Vauxhall Corsa B (1993 - 2000) - 97 1.2 Will not fire upll turn over thow

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Mon 4 Aug 2008 02:09
97 1.2 Will not fire upll turn over thow - snodgrass
Hi can you help me

I have a 1.2 corsa the other day I was at work when it just would not start, it tried over lovely but would not fair up. it almost did a couple of time but it dyed almost instantly.
I had driven it to work and parked it up with no problems, but I had a slight smell of petrol in the cabin.
a couple of days early I had done a long journey down to Devon, and on the way back I had filled the tank to the top there was a slight blip in the power, but it ran home ok, but as I said a few days later it had a slight smell of petrol and would not start.

the RAC said it looks like the fuel pump was not working and towed me home.

Is it that, do you think?

Also, the engine management light flashes when I try and start the car. The RAC said that that is probably when the car tries to turn over it all getting confused, and that something is wrong (I don't need a flashing light to tell me that)!!

Thanks
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 4 Aug 2008 08:24
97 1.2 Will not fire upll turn over thow - topbloke
if you have a flashing eml(rngine management light ) then the vehicle is immobilised (wont start ) usually because the chip has been lost from the key has it been droped/pulled apart thats the first place to look
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 4 Aug 2008 10:53
97 1.2 Will not fire upll turn over thow - snodgrass
Thanks for getting back to me.

Now its funny you should say that! when I got out the car the key fob did fall apart. I could not find the battery, as I was in a hurry and pushed it all back together.

I have just had a look and I can not see were a chip would have been (as there is not one in there now). I thought that it was only for the light that is in the key not for starting the car.

its an old car an old type of key, (the light has never worked). is it that the key must have a small charge in it to work? in a saab I had it was able to tell me when the battery in the key was low.

what about the slight smell of petrol any ideas

Paul
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 4 Aug 2008 11:16
97 1.2 Will not fire upll turn over thow - Dynamic Dave
As topbloke says, immobiliser problem. Confirmed by you mentioningthe fob fell apart when you dropped it. The small chip doesn't require any power from the battery inside the fob - that is only required for the light. The chip is a transponder chip which communicates with another transponder by the ignition switch, which in turn communicates with the cars ecu to confirm whether the chip is married up to the car. If you can remember where you dropped the key, then try looking for the chip. However, needle and haystack will probably apply as it's only approx 10mm x 3mm x 2mm in size.

The smell of petrol is where it's being pumped into the engine, but as the car is immobilised, it's not being ignited by the spark plugs. If you carry on cranking you risk knackering the cat convertor.

Either use the spare key (if you have one?) or you will have to go to Vauxhall (you will need a credit card sized piece of cardboard called the CARPASS which has all the cars security details on it) for them to programme a new transponder chip to your car.

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 04/08/2008 at 11:19

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 4 Aug 2008 11:23
97 1.2 Will not fire up it will turn over thow - snodgrass
Found all the key bits. still wont start. did try to, but it still sounds like no petrol is getting through.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 4 Aug 2008 11:30
97 1.2 Will not fire up it will turn over thow - Dynamic Dave
Is the same light still flashing? If so, then you still have an immobiliser related problem. Time for a fault code diagnosis.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 4 Aug 2008 11:52
97 1.2 Will not fire upll turn over thow - John S
Definitely sounds like the key has lost the chip - that's indicated by the flashing immobiliser light. Do you have a spare key? If so, try that in the car.

JS
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 4 Aug 2008 14:20
97 1.2 Will not fire upll turn over thow - snodgrass
Cant find the chip ( dam it)

Did not drop the dam thing it just came apart as i got out the car ( i dont know how)

i will have to contact a main dealer

Thanks

Edited by Webmaster on 04/08/2008 at 21:54

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 5 Aug 2008 00:13
97 1.2 Will not fire upll turn over thow - snodgrass
ITS ALIVE!!!!!!

I went back to were I parked the car and I fond it within a second.

saving me about £60 for a new Key, but also I had booked the car in with a suspected fuel pum,p problem, goodness only knows what that would end up costing me.

I would like to take the time to thank all you out there that took the time to sort out my problem. Thanks

Paul

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 05/08/2008 at 01:04

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 5 Aug 2008 01:11
97 1.2 Will not fire upll turn over thow - Dynamic Dave
I would suggest you now get a 2nd key. Someone such as the following *should* be able to help you cheaper than Vauxhall can.

www.timpsonlocksmiths.co.uk/vehicles.htm

A google search may well find other locksmiths as well.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link

We give you the low down on how to save on insurance, little-known tricks and tips, what insurance groups mean and how to use insurance aggregators to beat insurers.

Insurance group finder and how to save on insurance