Two solenoids?

p-car912 · Post by **p-car912** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 9:36 pm

Hello people,
The inevitable happened today, I was out in me ’12 enjoying the sun the top off smiling from ear to ear.
We stopped to buy some BBQ stuff came back to the car, put the key in the ignition and…… nothing…..not even a click from the back.

To cut a long story short the RAC had to come to the rescue as bumping and jumping didn’t do the trick.

After some tinkering it turns out that it was some dodgy connections to what seems to be a remote solenoid!
I asked why would it need a remote solenoid? Is there not one connected to the starter? He said yes the original one is still there but now there’s another one connected from the battery feed on the original solenoid through this new one back to the old solenoid ignitor terminal post. The remote solenoid is connected back to the ignition.
I hope that made some sense.

The RAC chap (who was a top man) could not think of a reason why anyone would put in this remote solenoid thus was reluctant to take it out.

And finally my question: -

Why dose my car have two solenoids?
Has anyone found this before?

Thank you for your help.

P.S. my smile returned on the way home.

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 1:14 pm

Sounds as though the original solonoid has failed, whilst the actual starter motor still operated O.K. By fitting the extra unit, the original has obviously been bypassed: perhaps to save money, or a nifty roadside repair to save fiddling around trying to get the starter out.

Either way, probably not a huge problem to keep as is: just take the oportunity to Locktight all nuts, and cable tie any loose leads: the heavy starter leads are very prone to vibrating their fixings loose, so it's good disipline to make sure they are well supported.

Longer term it would probably pay to keep a lookout for a replacement starter motor, so you've got one 'in stock' should you have any problems in the future.

BTW, I've never heard of this particular fix: quite like it really, good lateral thinking, and has presumably done the job until now.

p-car912 · Post by **p-car912** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:09 pm

Thanks for the reply Barry. Some one posted this link for me which seems to explain it.

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/wired/wire ... _03_01.htm

very helpful.

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 9:34 pm

No problem: good link for a guide to the basics, always useful, if even as a reminder. It's amazing how often the basics catch out even the experienced.

Trouble is, the more you know, the more you tend to look for subtle/complex solutions to a problem, which throws you off the scent of a simple problem. We've all done it ...