Help!! Car won't start!!

[Liquid Tuna]

Hi, I've got a Legacy 2.5GX auto, MY2000. I've posted this on a Legacy forum as well but thought I'd try here as well.

Went to leave for work this morning and the following happened:

1) key in ignition, turn, and all dash lights come on and can hear whirring noise as normal (fuel pump I guess).

2) Go to turn key to start car and nothing. All the lights on the dash and the clock go off. No click, nothing.

3) Turn the key back and take it out of the ignition and the clock has reset to 1:00.

4) Put the key back in and turn it and all lights come on as normal.

It did this about half a dozen times. If I turn the ignition so the dash lights up, but then put my foot on the brake pedal, or go to turn the headlights on, the dash goes out and I lose power as well. The electric windows work, so not all power is lost, but everything off the ignition.

Anyway, eventually it started - when it did, the car didn't struggle to start (like the battery was almost dead etc), and I drove to work.

Got to work (20 miles later) and turned the car off. Turned it on again and it fired up straight away, no problem. Turned it off and tried again and now it won't start, doing the same as above.

Any ideas? Could it be the battery or is it a relay or something? I'm gutted! I bought Subaru for the reliability! I'll add that while at work I have limited tools and no diagnostic equipment! Please help!!

[Hammer67]

Not my area of expertise but possibly the inhibitor switch failing. Does shifting between P and N make any difference?

[EDLT]

Possibly a bad earth somewhere, probably the one that goes to the battery or starter. That or the battery is knackered.

[damci]

Sounds like the battery has had it. Can you not get hold of a multimeter to test it?

[bamberwell]

EDLT said:

Possibly a bad earth somewhere, probably the one that goes to the battery or starter. That or the battery is knackered.

+1

[Liquid Tuna]

Have just gone out to try again and it's started 1st time. Didn't struggle or anything (which I thought it would if the battery was knackered). Anyway, I'm not going to push it any further today. I'll get it home tonight and then look at it tomorrow. Thanks for your suggestions everyone.

[R12HCO]

Had similar problem with a 2001 focus. Was the battery - it had dropped a cell so was very intermitant depending on previous use, tempreture etc. Sometimes would be fine and sometimes would just die instantly.

[davepoth]

Clock resetting is a sure sign that the voltage is too low. The battery doesn't have enough juice to start the car. That is most likely to be the battery (they do wear out) but it could also be the alternator. You need to jump start the car and see what sort of voltage the alternator is kicking out. Best to do that before you go for a new battery.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Another vote for dead battery.

You'll probably save a lot of fooling about if you just get straight out and buy a new one.

[djfaulkner]

R12HCO said:

Had similar problem with a 2001 focus. Was the battery - it had dropped a cell so was very intermitant depending on previous use, tempreture etc. Sometimes would be fine and sometimes would just die instantly.

I had the same on a 2007 focus

[Liquid Tuna]

Ok thanks. You've kind of set my mind at ease a bit if it is just the battery. It's 12 years old and looks like the original lol. A 12 year old battery is pushing it, even for jap reliability! I'll get one on the way home tonight.

[jbi]

Liquid Tuna said:

Ok thanks. You've kind of set my mind at ease a bit if it is just the battery. It's 12 years old and looks like the original lol. A 12 year old battery is pushing it, even for jap reliability! I'll get one on the way home tonight.

Yeah... 5-6 years is about the average life of a battery but they can live longer depending on how many bad winters they have been exposed to.

[TRUENOSAM]

Battery or check the earth lead that comes off the cam cover on the drivers side and bolts to the chassis leg (underside) as they rot,

[Liquid Tuna]

Well, I looked under the bonnet and checked the battery connections. The negative is quite loose, as in I can turn it freely on the battery post. It's not flapping around in the wind or anything, but is easily moved around on the battery post. I'm guessing this could be the cause? Does it need to be a good solid contact or just touching to make a circuit? Either way it needs tightening but I'm at work at the moment with no tools.

[SteveDGY]

Liquid Tuna said:

Well, I looked under the bonnet and checked the battery connections. The negative is quite loose, as in I can turn it freely on the battery post. It's not flapping around in the wind or anything, but is easily moved around on the battery post. I'm guessing this could be the cause? Does it need to be a good solid contact or just touching to make a circuit? Either way it needs tightening but I'm at work at the moment with no tools.

It could be that, but its worth tightening just in case.

[SteveDGY]

Liquid Tuna said:

Well, I looked under the bonnet and checked the battery connections. The negative is quite loose, as in I can turn it freely on the battery post. It's not flapping around in the wind or anything, but is easily moved around on the battery post. I'm guessing this could be the cause? Does it need to be a good solid contact or just touching to make a circuit? Either way it needs tightening but I'm at work at the moment with no tools.

It could be that, but its worth tightening just in case.

[ShayneJ]

One or more of these looks possible.
Failing cell in battery.
Poor intermittent earth strap (not always the main one).
failing relay in starter cct.
failing starter motor (shorted windings).

[cossy400]

had this with an old scorpio 24 valve, I clean up the terminals and the earth strap mounting point, as at the time was working for a digger hire company and had similar problems with the machines.

Anyway did that and it was fine for over a year until i let the old girl go.

worth a try before spending cash on a new battery IMO.