Chimaera won't start

[GingaNinga]

Help...

What happens:

I click the immobiliser and it makes all the right noises, doors unlock.
I turn the ignition and wait for the pump...then start the car.
Dead, nothing at all happens, starter motor doesn't start to spin, sweet fa.

I bought a 1996 Chimaera 500 in March and have been using it at least once a week (and done 1200 miles in a month and a half) so I don't believe it's a battery issue. I would guess it's something to do with the immobilser...This has happened once before, but I went in the house thought , , went back out some 10mins later and it started?!?

Any help would be gratefully received as I am supposed to be going over to Oxford in it tomorrow.

Many thanks,
Jonathan

[Twerlie]

Are you getting a click when you turn the key?
And can you hear the fuel pump when you turn on the ignition?

[.mark]

Mine was exactly the same, no click from the solenoid or anything and at first I too thought of the immobiliser. Unfortunately your starter motor is shafted. Sometimes it will start, sometimes it won't. The failures will get more and more regular until you change it I'm afraid - as for cost I couldn't say as mine was done under warranty.

[ATG]

many more people on this site seem to report starter motor problems, than immobiliser problems, shtatishtically shpeaking.

[GingaNinga]

No, I don't get a click but I do hear the fuel pump yes. So we are going down the starter motor line.

[pbrettle]

Mine's got a fried ECU at the moment and the problem as a little strange to find. Find a quiet moment and then do it all again. You should get the following:

1) Unlock car - flashing of lights etc
2) De-immobilise car - hear click of relay
3) Key in ignition all the way round - dont start - should hear fuel pump pressurise
4) Start car - start or not
5) Turn key to off - hear release of pressure from fuel system

So if you are getting 2) and 3) then it suggests a fuse or starter motor. If you are not getting 3) or a funny noise then it suggests the fuel pump or fuel system - i.e. ECU (rare so dont worry). But also try pushing the car in gear to move the starter motor (cant remember the technical name). They can get stuck and you dont hear anything.... you dont need to move it as such, just rock it to force a dis-engage / jolt to the system.

If you also have the facility then try a push start - BUT do be warned, you are likely to have a very rich fuel system now (not started) and doing a push start may damage the cats so be careful.... if you are unsure dont do it.

To be honest sounds like the starter motor.

Cheers,

Paul

[philr]

Well it does sound like the standard TVR starter motor problem to me as well. Mine was pretty similar to this, but for some wierd reason would occasionally cut out when sat in traffic and then refuse to start. Why a dodgy starter motor should cause the engine to cut out, I have no idea. Anyway, a new starter motor sorted the problem. Not that expensive in the scheme of things either. (mind you, mine was covered under warantee !)

[GingaNinga]

Thanks for the tips, I will look into the starter motor situation.

[ChrisCh]

I, sorry my car, had similar symptoms. After suspecting the immobilisor, I posted on here & was advised to check the starter. I started to remove the starter, then noticed the main power supply cable had worked loose from the crimped terminal connector where it connected to the starter. Therefore no power was getting to the starter.

One recrimped cable & the smile was back!!

I hope its as easy as this for you.

[MistyAR]

Mmmmm, sounds familiar!!

Same sort of problems - took car to TMS, they found a wire from starter to immobiliser, touching the exhaust - this had caused the starter to short out.

Same sounding symptoms - sometimes worked, sometimes didn't! Maybe work a little look at your wiring, could work out cheaper than motor

[GingaNinga]

I hope so, I've only had it nearly two months so could do without forking out for a new Starter Motor. I was planning on having a look over it tonight but the weather is sh!te.
Thanks again for your help.
Jonathan

[dlovell]

I had same problem with Chimp 500. They don't have any heat shield around the starter so over time the wiring inside gets slight cracks and when the car has got hot in the bay it can 'break' the circuit (I'm not mechanical !) - usually after filling up at the gas station with a long line of cars behind me !! After 20 minutes when things had cooled it would start again. Tower View fitted an uprated starter for about £150 I think compared to well over double that from a main dealer. There is a supplier on pistonheads that has started selling heat shields for starters just to stop this happening.

Tower View did also find a shorting wire from the ignition too though that wasn't going to be helping matters ! Crazy thing was that even though I had saved Warranty Holdings £200 by avoiding the main dealer they wouldn't pay £16 of the Tower View labour charge because they weren't a main dealer !!

[GingaNinga]

Noooooooooo!

I just came home to have a look and see what I could work out and do all the helpful things above and the sodding battery has definately died now.

I will create another post to ask about people's experiences with this instead...it never rains but, etc, etc!