My zed is refusing to start. At first I thought it was a flat battery but after charging it up it still won't start. Battery is under 1 year old so can't be that. I've spoke to a few people about it & we're thinking it might be an earthing issue. When I turn the ignition on the lights on the dash are faint & there is a loud buzzing noise coming from the drivers side wing. The aftermarket gauges came on before when I unlocked the car. Any ideas what it could be or what to look for? Car is a TT, manual conversion.

Can you take a reading of the battery voltage Tom ?

No but my mate is an electrician so I'm hoping he can call this avo for a look. I even undid all the wiring for the headlights to see if I'd done something wrong there but didn't help.

Have you fitted anything recently tom. Take the drivers side footwell kick panel off and listen at the fuse box area.

Have you fitted anything recently tom. Take the drivers side footwell kick panel off and listen at the fuse box area.

 

Only the new headlights & soldered in new side light bulb holders. I did notice my aftermarket temp gauge stopped working the last day I drove it, not sure if that's something to do with it.

To eliminate any ancilliary take out fuse by fuse and see if that changes the dash lights, then move to the engine bay fuses.

 

There are some relays behind the fuse board/kickpanel and often a problem with water ingress or corrosion can affect the components on the board.

Thanks mate, will check that later when I get home.

try wires that have been soldered make sure they havent melted and are the correct way around also toni m123 had simular issue and was due to the main live wire from battery to the starter motor was cause his to blow fuses and for the ignition lights not to illuminate

Buzzing in the drivers wing could well be the starter relay, which is behind the inner plastic liner at the bottom of the wing near the door.

Thanks guys, give me something to look into tonight. I've got an auto electrician coming round tomorrow. The only obvious thing I can see is a dodgy earth connection.

If it fine before you started to soilder wires together.im surjested its somthing you have done so start from the begining and disconect you ligjts compleatly.and if that means your soldering ill be tempted to do that aswell incase you have have earthed a wire that shouldnt be.next check yourfuses. All of them one by one. Then start the car.if it starts rewire your lights. If if dont check your starter motor and get the sparkie to diagnose.but if it statrs redo lights or get the sparkie to do.good luck

All the wiring I did has been cut off. When I try to start it there's a very loud buzzing from either the wing or footwell. The ignition comes on, when I turn the key again to start the engine all the dash lights go out & there's silence until I let go of the key & there's a faint click or 'tut' sound. But if I try to start it again straight away there's no buzzing noise. Hope that makes sense.

If you turn the key to start and get nothing sounds like what groover said, starter relay .

That's what I'm starting to think Ian. Does the wing have to be removed to get to it or just the arch liner?

After reading some of the posts on here I'm now sure it's the starter relay, where's best to look for a replacement?

Probably just the arch liner if you get a pic of it I may have one in the couple of packs of relays I got off Jeff otherwise lee will no doubt have one or two.

Cheers Ian, I got the pack of relays from Jeff as well. Will have a look tomorrow what's in there.

Just undo a couple of screws in the arch liner and pull it back a bit, its situated in the near bottom behind the arch liner

Cars just been given a clean bill of health so turns out its the battery. Only had it for 7months & it's not holding a charge, taking it back to halfords but got no receipt so don't know if they'll change it.

Yourll need a decent battery.

Cars just been given a clean bill of health so turns out its the battery. Only had it for 7months & it's not holding a charge, taking it back to halfords but got no receipt so don't know if they'll change it.

 

Aaaahermmm...........who was it that said check battery voltage Tom ?

Everyone I spoke to. I blame you Andy you advised me to get this battery :tongue_smilie:

Everyone I spoke to. I blame you Andy you advised me to get this battery :tongue_smilie:

 

Just to clarify, Tom as put that tongue smilie because i advised a more powerful battery, at the time his car was stranded and he had to buy like yesterday so he visited halfords.

 

Even so the halfords battery should of lasted way way more than it as :no:.

Yep that's right, I had to pay a ridiculous price for it in halfords. Just got a dodgy one, they are going to replace it even though I've got no reciept so I can't complain.

Cars now running again. Thanks everyone for your advise! Headlights & sidelights still don't work, main beams come on instead of dipped, but I'm sure it's a fuse so will swap that later.

Cars now running again. Thanks everyone for your advise! Headlights & sidelights still don't work, main beams come on instead of dipped, but I'm sure it's a fuse so will swap that later.

Yep that's a fuse drivers foot well top row I think 3rd one in its 10amp.

Sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Mine did this recently