[156and33]

Hi

Hoping someone can provide some advice for a problem wih my 2003 156 Jts.
Turning the key after lights up the console immediately and but after the "system check message" goes out, turning the key rsilted in immediate engine cranking. Lately it seems to take longer, and this morning the car waited maybe 5 seconds before it started to cranked. No problem once it decides to start. The battery is fully charged. Could there be corrosion in the ignition switch?
Any idea?
Thanks

 

[sprint_veloce]

Is your car a selespeed?

 

[156and33]

Yes

 

[David C]

Yes

Do you manually select Neutral before trying to start the engine?

 

[sprint_veloce]

If you left it parked in gear (as you should) then it won't engage the starter until the sele pump has finished priming (so it can disengage the clutch and select neutral). This can take a few seconds. Because the pump primes when the drivers door is opened, if you then start the car immediately there is usually no delay as the system is already up to pressure. If you open the drivers door then have to faff around getting kids into their seats and then wait another 10 mins for your wife, it will need to reprime and hence a delay on the starter.

If you think the delay is getting more noticeable I guess you might want to check that the sele pump is priming when you open the drivers door, and if so then maybe the accumulator is not holding pressure as well as it should.

 

[gwinter]

On my Selespeed I normally open the driver's door, turn on the key and wait until the airbags check lights go out (about 10 seconds or so after turning to MAR) then only crank the engine.
If problem persists then it might be the starter system. But before that check that the start-enabled relay controlled by the Selespeed ECU is ok. There are a bunch of relays clipped to the front of the battery box. One of them is this relay.

If it is the starter system check that the wiring is secure and the starter itself is properly bolted down. Check that the starter is in good condition.
I've had similar problem, I suspect in my case it is the ignition switch. To remove the switch open the bottom steering wheel cowling, unplugged the wiring from the rear of the key barrel. Pop open the plastic cover from the end and push on the snap features on the body of the switch to remove the actual switch from the barrel body.
I removed mine, turned the switch through its motion a few times then put everything back. Haven't had a problem since. Guess the contacts cleared when I manually turned the switch back and forth.

 

[156and33]

On my Selespeed I normally open the driver's door, turn on the key and wait until the airbags check lights go out (about 10 seconds or so after turning to MAR) then only crank the engine.
If problem persists then it might be the starter system. But before that check that the start-enabled relay controlled by the Selespeed ECU is ok. There are a bunch of relays clipped to the front of the battery box. One of them is this relay.

If it is the starter system check that the wiring is secure and the starter itself is properly bolted down. Check that the starter is in good condition.
I've had similar problem, I suspect in my case it is the ignition switch. To remove the switch open the bottom steering wheel cowling, unplugged the wiring from the rear of the key barrel. Pop open the plastic cover from the end and push on the snap features on the body of the switch to remove the actual switch from the barrel body.
I removed mine, turned the switch through its motion a few times then put everything back. Haven't had a problem since. Guess the contacts cleared when I manually turned the switch back and forth.

Thanks very much everyone for the information. I will monitor my behaviour closely over the next couple of days and see if I am doing anything I haven't dome oner the past 10 years of ownership.
I"ll report back in a few days. I don't even know if I park in gear or select neutral nefore starting - it is all manged by the subconcious.:biglaugh:

 

[David C]

I don't even know if I park in gear or select neutral before starting - it is all managed by the subconscious.:biglaugh:

If you park it in Neutral it will beep at you warning you that you haven't put it into gear.
(ALWAYS park any car in gear, don't just trust the handbrake)

My routine for the 14 years I had my Selespeed was:
Park in 1st gear.

Then on next start...:
Open door, Selespeed pump runs
Ignition on, Fuel pump runs and Selespeed pump runs again
When both pumps have stopped, foot on brake and manually select Neutral.
Foot off brake and turn key to start.


The point is, if you can't get Neutral, it is not going to allow it to turn over.
Also, depending on which software version you have it can get in a twist if it fails to start and end up locked in gear doing nothing until it has sulked for a while. Manually selecting Neutral took away that element.