Car won't start, fans turn on without car started.

[jcrook32]

My 03 1.8 has been in pretty tip top shape since I changed the head gasket and replaced a bunch of stuff with it. Only thing that really needs done is the clutch. But just today I walked out to my car to go to work and it started right up, then when backing up I stalled it or at least that's what it felt like. But I was able to start it up again. Then I rode up to the stop sign and it felt like it stalled again and died. This time though, it didn't start up again. It was turning over with strength too. Not a weak turn over but it just wasn't starting.

Got it to the side of the road and looked for any loose connections and the like. Then I took the negative off the battery and hooked it back up immediately. Got in and it started right up, drove to work and it was fine. Was going to go to lunch and it won't start again. The fans are also turning on when the key is turned to accessory. I've also had an intermittent cel with the code p1292 which is an open circuit code for the thermostat heater. Would this code cause these symptoms? I've had the code off and on for a few weeks.

Edit: Hey, so it did end up being the fuel pump. The one I ordered from Rock Auto was bad. It turns out though that the tuned ECU I had in went bad too. So my fuel pump and ECU happen to go out at the same time(the radiator started leaking too but that's beside the point, yay). I've got the stock ECU in right now and it's running great. I happened to recode a few features on the tuned ECU about two weeks before the ECU died. Could that have anything to do with it? I recoded the steering wheel because I swapped in a mfsw and disabled the armed alarm chirp. Thanks.

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[james12lucy]

If you are having your fans turn on and the car won’t start, you are having an ECU communication error.


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[jcrook32]

If you are having your fans turn on and the car won’t start, you are having an ECU communication error.


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Any idea how to remedy? I have been in the ECU a little bit lately. But even after I've recoded a few things it has ran fine. This is completely out of the blue.

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[james12lucy]

Any idea how to remedy? I have been in the ECU a little bit lately. But even after I've recoded a few things it has ran fine. This is completely out of the blue.

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Could be a ground or a loose connection. The issue of fans and no crank is almost 100% ECU related. Could be due to low voltage to the ECU as well.


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[old guy]

Have you checked codes lately? I suspect you may have two issues.

The thermostat code is probably what's causing the fans to run as soon as the key is turned on. That is the default condition for the ECU when there is a problem with the mapped cooling system. Ir runs the fans on high and applies full power to the thermostat heater to protect the engine from an overheat condition.

If you recheck your codes I suspect there is a good chance of finding an intermittent code P0322 for an engine speed sensor starting to go bad..

Edit: And if the engine speed sensor checks out you may have a failing fuel pump. The next time it fails to start you can check for fuel pressure at the schrader valve on the end of the fuel rail.

[Gin+]

This sounds reminiscent of an ecu with bad checksums. When this happens, if you disconnect and reconnect the battery, it gives you the ability to start the car one time. On subsequent tries, it will not start and you'll get full fan with key on.

Not saying this is your issue, but worth the mention IMO.

[jcrook32]

This sounds reminiscent of an ecu with bad checksums. When this happens, if you disconnect and reconnect the battery, it gives you the ability to start the car one time. On subsequent tries, it will not start and you'll get full fan with key on.

Not saying this is your issue, but worth the mention IMO.

Hmm, that's pretty much exactly what happened. Is there a fix for it?

Thanks for the replies everyone.

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[BARRY]

sounds like your crank angle sensor is on its last leg. very cheap and easy to replace. i did it in a parking lot with just a jack and ratchet.

[jcrook32]

sounds like your crank angle sensor is on its last leg. very cheap and easy to replace. i did it in a parking lot with just a jack and ratchet.

Thing is, I have already replaced it once about 5-10k miles ago. Unless it's bad already. But I actually have an extra one in my trunk. So I guess I might as well try.

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[jcrook32]

This sounds reminiscent of an ecu with bad checksums. When this happens, if you disconnect and reconnect the battery, it gives you the ability to start the car one time. On subsequent tries, it will not start and you'll get full fan with key on.

Not saying this is your issue, but worth the mention IMO.

Also, why would it have bad checksums randomly? My ECU is a tuned to stage 2+ but I've been running with it for a few months now and it's been great. Then randomly stop working after it started right up not even minutes before.

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[jcrook32]

New info, the esp and abs lights are on. I turn the key to turn over the car, the lights go off then they turn back on when the car doesn't start.

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[BARRY]

that occurs when you remove your battery terminals. if you are getting that i'd confirm cleaning off your battery posts and terminals with a wire brush.

[old guy]

Try unplugging your MAF sensor and see if it starts any differently.

[jcrook32]

Try unplugging your MAF sensor and see if it starts any differently.

Tried it and nothing.

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[old guy]

Tried it and nothing.

That eliminates the MAF sensor as the culprit. Have you had a chance to check for any new codes?

And did you check for fuel pressure at the fuel rail when it wouldn't start?

[jcrook32]

That eliminates the MAF sensor as the culprit. Have you had a chance to check for any new codes?

And did you check for fuel pressure at the fuel rail when it wouldn't start?

Yeah, just checked it. Didn't even get a drop after multiple key cycles. Can't hear anything from the pump either and the fuse is good. So it looks like the fuel pump gave out on me. Not surprising considering it's 15 years old with 218k on it and bigger injectors. Hopefully that is actually it once I put a new one in.

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[Nzila8]

Did you check the fuses in the fuse box? PN#443951253AA

Edit: ECU box (obviously)

[jcrook32]

That eliminates the MAF sensor as the culprit. Have you had a chance to check for any new codes?

And did you check for fuel pressure at the fuel rail when it wouldn't start?

Hey, so I've replaced the fuel pump. Nothing. Fuel relay replaced, nothing. The engine wasn't communicating with vcds. All other sections were communicating fine, HVAC, airbags, steering wheel, etc, all good. Just the engine. So swapped in my old ECU, engine was communicating fine with it. But I still am not get it to start even with the stock ECU. I don't know what the hell is going on.

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[old guy]

So are you now getting a decent spurt of fuel pressure at the fuel rail?

[jcrook32]

So are you now getting a decent spurt of fuel pressure at the fuel rail?

It doesn't seem like it was. It's possible I wired up the pump wrong, but it seems pretty simple.

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[old guy]

It doesn't seem like it was. It's possible I wired up the pump wrong, but it seems pretty simple.

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Here's a link to a fairly long thread. Clicky click® I think it will be worth reading through the complete thread because there is quite a lot of fuel related diagnostic material in the thread. I linked to one particular post in the thread but there is a lot of additional info as you continue reading. if you can confirm that you are getting the proper fueling we can move on to possible ignition problems.

[jcrook32]

Here's a link to a fairly long thread. Clicky click I think it will be worth reading through the complete thread because there is quite a lot of fuel related diagnostic material in the thread. I linked to one particular post in the thread but there is a lot of additional info as you continue reading. if you can confirm that you are getting the proper fueling we can move on to possible ignition problems.

Hey, so it did end up being the fuel pump. The one I ordered from Rock Auto was bad. It turns out though that the tuned ECU I had in went bad too. So my fuel pump and ECU happen to go out at the same time(the radiator started leaking too but that's beside the point, yay). I've got the stock ECU in right now and it's running great. I happened to recode a few features on the tuned ECU about two weeks before the ECU died. Could that have anything to do with it? I recoded the steering wheel because I swapped in a mfsw and disabled the armed alarm chirp. Thanks.

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[Gin+]

Those functions are not part of the ecu to my knowledge.

[jcrook32]

Those functions are not part of the ecu to my knowledge.

Yeah, you're right. I just realized that last night after my alarm did chirp when I locked it.

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[EuroxS4]

Judging by what your describing It sounds like a fuel pump.check fuses and relays.Also sounds like you have a bad or incorrectly corrected checksum in the ecu or a incomplete flash file written to the ecu.

[jcrook32]

Judging by what your describing It sounds like a fuel pump.check fuses and relays.Also sounds like you have a bad or incorrectly corrected checksum in the ecu or a incomplete flash file written to the ecu.

Yeah, it definitely was the fuel pump. Already changed that and the car is running fine with the stock ECU. But I just found out last night that the tuned ECU was also bad. I swapped it with my stock one and the car wouldn't start. Put the stock back in and it started right up.

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