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Strange starting behavior !

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2 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis

THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW

Discussion summary

YOUR RESEARCHStrange starting behavior !

Leading reported evidence

Install bosch s5 battery in feb this year

Performed · outcome unconfirmed

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes: 0
Unsuccessful attempts: 1
Discussions

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Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.

Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome: 1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I fitted a new Bosch S5 battery in Feb this year.
Original post Read captured discussion
Strange starting behavior !

Frequently discussed work

Check engine ground cable

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes: 0
Unsuccessful attempts: 1
Discussions

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Discussions that contain suggestions: 1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Suggestion
Check the engine ground cable for corrosion.
Original post Read captured discussion
Strange starting behavior !

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Leading evidence: 'Install bosch s5 battery in feb this year' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'starter is dragging everything down' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Check engine ground cable' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.

Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.

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1 matching discussions · 2 captured posts examined · 0 partial discussions

Compare 4 other evidence results

starter is dragging everything down

Suggestion or failed attempt

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Identified cause: 1
Suspected cause: 0
Reported fixes

Read evidence and context

Discussions that suspect a cause: 1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Suspected cause
With the jump then the booster pack on the engine bay terminals, and it still won't start, then most likely the starter is dragging everything down.
Original post Read captured discussion
Strange starting behavior !

Check engine ground cable

Suggestion or failed attempt

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes: 0
Unsuccessful attempts: 1
Discussions

Read evidence and context

Discussions that contain suggestions: 1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Suggestion
Check the engine ground cable for corrosion.
Original post Read captured discussion
Strange starting behavior !

Run )

Suggestion or failed attempt

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes: 0
Unsuccessful attempts: 1
Discussions

Read evidence and context

Discussions that contain suggestions: 1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Suggestion · Original poster
The headlights seem as bright as normal though (without engine running).
Original post Read captured discussion
Strange starting behavior !

Run car (onto the battery terminals)

Suggestion or failed attempt

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes: 0
Unsuccessful attempts: 1
Discussions

Read evidence and context

Discussions that contain suggestions: 1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Suggestion · Original poster
I tried jumping from another running car (onto the battery terminals) and then from a booster pack onto the posts in the engine area - these made no difference at all.
Original post Read captured discussion
Strange starting behavior !

Frequently discussed actions (4)

These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.

Check engine ground cable

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes: 0
Unsuccessful attempts: 1
Discussions

Read evidence and context

Discussions that contain suggestions: 1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Suggestion
Check the engine ground cable for corrosion.
Original post Read captured discussion
Strange starting behavior !

Install bosch s5 battery in feb this year

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes: 0
Unsuccessful attempts: 1
Discussions

Read evidence and context

Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome: 1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I fitted a new Bosch S5 battery in Feb this year.
Original post Read captured discussion
Strange starting behavior !

Run )

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes: 0
Unsuccessful attempts: 1
Discussions

Read evidence and context

Discussions that contain suggestions: 1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Suggestion · Original poster
The headlights seem as bright as normal though (without engine running).
Original post Read captured discussion
Strange starting behavior !

Run car (onto the battery terminals)

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Reported fixes: 0
Unsuccessful attempts: 1
Discussions

Read evidence and context

Discussions that contain suggestions: 1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Suggestion · Original poster
I tried jumping from another running car (onto the battery terminals) and then from a booster pack onto the posts in the engine area - these made no difference at all.
Original post Read captured discussion
Strange starting behavior !

Reported and suspected causes (1)

These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.

starter is dragging everything down

No successful repair reported for this finding.

0
Identified cause: 1
Suspected cause: 0
Reported fixes

Read evidence and context

Discussions that suspect a cause: 1

0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.

0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.

Suspected cause
With the jump then the booster pack on the engine bay terminals, and it still won't start, then most likely the starter is dragging everything down.
Original post Read captured discussion
Strange starting behavior !

Coverage and how to read this overview

Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.

2 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.

Rennlist: 1 discussions

0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.

1 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.

Outcome without a verified action link
I tried jumping from another running car (onto the battery terminals) and then from a booster pack onto the posts in the engine area - these made no difference at all.
Original post Read captured discussion
No unique explicit quoted action; no causal link assigned

Generation: 20261026T172408Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources

POST 1 / ORIGINAL POSTEROriginal post

Hi all, new member from the UK here but have been following the forum for a year or so now :-) I've overcome quite a few small issues with the help of the great info on this forum - many thanks all ! I do have a new problem though..... my 2001 C4 manual won't start, it has always cranked slowly but fires very quickly but yesterday it started as normal then died within about 2 seconds. Now won't start. All dash lights go dim when I try to start and the starter motor turns for about half a second. The headlights seem as bright as normal though (without engine running). I tried jumping from another running car (onto the battery terminals) and then from a booster pack onto the posts in the engine area - these made no difference at all. I fitted a new Bosch S5 battery in Feb this year. I'm wondering if its a battery problem, it was reading about 12.5v (multimeter) but I realise that doesn't really tell me much. Any thoughts guys ? most owners seem to have a problem with no crank at all, but mine cranks for half a second before stopping. Thanks all ! :-)

POST 2Original post

My guess is you need a new starter. With the jump then the booster pack on the engine bay terminals, and it still won't start, then most likely the starter is dragging everything down. Could be the Y-cable in the engine bay, although it doesn't sound like the problem. Check the engine ground cable for corrosion. I've no idea why it would start and then die within about 2 seconds. You are going to have to be methodical and check everything from the battery to ignition switch to engine bay and your groundings.

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