Help! Car won't start!

[hexme1]

Hi, I'm hoping someone can help me here!

Over the past week or so, when I've been getting into the car, I'll go to start the ignition, and I'll hear absolutely nothing. But it's not everytime, about one out of every three times. The panel lights come on, and the petrol gauge goes up, but nothing from the engine!
Now, my father-in-law came over, abnd he played around with it, and suggested oit might be something to do with the starter motor, and maybe dicky wiring in Park?
I've searched the net, and some suggestions are turning on the igition while 1) the hazard lights are on, 2) while you are locked IN the car, or 3) after pressing the boot release button.

Do any of these work, or are there any other suggestions, diagnostic or otherwise? Cos at the moment, the car is stuck in the parking lot of my local shopping centre

[keza87]

Could be that the pin that goes from the ignition barrel to the ignition switch is broken. This had happened to my dad's VT a long time ago. To get it home you may need to turn the key to on and bridge the start relay or take the trim off your steering column and remove the ignition switch and use a small screw driver to turn the switch. You will require the key in the on position to disable the immobiliser and steering lock and a fairly small flat blade screw driver to take the switch off.

OR it could be a dodgy ground on the battery as I have discovered before!

[whitey66]

Does the padlock light on the instruments keep flashing when you turn the ignition on?
This is very important because it will tell you if you have a problem with the remote head,key reader or immobiliser system.
If the ignition key is turning the instrument lights off and on it doesn't sound like a broken barrel pin as mentioned by keza87.This is a fairly common fault though,and is caused by air pockets in the casting process,i've seen quite a few of these.

If these are OK,check the starter relay (swap it with one the same,blower relay should be next to it and it 's the same relay),park-neutral switch,battery and starter motor terminals.
You can check that it's not the park neutral switch or relay by jumping the relay terminals 30 to 87 in the fuse box,dont jump through terminals 85 to 86 !!! and make sure it's in Park for safety reasons !!!!
The numbers are written on the relay.
Also make sure you have at least 12 volts in the battery when trying to crank it over.

Hope this helps,if you need further info ask here or PM me.

[undar8ed1]

Had same problem latley turned out to be a the negative lead on battery what you should do is remove cable cut it back exposing nice clean copper and reattach a new clamp works for me now, I thought my starter was ****ed too. anyway try that worked for me

[mario1989]

try unlocking just b4 u put the key in this happens to mine it turns out to be a security thing it should work itself out

[peninsulabands]

try starting in neutral

[ali 4000]

Hey,
This seems to be a common problem here I think. I just had it serviced, 6 days ago, but won't start. Had this proble about 3 weeks ago. Turn the ignition and engine won't start. Getting this funny noise though, like a drtdrtdrtdrtdrt sound. All the lights flash up, but nothing. It wouldn't have been the dust storm yesterday would it (perhaps showing ignorance about both cars and the power of dust).

Is it the battery do you think oh smart people who know more about cars than I do. I really know nothing, just bought a commodore because I love love love them.
Thank you (will be calling Ultratune first thing tomorrow to express my dismay).
Ali.