Car won't start, need some advice...

[HighLatency]

Hi All,

I've got a 98 New Beetle that is almost up to 200k miles. This morning I went to start the car and I could hear a rapid clicking noise, but the car did not turn over.

Here's what I've done so far in terms to try to resolve the issue:

I verified the battery has a charge.
I've verified that the fuel pump fuse is good.
I removed the rear seat and verified the pump turns on for a few seconds when turning the ignition to on.

I noticed that I could not hear the fuel pump running when trying to crank the car so I measured the voltage at the 4 pin harness that connects to the fuel pump and verified that it was getting power for a few seconds when turning the ignition to on, but was not getting power when trying to crank the car.

I removed the fuel pump relay and installed a jumper wire with a switch. I verified that the fuel pump is now getting 10.5 volts when trying to crank the car and I can hear the pump running when trying to crank the car, but the car still will not turn over.

Does anyone have any thoughts or advice on how best to proceed with troubleshooting? Obviously, the car was running fine yesterday.

I wanted to make it to 200k miles before buying a new car, so I was hoping I could resolve this without an expensive trip to the dealer.

Thanks,
Steve

[ibeintexas]

Originally Posted by HighLatency

Hi All,

I've got a 98 New Beetle that is almost up to 200k miles. This morning I went to start the car and I could hear a rapid clicking noise, but the car did not turn over.

Here's what I've done so far in terms to try to resolve the issue:

I verified the battery has a charge.
I've verified that the fuel pump fuse is good.
I removed the rear seat and verified the pump turns on for a few seconds when turning the ignition to on.

I noticed that I could not hear the fuel pump running when trying to crank the car so I measured the voltage at the 4 pin harness that connects to the fuel pump and verified that it was getting power for a few seconds when turning the ignition to on, but was not getting power when trying to crank the car.

I removed the fuel pump relay and installed a jumper wire with a switch. I verified that the fuel pump is now getting 10.5 volts when trying to crank the car and I can hear the pump running when trying to crank the car, but the car still will not turn over.

Does anyone have any thoughts or advice on how best to proceed with troubleshooting? Obviously, the car was running fine yesterday.

I wanted to make it to 200k miles before buying a new car, so I was hoping I could resolve this without an expensive trip to the dealer.

Thanks,
Steve

When you say it gives clicking noise, is the starter turning the engine over at this point? If not I suspect the starter is "hung". This happens sometimes with older cars sometimes. Try tapping on the starter with something and see if the engine will turn over. I would not think this is fuel related as the engine is not even turning over.

Let us know.

[Fl_bug]

Originally Posted by HighLatency

Hi All,

I've got a 98 New Beetle that is almost up to 200k miles. This morning I went to start the car and I could hear a rapid clicking noise, but the car did not turn over.

Here's what I've done so far in terms to try to resolve the issue:

I verified the battery has a charge.
I've verified that the fuel pump fuse is good.
I removed the rear seat and verified the pump turns on for a few seconds when turning the ignition to on.

I noticed that I could not hear the fuel pump running when trying to crank the car so I measured the voltage at the 4 pin harness that connects to the fuel pump and verified that it was getting power for a few seconds when turning the ignition to on, but was not getting power when trying to crank the car.

I removed the fuel pump relay and installed a jumper wire with a switch. I verified that the fuel pump is now getting 10.5 volts when trying to crank the car and I can hear the pump running when trying to crank the car, but the car still will not turn over.

Does anyone have any thoughts or advice on how best to proceed with troubleshooting? Obviously, the car was running fine yesterday.

I wanted to make it to 200k miles before buying a new car, so I was hoping I could resolve this without an expensive trip to the dealer.

Thanks,
Steve

Hmmm... this is weird. Congrats on 200k miles! I hope my car can make it there. I'm almost at 100k

I'm still thinking its the battery based on what you said.

Have you taken care of the timing belt and all that good stuff a 2nd time already?

[Smileybug]

I'm also leaning towards battery. How old is the battery? Mine did a similar thing when my battery died. I got clicking, but not much else.

[VdubOne]

From a professional stand point, i will tell you that while your battery may have a charge, it may be shot, the clicking sound you hear is the starter trying to turn over, but there are not enough amperes within the battery to turn the starter

[emma2049]

I agree, I would try a new battery. This happened to me two days ago. Car was DEAD. Lots of flicking amber lights on the dash, interior lights going nuts but nothing else, and then even that stoped. She's a 99, with only 36k and the battery was the original. I had the flickers, and then nothing. Just the clicking sound you described.
Luckily TripleA came out within 15 minutes and verified that although the battery had a charge, it wasn't enough to get her going. I decided to avoid the jump start and just replace the battery, since it was pretty ancient. $120 and I was back on the road.
Hope your problem is as simple.

[simonsi]

Battery or starter solenoid. The fuel pump is being turned off by the ECU, it turns it on then off again after a few seconds unless the car starts when it will turn the pump on again. What you are seeing is normal.

The fuel pump not running would not cause the clicking or failure to turn over though.