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[Cookie Monster]

Hi Guys ... Not sure whats wrong .. Drove car home from work , no problems.
Then went out and went to start car about an hour later and all she wants to do is click when i turn the ignition.
As the click is heard the dash lights go out and its almost as if the starter motor wont turn over (not that i`m an expert)
I did the paper clip test and all i get is the 31 code to say the engine is not running... i know that !
Anyway oh knowledgeable ones.... can u show any light on this problem please and suggest what i can do?

[hoofing it]

either bad earth or battery knackerd.

[Ddraigcymro]

Long shot but try puting car in gear and rocking the car a little before puting back in nutral, then try starting it this might work if clicking coming from starter.Another one to try is hitting start with wood block or somthing hard (do not hit so hard that you brake the starter altogether) if posable use assistance and try cranking over. Not a verrytechnical way of fixing problem but eight times out of ten this has worked for me in past, other two times engine was compleatly seazed and couldnt tun it over nomater what.

Good luck.

[Andy B]

Long shot but try puting car in gear and rocking the car a little  ......

It's an auto! 

[Andy B]

Hi Guys ... Not sure whats wrong ..  ...... can u show any light on this problem please and suggest what i can do?

Try getting a jump start & see what happens. It sounds like a dead battery or duff connections at the battery or starter to me too.

[Ddraigcymro]

Ok dont put in geer oops my bad. 

[cem_devecioglu]

when there is not enough voltage/amperes in battery miggy dont crank it... happened..

[dbr]

Hi Guys ... Not sure whats wrong .. Drove car home from work , no problems.
Then went out and went to start car about an hour later and all she wants to do is click when i turn the ignition.
As the click is heard the dash lights go out and its almost as if the starter motor wont turn over (not that i`m an expert)
I did the paper clip test and all i get is the 31 code to say the engine is not running... i know that !
Anyway oh knowledgeable ones.... can u show any light on this problem please and suggest what i can do?

Battery.. they can go very suddenly. Some vx ones have the green indicator. Try jumping it. If it starts its time to get a new one

[Cookie Monster]

Thanx for the suggestions thus far guys but as someone has already said its an auto so if the starter is jammed how do i free it ? And with regard to the battery ... if i put headlights on they do not dim after a while... isnt that what would happen if battery was kapput ?

[dbug]

Sounds like jammed starter - click is starter solenoid throwing.

[Cookie Monster]

How do i free it up then please
By the way the battery is less than 12 months old... admittedly a Halfords one!

[Ddraigcymro]

So would one of my earlyer sugestions (tapping starter while cranking) work or is starter on the auto out of reach?

[dbug]

As its an auto you could try belting it to jar it free or you may have to take it out 

[Cookie Monster]

Ok... so sounds like a bit of gentle persuasion with hammer and bit of wood tomorrow then.
If i have to take it out is it a big job?

[cem_devecioglu]

Ok... so sounds like a bit of gentle persuasion with hammer and bit of wood tomorrow then.
If i have to take it out is it a big job?

I'm afraid not so easy.. its behind an engine mount , I serviced it when changing the mounts.. the coals or ferrites whatever you call was nearly finished..