Dash lit up like a Xmas tree chime

Dash lit up like a Xmas tree chime

Author
Discussion

Ken Figenus

Original Poster:

5,678 posts

116 months

Sunday 8th February 2015
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Parked up and did some shopping. Returned 15 mins later and now the dash is a chiming and pinging and flashing error codes from flat tyres to brake failure to transmission conn faults.

Got her home and drove absolutely fine except no extra steering assistance when going slow. Systems acting up like above and then intermittently acting normally all the way back (no indicators, speedo, tacho, fuel or temp gague etc, center multifunction display dead, elec windows dead etc when in the fault condition).

I'll take her in obviously, but just wondered if anyone had seen anything similar or can suggest a 'quick fix' con block I can push together somewhere!!!

I wouldn't mind so much but my Beemer is doing much the same reporting intermittent catastrophies dependent on its mood and that one is going on this week too!!!

V12Vanquish

477 posts

138 months

Sunday 8th February 2015
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I may be a battery voltage issue, how old is the battery and do you use a tender when the car is parked?
Charge the battery and see what happens.
Modern electrics are very susceptible to low voltage.

Ken Figenus

Original Poster:

5,678 posts

116 months

Sunday 8th February 2015
quotequote all
I do have a conditioner but it isn't really needed as long as I drive it once a week which I always try to do to avoid sticky calipers etc (let alone the joy of it!). Started fine today and then had 2 x 5 mile runs with no real load on the electrics - it faltered on the way back. I'll pop the conditioner on it now though and give it a run tomorrow. Cheers

BravoV8V

1,858 posts

173 months

Sunday 8th February 2015
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If you're only driving it on a shortish trip, once a week, the battery won't have a chance to recharge after the start.

neveratt

100 posts

146 months

Sunday 8th February 2015
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Hi Ken

I've had similar experiences during the cold period which I put down to the battery being a bit weak. Three restarts corrected the issue for me...not sure the three bit is important.

Stratstones are servicing my Rapide tomorrow so I've asked them to check the battery.

Neil

Ken Figenus

Original Poster:

5,678 posts

116 months

Sunday 8th February 2015
quotequote all
Thanks guys - feel better already. I took her out of the garage and washed her before the drive and I now remember she had a power shut off low battery warning on. Thought it a little odd as I hadn't left anything on. Anyway she's on charge now so tomor will tell... I assume the starter actually pulls huge amps to crank a V12 after all...

Ken Figenus

Original Poster:

5,678 posts

116 months

Tuesday 10th February 2015
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Sadly charging didn't fix it. Had a lovely 20 min run this morning to a meeting which went fine (the petrolhead MD came out as he'd heard it - talk about a subtle non show-off entry with the exhaust switch in closed #fail yikes). But when I got back in it was playing SUPER silly bu66ers! The door mirrors were flapping in an out akin to an obsequious Spaniel dancing to the beat of the disco dash!spin

Called dealer and comfortingly service manager Richard immediately had a good inkling what it was and it corroborated the approx location of a relay that always clicked when the fault condition went away (only soon to come back). Very impressed :-)

Its like your child falling over at school and the teachers call and you worry but it was nothing in the end - never had a car that caused similar symptoms! Apologies!

Ken Figenus

Original Poster:

5,678 posts

116 months

Friday 20th February 2015
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New BERU TPMS unit fitted and quite some re-coding hassle I believe. Does yours chime when you select Reverse? Mine didnt use to.

DAVIDOXE

494 posts

113 months

Friday 20th February 2015
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Glad its sorted Richard does seem to know what hes talking about.

Ken Figenus

Original Poster:

5,678 posts

116 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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Sadly this is turning into a bit of a saga and dealer does have my sympathies if not the 'head of installing too many electric things to go wrong' at Aston.

The new TPMS unit didnt fix it (it in fact made it ping and chime a lot more) and I had to be carted back from Gaydon (of all places) on the back of a lorry.

Aston themselves are now involved and have been sent data.

I really need the car on Friday (wedding favour) and Sunday but I don't know if this will happen. All this outlay and no fun frown

Does anyone have any experience of similar electrical issues where the diagnostics proclaiming calamity are the problem rather than part of the b solution?

SELON

1,172 posts

128 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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Hi Ken,

You've probably thought of it already, but it would be nice to think your dealer can sort you out a nice courtesy car i.e. another Rapide for the special occasion.

All the best

mikey k

13,011 posts

215 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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Ken the factory have a whole new level to AMDS that dealers don't get
Its going to the best place to sort
I'd be twisting arms for a decent Aston loaner (Vanquish?) in the mean time

The G Kid

562 posts

122 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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What should you expect or be offered as a loaner?

AMDBSNick

6,990 posts

161 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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The G Kid said:
What should you expect or be offered as a loaner?
If I were the DP, pretty much whatever the customer wants given the circumstances

DB4DM

928 posts

122 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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Ken, would a 1962 Rapide help you out this weekend?

Ken Figenus

Original Poster:

5,678 posts

116 months

Wednesday 4th March 2015
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Sadly the dealers Rapide demo is already out. Thanks for the kind offer David - never knew of that classic beauty!

Looks like I'm going to have to have the car back and risk it as it hasn't faulted once whilst with the dealer all week. I know they are doing their best on what is turning out to be a b of a fault and AM HQ are involved in helping them too. They want to nail it as much as me.

I really dread driving it though if the fault kicks in again with the resultant folded in mirrors, no speedo or indicators, especially on the motorway frown Can I force the mirrors out if electronically folded in I wonder? (may turn off the auto fold to try)

Never had such a nice car and never had such a ridiculous fault on any car - its so so disappointing and with no solution yet in sight frown