Bought a Magna as a daily about a week ago, and having problems already haha. So much for selling my S13 for a reliable daily :neutral:

So three times in two days, I've gone to start it, and it won't start. Not the battery, it's new and it ticks over fine. Looked around here and saw something about immobiliser, tried it with a dif key and still has issues. Last owner said something about 'occasionally not starting because it needs a new muffler'. Wtf? Would this be something to do with the o2 sensor? I drove it today with the rear muffler off and it still didn't start one time. Does it hot and cold, but if you give it 10min it starts....
Prev owners had this problem looked at by a dealer and they insisted it needed a new battery, that was all. Error codes about immobiliser and crankshaft sensor.

I'm lost! Anything else common I should be looking at?

Oh, it's a 96 TE Exec 3l auto.

Bought a Magna as a daily about a week ago, and having problems already haha. So much for selling my S13 for a reliable daily :neutral:

So three times in two days, I've gone to start it, and it won't start. Not the battery, it's new and it ticks over fine. Looked around here and saw something about immobiliser, tried it with a dif key and still has issues. Last owner said something about 'occasionally not starting because it needs a new muffler'. Wtf? Would this be something to do with the o2 sensor? I drove it today with the rear muffler off and it still didn't start one time. Does it hot and cold, but if you give it 10min it starts....
Prev owners had this problem looked at by a dealer and they insisted it needed a new battery, that was all. Error codes about immobiliser and crankshaft sensor.

I'm lost! Anything else common I should be looking at?

Oh, it's a 96 TE Exec 3l auto.

So nothing happens at all or does it crank and just not start?

If it cranks and just doesn't start it would most likely be a fuel issue, leaving it for a while would get fuel pumped through etc.

Do you hear a ting sound when you turn the key to start it? Or does it just not do anything at all.
If it doesn't do anything at all, I would say it would lean towards an electrical problem.

Do you hear the fuel pump start up when you turn the key?

How does it run when it's going?

Does your TE have an immobilser? my TE doesn't as far as I know. If you have an imoobilser then there's a thread somewhere on how to clean the contacts

The O2 sensor is on the pipe just under the passenger footwell so removing the rear muffler won't do anything.

Some threads to check out.

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60405

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47897&highlight=immobilser

http://martybugs.net/articles/magna-stall.cgi

Neo: It cranks fine and just doesn't start. Once it's on, runs beautifully. Can't say I've heard the fuel pump, but haven't been listening for it, didn't think that'd be the problem if it ran fine normally.

bparfait: From what I've gathered, I think the immobilisers were factory standard. Will try the immobiliser contact clean now! Ohhhh, wondered where o2 was, couldn't see it anywhere else on the exhaust but didnt look that far up.

Thanks guys!

Neo: It cranks fine and just doesn't start. Once it's on, runs beautifully. Can't say I've heard the fuel pump, but haven't been listening for it, didn't think that'd be the problem if it ran fine normally.

bparfait: From what I've gathered, I think the immobilisers were factory standard. Will try the immobiliser contact clean now! Ohhhh, wondered where o2 was, couldn't see it anywhere else on the exhaust but didnt look that far up.

Thanks guys!

If it's standard, then it won't have an immobiliser because it's only a TE exec.

How many kms has it done? Have the fuel filters been replaced at all?

210ish. Fuel filter was changed at 195.

my KE Diamante (verada) had the common problem of the plug that connects to the back of the ignition barrel coming loose and occasionally causing the car not to start, it brought up the immobiliser code too. i taped the plug up tight and it was fine. try giving this plug a press and see if it is the problem. it stops it starting because the BEM module cant read the chip in the key and therefore prevents starting (by stopping fuel i think), it just spins over . even if you dont have the immoboliser, check the plug anyway.

Does your TE have an immobilser? my TE doesn't as far as I know.


If it's standard, then it won't have an immobiliser because it's only a TE exec.

All third gens have immobilisers.

Same issue, same model.
Turn ignition on, wait til the orange 'engine symbol' light in dash goes out and wait another few sec to ensure it doesn't re-illuminate (new word!), it should then start ok.
If not, turn ign off and repeat the same process. This might take up to 1/2 doz attempts.
In my car, this prob reappears every few weeks for about a week and so on.
All Gen3 have immobiliser. It cuts electricity to fuel system.
Alternatively, renew the immobiliser.... Nope, dunno the cost.

my car used to do this aswel. turned out to be the remote sensor which sits around the key barrel thingy. from memory was around the $30-40 mark. since replacing it havent had an issue

I will promise you it is the plug, it is a common fault. look under steering wheel and on the end of the ignition barrel there is a plug, push that hard on and secure with tape. It is a well known problem, and has affected many 3rd gen owners. i found the fix on the net, a guy had spent thousands chasing the problem and it was just a loose plug. and as i said causes a immobiliser fault code. try it please before replacing anything. ill post a pic of it in a minute. also killer do the same.

heres a pic of mine taped up. i had EXACTLY the same prob as you http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv302/robssei/Pic0529.jpg

Yeah, cleaned the contacts of that plug and the one to the black box under dash, just incase. CO contact cleaner ftw <3

It's been fine today, so now I don't have to save my money to fix it, instead i have a bootful of car audio to install! Thanks all! =D

no problem mate and remember if it does it again, check that plug again, it is known to come loose. mine would do it if it came out a tiny bit. i was stuck at a gas station and had to ring my wife to read the workshop manual and tell me how to ground the MUT plug so it would flash the code on dash, then she deciphered the code in manual ha ha . i taped it too be sure.