Intermittent starting issue

[RS4GCI]

Hi, my 4 seems to have developed the dreaded intermittent starting issue. I have reviewed some of the threads on this forum and most roads lead to starter replacement.

Before I pull the trigger on this job I just wanted to check my particular symptoms with you knowledgable folk.

it's happened to me 3 times in the past month, although the last 2 weeks it's been fine until today when it took me about 10 mins to start the motor. Seems to be worse when motor is warm.

The symptoms are - press start button and starter will just continually spin and motor won't fire up. When it does eventually fire up it runs fine, I drive it and then park up, switch off motor, try starting again and it fires first time, like there is no issue.

When it does eventually fire up after the multiple times of trying, the ESP and EPC light stay on but when drive off they disappear. Under normal starts these lights disappear straight away when the motor starts. They seem to hang around a bit longer on the dash when I experience the starting issue.

It's become a nuisance now so want to get it fixed but would appreciate any input before I replace the starter?

Cheers
Steve

[MikeFish]

You say the starter is turning bit car not starting? Doesn't sound like The starter to me. With the normal starter fault you press the start button and nothing happens. If The starter is turning doesn't that mean the starter and solenoid are both working?
Mine only ever happened when the car hadn't been started for a while, never when hot but on other cars I've had intermittent trouble when hot as the solenoid would stick when warm.

[RS4GCI]

From what I've read on this forum and others, people with similar symptoms have replaced starter and it cured the problem. My initial thoughts were the same as you, starter spins well so surely it's not that but I think it's something to do with it not passing enough current through to the coils, although I'm far from an expert and this based on what others have mentioned.

It's a bloody pain. It's my daily driver so never gets left unused for any period of time.

[SimonS4MTM]

I have no knowledge of this problem, but for clarification you say that starter spins. Do you mean that just the starter spins, or does it turn the engine over as well. This might help someone with more knowledge of the problem that me to help.

[RS4GCI]

Starter is turning the motor over as it should be but the motor isn't firing. Like i say it's very intermittent, just had 2 weeks without issue but then today took me 10mins to get the thing fired up when I left work. Runs and drives fine, no warning lights when driving.

[Dantheman84]

Starter is turning the motor over as it should be but the motor isn't firing. Like i say it's very intermittent, just had 2 weeks without issue but then today took me 10mins to get the thing fired up when I left work. Runs and drives fine, no warning lights when driving.

If the starter is turning motor over then it is not starter fault
Check battery voltage
Loose connections
My guess would be low voltage as this would explain why you are
Getting esp lights on too

[MikeFish]

Low battery possibly caused by failed starts though ie prolonged starter motor action. And if the battery is too low I think the ECU will stop the starter even trying to turn.
How old are your spark plugs?

[RS4GCI]

Never experienced the starter not turning. Could be battery but starter is turning the motor over at a reasonable rate, no sign of change in tone, i.e. starter slowing down when turning the motor over.

Plugs are good changed them last year.

[ASC]

I had a starting issue and the starter motor was the problem. The issue though as others have said was when you pressed start button absolutely nothing happened apart from the relay clicking. Then the next time you tried it would start fine, then the next 10 times nothing and it got progressively worse until you were sitting in a car park for a half hour trying it until it started. Tried clutch switch and 2 different relays before the Starter was replaced.
All of the above doesn't sound what you're experiencing.

[RS4GCI]

I've just spoken over PM to the person with the exact same symptoms as mine and the starter was replaced in their vehicle and it solved the issue so I'm now pretty confident it's starter motor that needs replacing. I'll get it done and report back...might be a few weeks before I do though.

Here is the thread I came across with the same problem:

viewtopic.php?t=88507

[RS4GCI]

New starter fitted. No starting issues so far, hoping this has cured the problem.

New starter motor is spinning over noticeably faster than the old one and I haven't changed the battery.