What are the reasons why the Volkswagen Lavida won't start?
3 Answers
The reasons why the Volkswagen Lavida won't start are: 1. The gear is not in P position; 2. No antifreeze added; 3. Brake pedal not pressed; 4. Steering wheel locked; 5. Insufficient battery voltage, dead battery, or battery damage; 6. No fuel in the car; 7. Engine starting system failure. The solutions for a car that won't start are: 1. Shift to P position and restart; 2. Add antifreeze; 3. Press the brake pedal while starting; 4. Turn the steering wheel left and right while pressing the engine start button to release tension and unlock the steering wheel; 5. Use jumper cables to start with another battery; 6. Refuel the vehicle; 7. Inspect and repair the engine.
My Lavida also had trouble starting last winter, which turned out to be a dead battery. The car sat unused for a week, and the cold weather reduced the battery's performance, causing it to fail. Besides battery issues, worn starter motor brushes can also lead to weak starting—you might hear a clicking sound when turning the key, but the engine won’t respond. Problems in the ignition system, like aging ignition coils or severely carbon-fouled spark plugs, can also cause incomplete combustion. I suggest trying a jump-start first; if it works, the battery likely needs replacement. If jumping doesn’t help, check for loose or corroded starter connections. Also, a heads-up: when the fuel tank is nearly empty, the fuel pump can’t draw fuel, leading to a no-start situation—a mistake my colleague made just last week.
When encountering a situation where the Lavida fails to start, focus on inspecting three key systems: electrical, ignition, and fuel. For the electrical system, check the battery voltage—if it's below 11.8V, it generally can't power the starter. Also, inspect the electrode terminals for white crystalline deposits that may cause poor contact. In the ignition system, the main concern is spark plugs clogged with carbon deposits. Remove them to check if the ceramic body appears blackened or shows signs of electrical leakage. The fuel system often overlooks the fuel pump fuse, located in the fuse box under the steering wheel and labeled SB14. Additionally, a special scenario occurs when the anti-theft system is falsely triggered, indicated by a flashing key icon on the dashboard. In this case, try re-syncing the key by holding the unlock button for ten seconds before attempting to start the vehicle again.
