v on pin 1 when the key is turned to the start position, if this is not ok, then you have a bad ignition switch at the steering column or a broken wire from the ignition barrel terminal 3 to the fuse box, (a broken / collapsed ignition barrel switch base where the copper contacts meet and rotate with the key would be my most likely guess.)

 if this IS ok, then next find plug 2V NR on the fuse box, and follow the wire from Pin 1, down to the starter. It could be broken. Basically you are tracing circuit 100 through the drawing physically. Check 12v is at pin 1 when the key is turned to "start"

There are Master-fuses under the top tray of the fuse box, which could have blown, but if the ignition works, ACC, dash icons on etc, then that is unlikely but worth checking them. MF7 is the ignition main fuse. The first drawing shows which plugs are which on the fuse box. The starter motor is item 1010, and wire 100 is the solenoid wire.

Fusebox Plugs
   

Starting circuit
   

More starting circuit
   

[Sol]

And here is the full list of fuses and plugs on both the BSI and on the PSF1 (engine bay fuse box)


  M59.docx (Size: 448.51 KB / Downloads: 19)

[sky's dad]

And here is the full list of fuses and plugs on both the BSI and on the PSF1 (engine bay fuse box)

Would buying a replacement under bonnet fuse box solve my problem? im getting signal to it no power out.

[Sol]

So 16V GR p1 has 12V when the key is held in the start position, but not on 2V NR p1? (Make sure the first plug is back on before testing the second plug pins at the socket.

It could well be worth trying a replacement fuse box.

Have you checked the MF fuses under the top tray? Do all the dash lights come on at pos 2 on the key?

If the answer to all the above is yes, the fuse box electronics must be faulty.