What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
Ford Ka - Non-starter then Engine rattle - Lee Ganner

I had a message from my other half today, and for ease I have pasted it here:

"It wouldn’t start for a bit, like about 4 times it kept trying but wouldn’t turn on and it’s started now but I just drove it around the block and it sounds like something is rattling? Idk the engine just doesn’t sound the same"

There weren't any warning light etc.

I went to check it out naturally after work and ran an OBD scan with no error codes, the car had started first time no trouble for me, and ran perfectly smooth, no strange sounds at all.

I naturally did a general scan of the car like struts, pipes, oil levels, coolant and everything was in order (though admittedly the oil level was just above minimum and now some is on order)

Up to this day the car hadn't been started in just over a week, as I had been doing all the driving.

Does anyone have any ideas what may of caused this one off issue? I know a little about cars but nothing I'd never get a second opinion on, so I told her to book into a mechanics too for them to have a run down of the car and ensure nothings failing.

Thank you in advance for any help

Ford Ka - Non-starter then Engine rattle - daveyjp
Possibly oil starvation in the top end whilst it was being started, especially as it had been stood. All the oil would be in the sump and if the level was low it wouldn't have helped.
Ford Ka - Non-starter then Engine rattle - elekie&a/c doctor
More info would help . Age of car , and if it’s after 2008 , petrol or diesel?
Ford Ka - Non-starter then Engine rattle - Lee Ganner

Ah sorry about that here the car info:

2006

1.3L

Ford Ka - Non-starter then Engine rattle - Lee Ganner

Thanks for the reply, yeah I've tried to get her into the habit of waiting for a bit before driving straight off, so she probably set off almost instantly and got some unfavourable feedback, thanks again for the possibility.

Ford Ka - Non-starter then Engine rattle - jc2

A 2006 has the Rocam motor-hydraulic tappets-probably drained after standing.

Ford Ka - Non-starter then Engine rattle - Lee Ganner

Cheers jc2, appreciate the detail