Resurrecting a Citroen Saxo VTR garage find after 10 years!

[Dean23]

It won't if the engine isn't running

Find the source of this clicking noise with the key turned to position 2 and upload a pic of the component

Edit; Note that I'm now slightly confused as to what position you're turning the key. Typically cars have 3 positions in order:
Position 1: minor accessories such as the radio will activate
Position 2: the dash lights up/comes alive, engine lights, maybe self test indications, most accessories like wipers etc will work, the engine would run if bump started
Position 3: a spring loaded position that activates the starter motor while you overcome the spring, and returns to position 2 when your hand stops turning the key

What position(my numbering above - if your car has no position 1 and goes straight to position 2, then say "position 2") do you hear the clicking in?

Are you certain the battery is fully charged and the connections at battery and body/starter are good?

Once the source of the clicking is isolated and resolved, the next step i'd look at if the key to position 3 doesn't activate the starter would be to use a jumper wire from battery positive to starter solenoid activator terminal to see if the starter will turn the engine over and fire it up

Hopefully the above video will confirm, yes the vehicle has 3 positions to turn the key in the ignition.

After reconnecting the battery, you’ll see that the clicking doesn’t happen until attempting position 3. As I turn the key back to the neutral position and restart the process, the clicking begins at position 2. Very confusing lol.

But yes, as mentioned I have purchased a new battery, new negative terminal cable and replaced the starter motor. Could you be more specific when you referenced “connections at battery and body/starter are good?” please?

Interestingly the negative cable was pretty worse for wear as you’ll see above and therefore I’ve replaced it, but the Citroen Saxo had two parts for grounding the wire out of the single negative cable. It’s hard to come by sourcing the same as the OEM, would replacing with a new cable that only has one grounding/Earth point make a significant difference?

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Just use 2 earth straps. Good earth is very important.

New battery terminals fitted ?

 

[robinbanks]

Hmm yes that terminal clamp doesn't look like it would have made particularly secure, low resistance connection with the battery terminal post

clicking doesn’t happen until attempting position 3. As I turn the key back to the neutral position and restart the process, the clicking begins at position 2. Very confusing lol.

When you say "neutral position" do you mean position 0? The position that allows you to remove the key?

So you can leave the car overnight, come to it, insert and turn the key to pos 3, it starts clicking, you turn the key back and remove it entirely, then reinsert and turn it but this time to only position 2 and the clicking starts?

How do you make the behaviour revert to "position 2 doesn't make it click but position 3 does"?

would replacing with a new cable that only has one grounding/Earth point make a significant difference?

Not if the earth connection is good at both ends
By good I mean that the bodywork/battery post and the cable end are dry bright metal with a good surface area, no paint, no rust/oxidation, no scummy build up of dirt etc, the bolting is secure and the connection is coated with something that will inhibit corrosion (general and galvanic)

 

[Dean23]

When you say "neutral position" do you mean position 0? The position that allows you to remove the key?

Yes, “position 0” whereby the key can be removed.

So you can leave the car overnight, come to it, insert and turn the key to pos 3, it starts clicking, you turn the key back and remove it entirely, then reinsert and turn it but this time to only position 2 and the clicking starts?

How do you make the behaviour revert to "position 2 doesn't make it click but position 3 does"?

If were to attempt to start it as per the video, and have the clicking start at position 2… But were to leave the battery connected, and leave the vehicle over night. The clicking would start at position 2 again, yes.

It’s the disconnecting of the battery which seems to reset the memory of when the clicking starts… disconnect/reconnect and it doesn’t start until after I attempt to turn to position 3 and return back to position 2. After that, it’s always clicking from position 2.

As mentioned, the rapid clicking sounds like it comes from the ECU area!

I’d be interested to try the bridging you mentioned though to try and engage the starter, might need to order something wire-wise to attempt it though, any suggestions?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Sorry, let me be more specific, the blowers turn on and provide increases of air flow at the 1, 2 and 3 setting… haven’t specifically waited long enough and checked to see if the air gets cold, that’s the least of my worries at the moment haha.

It cannot get cold, until the engine is started - the engine drive the a/c compressor, to provide the cooling.

The clicking, I would suggest, is due to either a poor battery, or high resistance connection somewhere.

 

[Dean23]

It cannot get cold, until the engine is started - the engine drive the a/c compressor, to provide the cooling.

The clicking, I would suggest, is due to either a poor battery, or high resistance connection somewhere.

The issue isn’t the AC, that was just a passing comment.

Battery is new, so not the battery.

Any suggestions on the potential “high resistance connections”?

Thanks.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

The issue isn’t the AC, that was just a passing comment.

Battery is new, so not the battery.

Any suggestions on the potential “high resistance connections”?

Thanks.

Most likely, the battery, or its connections, starter connections or the earth connections.

Or faulty battery or starter of course (possible but unlikely). Just because they are new is not a guarantee. Good brands,

 

[Belle427]

You need to go back to basics and check if the starter solenoid is getting the correct voltage.
A test light made from an old headlight bulb is useful for this, something to put a load on the circuit.

 

[robinbanks]

might need to order something wire-wise to attempt it though

Pretty much any bit of old wire you find would be acceptable to serve as this jumper; it's purely for activating the starter solenoid but the bulk of the current for turning the motor passes down a dedicated (large) wire from the battery positive that is part of the car's loom.

I wouldn't attempt this til the clicking noise has been investigated and resolved

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Any suggestions on the potential “high resistance connections”?

Could be absolutely anywhere, it needs a diagram and the use of a meter.

 

[Dean23]

Pretty much any bit of old wire you find would be acceptable to serve as this jumper; it's purely for activating the starter solenoid but the bulk of the current for turning the motor passes down a dedicated (large) wire from the battery positive that is part of the car's loom.

I wouldn't attempt this til the clicking noise has been investigated and resolved

I see, thanks for the clarification.

Yes I agree, but we (the forum) still seem to be stumped overall by what the culprit/cause could be so far!

Could be absolutely anywhere, it needs a diagram and the use of a meter.

Point taken. Think I’ll need to get a multimeter and see if I can get some sort of wiring diagram online for the Saxo…

 

[robinbanks]

Electronics-wise anything is generally at risk of age related failures, though perhaps things with capacitors more so as the contents are corrosive and destroy surrounding circuits if they leak

The forum isn't stumped, necessarily - you haven't provided a lot of info beyond "something is clicking, maybe near the ECU"

I await your determination and photograph of the exact component doing the clicking

 

[Burnerman]

I’d definitely replace that battery clamp.....it’s goosed and motor factors have replacements that allow the cables to be screw clamped in.
One cable should go to the bodyshell, the other to the engine block directly.
John

 

[RandomGrinch]

And I may be completely wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were an aftermarket immobiliser fitted somewhere, for the sake of insurance premiums, on a model like this.
It could be an extra complication in the diagnosis?

 

[Mottie]

new negative terminal cable

Did you just replace the neg cable to the body/chassis? Try a jump lead from the battery neg terminal to a good earth on the engine.

* Anyone on here old enough to remember what happened on old cars when you forgot to connect the engine earth cable correctly? Yep, the choke cable glowed red and melted.