Volvo S40/V40 (1996 - 2004) - 2001 1.8 engine won't start. Clicking noise heard.

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
Thu 7 Jan 2010 23:59
2001 1.8 engine won't start. Clicking noise heard. - K-Linerz
Volvo S40 2001 1.8

My car has been starting fine no problems this winter.

I used my car on Wednesday evening coming home from work and it started fine. Gets home and parks the car there.
Overnight temperatures dropped to minus 14.
Was supposed to go work today but had a burst water pipe so had to clean that up.
Eventually had to go out at 8pm and the car wouldnt start.

Dash board comes on but faintly lit.
Try to turn it over and it click....only way to describe it is like a kids toy mahcine gun clicking noise.

Tried it 3 times and then left it.

Would this just be the battery?

Any help appreciated!

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 08/01/2010 at 00:42

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 8 Jan 2010 00:21
Volvo S40 2001 1.8 - K-Linerz
Anyone?! :(
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 8 Jan 2010 00:44
Volvo S40 2001 1.8 - Dynamic Dave
Anyone?! :(


1. It's late, not many people are around this time of night / morning.
2. I've amended the subject header to give people a clue as to what question you're asking.
3. Yes, chances are its either a flat battery or a poor electrical connection somewhere.
4. This will probably get moved across to Technical Matters at some point as questions of this nature are best asked over there.

DD.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 8 Jan 2010 01:40
Volvo S40 2001 1.8 - wazza
Most likely to be the battery. Common for battery to lose charge in these temperature. Either use jump leads and another car to start it up or recharge the battery.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 8 Jan 2010 08:01
2001 1.8 engine won't start. Clicking noise heard. - nb857
-14 is flippin' cold and will test all but the very best of batteries.

My advise would be, assuming that the terminals are all clean and the cells have enough water in them, to take the battery off at night if you suspect it is going to be that cold and leave it in the warm some where.

As it is, you will need to charge it up or jump start the car to get her going.

Remember that the oil in your car will be quite thick now. This will take more to turn over, putting more strain on the starting system. Also be mind full of the cold oil and allow you car to idle for a while before tearing off in it.

I read this week of a guy in the US who had his tractor plugged in over night to keep the coolant warm. She started on the button straight away, ran for a few minutes, powered down and stopped, seized solid!. The oil was too thick for the oil pump and the drive to it snapped starving the motor of oil. It was a 7.6 litre engine. Not that that is too likely to happen, but be aware that the cold puts strain on your car that you might not have thought of.
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