So my FC will not start. I turn the key and nothing. No idiot lights, no clicking nothing. Like it has a dead battery, but the battery is not dead. It makes the beeping noise when the key is left in the ignition and the dome light turns on. I have jumped the car, push startes, check all the fuses inside and under the hood, checked and tightened the battery terminals, unhooked the battery for a little while, checked the ignition switch and nothing is happening. I am out of ideas. Any suggestions? Please help, I know this is gonna be something super easy and simple that I am overlooking.

 

Check your battery cables (both ends) for signs of corrosion. I'd hazard a guess that your ground cable is shot.

 

Check the main fuse in the Engine bay..(note:you can't just Pull that fuse out.it is held in with 2-10mm nuts.One on each side of the Fuse Block).another queston that comes to mind is,Do you have the Battery connected Correctly(common mistake.)?

 

Have you voltage checked the battery? Whats it read?

 

check the battery cables. with a loose or corroded cable it can make connection for small amounts of current but can not support heavy loads such as turning on the ignition.

 

clutch starter switch?

 

I have checked everything you guys have mentioned except the clutch starter switch. I think my alarm has crapped out not allowing me to start the car. Unfortunately I didnt install it so now I gotta find it an try an bypass it to see if that works.

 

the alarm would only restrict the starter wire. therefore the idiot lights and other accessories would still power up. Also the clutch starter switch would not cause the idiot lights to not come on.

This could be a ignition switch problem, but it still sounds more like a battery connection problem.

 

Do the idiot lights come on at all? Does any power work at all? Def a power problem then, however his dome light works, as does the key in ignition warning beeper (wow.) Have you ever tried to start a car without the clutch in? If the clutch switch isn't working then it will just kill everything when turned to start, including the idiot lights. This is assuming that the idiot lights are on with ignition to on. So do the idiot lights work at all? Have you had the starter checked? Bypass the clutch switch and the starter wire and see what happens.

 

Check the battery cables all the way across. Another think if it does not start check your ignition switch too. See if it might be your alternator.

 

Start by probing from the battery to the main fuse and the other two ECU fuses under the hood. then check the power leads to the ignition switch. This sounds more less like a ignition switch or a main relay problem. Second definately check the main relay for sure.

The security system has no effect on power at the acc and on position of the ignition switch. the only thing the security cuts is the starter relay impulse wire.

Test the main relay and the ignition switch and let us know what you get

 

I checked all of the power sources and fuses today and still nada. Unfortunately I had to leave my car at my moms house in the valley an can't get back to it til Sunday. If I can"t figure it out by Monday I'm takin it in to a person more experienced than I. This sucks I still have to get new mufflers!

 

But did ya check the main relay? If you're inclined you can temporarily jump the main relay with some low enough gauge wire. And then start it and drive it home till you get another main relay. Its not uncommon for them to go out (I've repaired mine twice so far in one of my 7s)
The more I think of it, the more I wanna say the main relay. the location of it is drivers side, behind the trailing coil pack. It has two connectors and is a box about 1 inch wide by 2inches deep. It should click when you turn the key to acc or on.

 

I had a similar problem a about five years ago and it took me three years to finally find the problem Do a search on my "intermittent no start" and you will find many threads I tried in looking for a solution.
In my particular case it was a shielded connector under the brake master cylinder that is inline with a set of wires coming from the CAS (Crank Angle Sensor...where the distributor would be).
If you look for the wires coming out of the CAS you will see close to it a shielded connector and if you follow the wires there will be another one JUST LIKE IT under the brake master cylinder (I emphasize JUST LIKE IT because there are some others but are shaped differently).
Carefully disconnect the Shielded Connector (they are stubborn) and spray it inside and out with some electronics cleaner like you can get at most parts stores or Wal Mart.
I think what happens on this cause is over time Brake Fluid eventually gets into the connector causing it to short out. I would clean the other one too by the CAS.
Let me know dude if it works. Good Luck !

 

Boots an Harley thanks for your input. Those are 2 things i didn't check and I will as soon as I get back to my car. Unfortunately it died at my moms house 100 miles away so I can't even get back to it til Sunday. How would I check if the main relay is good? Multimeter?

 

Don't try and lecture me on car electrical systems. I am a MECP certified installer and have been doing it for 5+ years. If you read my earlier post I explained that briefly. Yes when you turn the key to "start" acc wires loose power and ignition wires do not. This loss of power is caused by the physical nature of the ignition switch.

Anyways back to the problem, Have you tried metering the the 12v constant wire at the ignition harness? I would test it with the key off, then at ignition, then see what happens when you try to start it. This will help eliminate the power supply problem as the the issue and then you could move on to other things with certainty.

 

UGH so some wires to the fuse box fried. Now I just gotta figure out why.......

 

Anyone got a good s4 NA wire harness layin around? Hit me up!