Peugeot 306 DTurbo - intermittent starter fault

Hello,
Had a series of problems with my 306 DTurbo (1995 3 door)....

For some time now I've not used the alarm due to it randomly going off.
Around that time I also experienced indicators sticking on after alarm
de-activation? Still use key fob for locking though.

More recently car died - battery wasn't holding a charge. Last week
car ground to hault alarm going off etc, the alternator was identified
faulty by RAC and had that replaced. Now this last wknd the car failed
to start all together, absolutely nothing at starter motor, no clicks
or whirrz. Funny thing was all other functions seemed unaffected (ie
headlamps not dipping as ignition was cycled?). Today car starts
fine!?! Are these problems related? Before I know it I'm gunna have a
new starter motor as well & have spent close to £500 on something that
I've heard could perhaps be down to a poor connection or faulty
immobiliser!

Any guidance greatly appreciated.
Neil

 

Hello,
Had a series of problems with my 306 DTurbo (1995 3 door)....

For some time now I've not used the alarm due to it randomly going off.
Around that time I also experienced indicators sticking on after alarm
de-activation? Still use key fob for locking though.

More recently car died - battery wasn't holding a charge. Last week
car ground to hault alarm going off etc, the alternator was identified
faulty by RAC and had that replaced. Now this last wknd the car failed
to start all together, absolutely nothing at starter motor, no clicks
or whirrz. Funny thing was all other functions seemed unaffected (ie
headlamps not dipping as ignition was cycled?). Today car starts
fine!?! Are these problems related? Before I know it I'm gunna have a
new starter motor as well & have spent close to £500 on something that
I've heard could perhaps be down to a poor connection or faulty
immobiliser!

Any guidance greatly appreciated.
Neil
Check all the battery connections, and the ones on the starter.
You can check the starter itself if you can get to it, by putting a
screwdriver or similar in to short out between the heavy connector from the
battery to the small spade terminal connected to the ign switch. If the
starter goes then you have a problem with the switch, if it doesn't, then
you have a problem with the starter solenoid, the bit on the top of the
motor, which can be replaced seperately. Do this with the ign switched off,
so that the engine does not start.

 

One other point that I seem to recollect being raised in earlier threads is
the engine earth strap which people have reported problems with.

 

Heyup,

Thanks for the advice. After a week of starting fine I'm lost as to
what the problem was though. Double checked crash sensor,
unplugged/replugged connector into Alarm unit (under back seat - as
recommended on some other forums) and inspected all connections to
Ignition, Starter and Earth. Na-da. The test with shorting Ignition
etc will have to wait for a re-occurrence.

Took it to a garage and left it with them for a couple of days and they
couldn't replicate the lack of starting either. I would have preferred
another bill and have found out what the problem was, as there's no
knowing when it'll next occur. No doubt at the most inconvenient
moment!

I'll update this string if there's another "event" or I find something
out.

Thanks,
Neil

 

Dear All,

A month or so without re-occurrence and confidence was at an all time
high with starting, then one afternoon this week - key in ignition,
preheat then turn to start and "________ ". Sweet silence, nothing
again!

Luckily a wise pal of mine has the skills and managed to bypass the
starter from the soleniod and kinda hot wired the car for me with a
length of cabling. Took it to a garage straight away who informed me
it was the starter (was slightly dubious about this diagnosis but went
with it), they replaced it for £100 and lo-and-behold it's still
happening! I've managed to manually start it again with the wire, but
what to do now!?! In my mind it's as if the immobiliser is kicking in?

Any help greatly appreciated as well as guidance on how to approach the
garage about their iffy diagnosis.

Thanks,
Neil

 

Just to update,

The car isn't even intermittently starting now, just nothing from
ignition at cranking over.
Stripped down steering column and investigated the ignition switch,
after some scratching of heads worked out what was what and found the
switch to be working fine (12v at connector when ignition turned to
start posn).

Bridged a temp length of cable from that connector through to engine
bay (bypassing igition feed) and engine turned over fine. Have now
ruled out ignition and starter motor. Earths seem fine too. Shorting
Solenoid starts the car very easily still, so to get this the Earth
must be ok to complete the circuit no?

The cable that we replaced, is this the one that the immobiliser cuts
into? Or am I looking at a dodgy connection o/c somewhere in the loom?
My mate has suggested we bypass this lead altogether and insert a new
length through bulkhead etc straight to solenoid from ignition. I'm no
mechanic, but this seems like a grand idea.

Cheers,
Neil

 

Not sure if this is any help but I suffered exactly the same problem/syptoms
with my 605 svdt. Eventually traced it to a relay that sat between the
ignition switch and the starter solenoid that was failing to connect every
time. Fitted a new relay and problem solved. Not sure if this relay is
fitted to a 306 but its worth trying to trace the wiring back from the
starter solenoid to see where it goes. On the 605 the relay was at the back
of the battery, but if fitted to the 306 almost certainly somewhere else!
Hope this helps.
Mike T