My F430 won't start. Not a battery problem. Help!

Hey Guys, was just out driving my 07 F430 on Wednesday with no problems. I came back home and washed the car (Not the engine). I always make sure the car is at operating temp before I wash it just in case some water gets into the engine bay.


I go out to drive it this morning, it turns the engine over fine (Plenty of juice in the NEW battery). I tried several times, but it has no interest in firing up. It switches gears fine, so there's nothing obvious out of the ordinary. No weird lights or strange behavior.

I turned the main switch off and cycled it through with no luck. I stomped the brake, no luck and brake switch works fine. I didn't check any fuses or relays. Could that be a problem? It's gotta be something simple, right?

I appreciate any help.

 

Also, no strong smell of fuel when trying to crank it over like you get sometimes when the ignition isn't working with other cars.

 

The fuel pump fuse is good.

 

Is my immobilizer light supposed to be on when I have the key turned to the on position? Could that be the problem?
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I would say so. I have never seen that light on my dash.

 

Page 22 of the Owners Manual describes the CODE system and how to start the car if there's trouble with it.

 

I just took it through the emergency starting procedure, but I can't get the light to flash when I push down the accelerator. Any ideas?

 

Is your fob dead, why can't you press the button on the fob like normal? Or is it different than 360?

 

F430's are different. My fob works to lock and unlock the doors fine. It just doesn't unarm the immobilizer.

 

Eric: I am sure you already thought of this, but I would suggest replacing the battery in the fob. I have had fobs with old batteries that would unlock doors but not perform other normal functions, all fixed with a new battery. It may not solve your problem, but it is cheap and easy to try.

 

Eric,
Just to confirm....in my start up process, the immobilizer light shuts off within 1 or 2 sec.
Maybe put in a new battery on your fob?? You know how finicky our cars are when it comes to that.

Good luck!

 

I can try the battery, but neither one of my fobs work.

 

Thanks for confirming.

 

NEW fob batteries didn't help.

Any other ideas guys?

 

Eric,
there is a thread I found associated to a 360 where a fuse was an issue. Check the fuse for the immobilizer ?????

 

The fuel cutoff inertia switch tripped?

 

I'm not sure what that is, but would that cause the immobilisor to not disarm?

 

Yeah, I read that too but I can't find a location for that fuse on the immobilizer?

 

I checked (3) immobilizer fuses behind the passenger seat and they were all good.

What in the world is going on..

 

You don't the battery tender plugged in under the passenger side of the dash, right?

 

Disconnect the battery entirely for 10 min and reconnect as a last resort

 

I didn't originally, but I plugged it in later.

 

Battery or the main switch? I've done the switch in the trunk a few times with no luck.

 

At time of start, as it won't start with it plugged in (unless it is a very early 430), but it will light a tender-plugged-in symbol to alert you. Anyway, isn't your issue, but thought I would mention it, just in case...

 

The inertia switch isnt a fuse its an actual switch.
Call your local Ferrari dealer and ask to speak to a tech.
Mine was helpful enough to tell me my F1 relay was stuck and it ended up only costing me less than $30 USD shipped from the dealer rather than having the car towed and charge me a few hundred dollars to diagnose and fix it at the dealer.
They answer these kind of calls on a daily basis and have a pretty good idea.