Start prevented - please try again.

[V70Craig]

Hi all, early this morning on leaving for work I tried to start the car as normal but received the message - Start prevented, please try again.
The car as you would imagine didn't start the two times I tried it.
I jumped out, locked the car, then unlocked it and this time it started without issue.

I have looked through a few archives of different sites and none seem to give a definitive idea as to the cause of the problem.
Is there anyone here who has experienced this more recently and has a solution?

My car is a 2002 S60 T5 manual with almost 120k on the clock.

Thanks in advance of any replies.

[petey]

I had that once on my '05 D5 V70. It occurred after I'd been playing about with a Snap-On code reader and had attempted to access the Transmission ECU. Given mine's a manual, it doesn't have one, and it appears that this can cause illegal messages to appear on the CAN bus and the immobiliser reacts by engaging.
Mine reset after locking the doors and waiting ten minutes for the CAN bus to go to sleep.

So I would surmise that you have an immobiliser or power to the ECU that holds the immobiler issue, but that's a guess.

As ever, the answer will be get a VIDA opinion on things as that will know what modules it can talk to and what it can't.

[Simon Jones]

The error means the CEM didn't get message from transponder chip in the key. Remove the key & try again should sort it unless there is an underlying fault. Most common fix seems to be replacing the ring antenna which is round the outside of the ignition lock barrel.

If it happens again, try swapping to another key (assuming you have one) & see if the problem remains or stays with the original key.

[DT19]

I've had this a couple of times when my fuel was really low. Once I was at the petrol station but needed to change pumps and it wouldn't start until the third or fourth try. I guess it's a safeguard to stop you driving off with very little fuel in.

[V70Craig]

Thanks for the replies guys.

@petey - I have been trying to contact a forum member who has a workshop near me to get my codes read but have not heard from him as yet - code reading is top of my to-do list for sure

@SimonJones - I do have another key and will use that for a while to see if the problem happens again

@DT19 - that may be a good call - my fuel is quite low as haven't been out to fill up (still shows about 100 mile range but no doubt that won't be entirely accurate)

[DT19]

Mine was less than that when it happened, probably only 5 - 10 miles left or on fumes. If you were on a slope it might have triggered it if it thought the fuel level was lower. Put some fuel in and see if the message stops.

[V70Craig]

Originally Posted by DT19

Mine was less than that when it happened, probably only 5 - 10 miles left or on fumes. If you were on a slope it might have triggered it if it thought the fuel level was lower. Put some fuel in and see if the message stops.

The message went away as soon as I locked and unlocked the car again and hasn't reappeared on the journey home - I just wanted to find out the cause so I can avoid it happening again.
My car is always parked on dead level ground outside my house so I know that the needle is fairly accurate. With not having the school run this week I allowed the fuel to get lower than I would normally like - I think first thing in the morning a fill up will be in order lol

[BobS]

Hi,

As mentioned above. Most likely cause is the key transponder not being read.
Many reasons ranging from 'act of god' to a faulty antenna ring.

Check that there is no other key or RFID fob on key ring as they can interfere with the signal.

I would wait till problem recurred (if at all?).

Bob

[V70Craig]

Originally Posted by BobS

Hi,

As mentioned above. Most likely cause is the key transponder not being read.
Many reasons ranging from 'act of god' to a faulty antenna ring.

Check that there is no other key or RFID fob on key ring as they can interfere with the signal.

I would wait till problem recurred (if at all?).

Bob

I always keep spare keys separate so I'm fairly sure there is no interference. The antenna ring is a solution I have seen mentioned in a few of the threads I came across but from what I can see it wasn't a consistent fix.
As you suggest I will wait and see if the issue returns, hopefully as and when I'm able to get hooked up to VIDA it may shed some light on whatever it is

[cheshired5]

I would say that low fuel is a definite red herring.
If it was to protect anything, it would continue to not start, not be intermittent then start.

With no fuel, the engine will continually crank over without firing unless sufficient fuel is put in and primed.
There'll be no start prevented message.