VZ doesn't start

[intoodeep]

I've had this car about 4 months and this has happened three times, most recently today.

I'll have gone somewhere and the car would have been parked for 30 minutes of so. Turning the key on and car doesn't start. Nothing. Try a few times, watch the System check, says OK, but might say fuel very low despite having a full tank. Fuel gauge needle shows empty. This time, it also said fuel gauge error and also service due notice (ODO is 41,000 and next service is 45,000)

So far, touch wood, if I wait about 10 minutes and try again, it starts ok.

Is this a common problem. Is it a fixabe fault? I'm spooked now and have just gone out and purchased roadside membership in case the next time, waiting 10 minutes doesn't fix the problem.

It seems to me like a computer problem.

May thanks in advance for any suggestons.

[dmar]

er i would just take it to a mechanic and get it checked out, ive never heard of such an issue

[Benboy]

Could be your battery on the way out. Have it 'load tested' by an auto electrician.

[impulsive]

there have been a few complaints about this.. i feel it might have something to do with the fuel pick up in the tank.. try resetting your ECU and physically checking the fuel level, this only happened to me on an empty tank. The car thinks there is no fuel in the system so it automatically shuts the computer down to prevent fuel lines getting air, i think its like the car recoginises an issue and shuts down to prevent further damage or complications.

Just make sure you check the fuel level by tapping the tank, or dipping with a clean coathanger or similiar object

[impulsive]

Could be your battery on the way out. Have it 'load tested' by an auto electrician.

most batterys that are out these days have a little window that displays a colour, Green for fine, Black for recharge, or Red for dead..

if yours doesnt have this and you arent to sure about your batterys condition, check that its clean and the terminals are tight and not corroded.. if its open cell as in if you can check the electrolyte level obviously make sure they are above the fins inside.. if not they say spring water (i think) can be used or buy some electrolyte from autobarn..

Although there shouldnt be any problems between the battery and fuel error best to check this occasionally anyway!

[bigdaddycool]

We had a long thread about this not long ago, figured we had it sorted.......... being that it was the Starter Relay playing up, causing the ecu to immobilise the car as it was a drivetrain non emissions fault........ when it immobilises it cuts fuel, starter and ignition basically hence the fuel guage fault.

Evidentally, we disabled that in the ecu.......... we thought it was fixed, now 3 months later our project VZ we're working on is doing it again. I would suspect atm.........

1. Pull the tank off the car, replace EVERYTHING.... sender, float, clean it....
2. Track back the wiring from the fuel sender all the way back to where ever it goes. Make sure the wires are in good nic, no fray, earthing etc....
3. Take it to eagers ask them and get the computer updated.
4. I've heard stories it could even be your key going flat......... in theory you put it in, it's blank (no code, old wrong code)........ the immobiliser picks it up and immobilises the car.

Good luck bud.

PS. I suppose in reality it could simply be a bad batch of immobilisers, the only thing none of us have all ever considered. So many people have tried so many things ....... Ours does it now virtually within 30 mins. My next step will be to completely remove anything that could stop it from starting in the computer, then unlike the immobiliser......... new key, and very last the list above.

[intoodeep]

Thanks for the suggestions. Hopefully I don't need to go through what bigdaddycool has to resolve.

I doubt the key battery is the cause in my case as it is only 2 months old.

Will post the solution to my problem if/when resolved.

[doms3]

Thanks for the suggestions. Hopefully I don't need to go through what bigdaddycool has to resolve.

I doubt the key battery is the cause in my case as it is only 2 months old.

Will post the solution to my problem if/when resolved.

We had a key newly cut fail on us within 2 days so you never know ,

[intoodeep]

I''m starting to feel confident that the problem has been resolved. I had it checked out a couple of months ago and while nothing was found, they did redo the connections (to the fuel sensor I think) and the problem hasn't returned. Fingers crossed.

[andyman]

its a break in the can system, id suspect powertrain interface module, if the pim dosnt respond all the modules in the car will not communicate as vz's use the can protocol, although recently i delt with one, but that ended up being the ecm

if you say disconnect the transmission control module, and the can wires (high and low speed) are open circuit, it replicates that fault to a T

[andyman]

also if the car locks out like that, it will start by shorting out pins 30 and 87 in the starter relay with the ignition turned on

[andyman]

also to add, generally if its the imobiliser, it will only show service vehicle soon, as it will log theft deterent signal missing

[intoodeep]

Well, after 15 months troublefree, it happened again :-(. Same scenario - car parked for 20-30 minutes after being warm, turn key, fuel gauge stays on emtpy, no sound from fuel pump.

I took it to Motors and this time they checked the Powertraim Control Module and found it to be faulty. Estimated $900 fitted and programmed (ouch) I'm crossing my fingers that it fixes the problem. From andyman's contributions (thanks), it seems like it might be a fix.

[Shorty33]

intoodeep: I'm interested to hear how your VZ is progressing ...