There’s about a million possible causes of this, but most mechanics would probably make a check of the electric fuel pump one of their first moves. Modern electric pumps have a finite lifespan and when they die, it can be very sudden. You can try a quick test for yourself at home, too. When it’s nice and quiet, turn the ignition until the dashboard lights come on. At that point, you should be able to hear a faint hum or buzz. That’s the electric fuel pump switching on to supply fuel to the engine. If you can’t hear it humming away, chances are it’s either dead or a fuse or other electrical problem has stopped it in its tracks.

There’s also the chance that the failure to start is related to the car’s ignition system which, again, could have any number of causes. Old spark plugs, blown coil-packs, a dud sensor or even a broken wire could be the problem.

This message flashes up when the car is due for a service or other maintenance. The problem is that just because the work gets carried out, the message continues to flash up every time you start the car, unless the reminder has been reset.

While some makes and models have simple methods of resetting the reminder (and making the message go away) usually through the menus on the info-screen, the Haval range is not among them. In the Haval's case, it appears the only way to reset the reminder is via the diagnostic port that gives you access to the car's on-board computer. Not all workshops have the equipment to tap into this port and while a Haval dealer will have the gear, such dealerships can be pretty scarce in remote and regional parts of Australia.