URGENT HELP PLEASE

I have a non starting problem. It is a Suzuki Jimny 1.3 petrol , year 2005. It is a Spanish registered car in Spain. Normally runs very well for its age. Suddenly developed non starting probem. Had an English mechanic famiiar with electronic issues to check it over, but could not find anything specific wrong - except that the red padlock (immobilizer warning light was on). Unfortunately he did not have the facilities to do anything to try and repair the probem.

So then took it to a Spanish specialist for electronics. Of course, during the two days it was there the car started well each time they tweeked and tried it and no red warning light. I collected it yesterday, it started up brilliantly at the garage and came home. After a few hours wanted to go out again and car woud not start. So seems a very intermittent problem. I intend to take it back to the Spanish chap, but need some help in explaining exactly what could be wrong and how to fix it. My husband thinks it is a "relay" issue, but he has really no knowledge of this kind of thing. I of course,havenot a clue!! It has started upthis morningand husband gone to play golf, hope it starts when he wantsto get back!!! Many thanks for reading this,and hope you can offer some solution.

As it's an intermittent fault and the padlock sign is on it could well be a transponder receiver coil (the loop around the ignition switch that picks up the corresponding part in the key). If the car fails to start again try taking the key out and turning it over, if it starts then there's your problem. Cheap enough part, plenty of used ones around. Chris

Oh I get it, turn the key over! That's a good idea.
I was initially thinking how do you turn the car over with the key out, silly me :blush:

Yeah, that's me, lost in translation. From an idea to plain English is often too much for me. Chris

Thanks, will give it a go over the weekend. Car started this morning, But now stuck up the hill on the golf course!!! .

Its worth trying the old 'bash the starter motor' trick. Seriously. Take a bit of wood to give it a few taps on the body. Its down the side of the engine where the gearbox joins (driver side on a RHD jimny).

The solenoid on it can stick and also check the wiring to it, particularly the small wire as the connection corrodes. Take it off and check for corrosion or muck, clean-up and hopefully problem solved. If its this, you can usually hear a faint clicking noise when you try to start the engine (if it wont turn over).

The padlock light can be as said above, but its normal for that light to be on until you start the engine as well.

An easy test of this, when the fault occurs, would be to try and bump start the car, if it starts then its starter motor related, rather than immobiliser