Billy Dean
Member
Registered: 5th Jan 10
User status: Offline
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Our Corsa kept on turning off in mid-traffic.
The other day the engine died whilst we waited at some traffic lights.
The only way we could restart the engine was to bumpstart it down a hill.
The recovery truck driver told us it's probably a duff starter motor.
He also said it's best to get the ignition switch changed at the same time as one might be causing the other one to fail i.e. a faulty ignition switch may have caused the starter motor to fail (his diagnosis).
He also said that Corsas' are notorious for having starter motor problems.
Is he giving good advice? 
I mean is it worth replacing BOTH at the same time??
p.s. car is a 1.4 litre 16valve Corsa B
[Edited on 30-06-2010 by Billy Dean]
[Edited on 30-06-2010 by Billy Dean]
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
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I've never heard of the ignition switch causing that type of problem. If the starter is duff, change that first and see how you get on.
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Billy Dean
Member
Registered: 5th Jan 10
User status: Offline
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Yeah I had it checked by my local mechanic. And they said it was the starter motor. So they put in a 2nd hand one and I'll pick it up tmrw.
The thing is, with my limited knowledge how would the starter motor be at fault if the car suddenly switched off when idling at a junction, as in what happened to us for example? Isn't the only job of the starter motor to simply start the engine? It's not active in keeping the engine running as well is it??
I'm confused.
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Vivasam
Member
Registered: 31st Jan 10
User status: Offline
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No, the car should not cut out because of a duff starter motor. I assume that your local mechanic had checked out the battery and the alternator before changing the starter motor.
The reason I ask is that if the alternator is duff, then the battery will not be charged, and eventually the car will stall when the battery is too low to supply the necessary volts to run the car.
Give the car a wee run around when you get it back, and see what happens. If it is still stalling then you will get all the help needed off the lads on here. Good luck.
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Billy Dean
Member
Registered: 5th Jan 10
User status: Offline
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Thanks for the replies.
The battery was checked by the breakdown guy and he said it was fine. He also ok'ed the earth connections.
He said it was probably the starter motor and ignition switch.
So I got a tow to my local garage/mechanic and told him to check what was wrong. I also told him what the breakdown guy had advised.
I then got a call a few days later saying "your car is ready to collect, we have changed the starter motor and it is fine."
I assume they checked the alternator and other things too.
We've been driving the car around since then and it has started fine.
But after what you said I am worried that maybe the starter motor change is hiding an underlying problem...? I dunno. Will it eventually break down again?
p.s. I just rang my mechanic and he said that the starter motor is connected to/takes a feed from the alternator. So if the starter is faulty it may affect the alternator too, hence the stalling before.
He advised me to drive round for a few more days and report back any problems. He said he didn't check the alternator - he just changed the starter.
Does this sound right?
[Edited on 05-07-2010 by Billy Dean]
[Edited on 05-07-2010 by Billy Dean]
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