SEAT Leon (1999 - 2005) - 2003 1.9 TDI 110 - occasional failure to start

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Tue 16 Oct 2007 20:50
2003 1.9 TDI 110 - occasional failure to start - Rab355
About twice a week my car will not start straight off. Turn on the ignition, warm up the glow plugs, turn the key to the start position and nothing happens - no cranking, no click and no dimming of the dash board display. After two or three minutes and half a dozen attempts the starter motor cranks and the engine runs. Until today the problem has only happened first thing in the morning. Today it happened first thing in the morning and then again in the afternoon when I wanted to set off home from work.

When the starter motor finally does work, there is a short delay between turning the key and the starter cranking. The headlamps are not dim. The relay system which cuts power to the headlights whilst the starter is being operated works, which would indicate that the problem probably does not lie in the ignition switch. Anybody got any suggestions?
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Wed 17 Oct 2007 00:22
2003 1.9 TDI 110 - occasional failure to start - 659FBE
I suspect that the problem does lie in the ignition switch and that a failure of terminal 50 (starter enable) is to blame. You would have to prove this with a test meter. German Swedish & French sell replacements.

659.
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Thu 18 Oct 2007 21:44
2003 1.9 TDI 110 - occasional failure to start - Rab355
Thanks for that 659FBE. I will attempt to test the switch. Would a replacement ignition switch mean a new (different) key?
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Thu 18 Oct 2007 22:59
2003 1.9 TDI 110 - occasional failure to start - 659FBE
No, the switch can be changed independently of the lock.

The best way to test this is to wire a small pilot lamp (visible from the driver's seat) between terminal 50 on the switch and earth (31). Each time you crank the engine, observe the lamp.

659.
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