Battery dead or immobiliser jammed on?
Discussion
Argh. Late, brain not working too brilliantly, but I'll try my best. Car is fitted with an immobiliser, not a plipper type. On/off switch.
Upon turning the key into ignition, all lights come on fine. The fans work normally, radio works normally. Turning it one more notch to start it, and everything gets dimmer, radio & fans cut out, again as per normal. Except it doesn't turn over, not even cough. Obviously, this is all with the immobiliser set to 'off'.
My first thought was it's a flat battery, but the car was used in the small hours of Saturday morning, and it refused to start at about 8 Sunday night. I've left it for far longer than that before without any problems; it usually turns over quicker in fact. No lights were left on, radio was off and nothing else functions without the ignition on. This makes me a bit skeptical that it's the battery, and wonder whether it might in fact be the immobiliser not shutting off. I'm pretty sure this happened a few years ago, but I'll double check that with my dad tomorrow. However, the fact that the usual electrical cut-out that comes with trying to start it (i.e. lights dimming, radio turning off) with the immobiliser off are still present (but not with it on) make me think it might be something different altogether?
If anybody has any ideas as to which is most plausible, or whether it's likely to be something different altogether, they are more than welcome
Current plan is to check the charge of the battery tomorrow morning and take it from there. Cheers.
Knew it didn't look right. Stoopid American spellchecker Ok, could be completely wrong advice but the symptoms sound EXACTLY the same as what happened on our third gen Camaro about a couple of years ago.
Key in ignition, all the lights came on, including the 'Security' one. Turn the key to turn it over, everything dim but nothing happened. I also remember some relays clicking under the bonnet.
Problem was a knackered VATS system, and doing a bit of work routing around in the wiring, I found the relay it engages to activate the starter motor which would turn it over but found out the system also over rules the ignition so it wouldn't fire.
Before that though, we were looking at flat battery (left fully charged for two days on charger), stuck starter motor (bashed and battered with mallet).
Don't know whether any of that will help, but thinking about it, if it's your Astra, they're both GM cars so sharing a dodgy anti-theft system wouldn't be unlikely.
Key in ignition, all the lights came on, including the 'Security' one. Turn the key to turn it over, everything dim but nothing happened. I also remember some relays clicking under the bonnet.
Problem was a knackered VATS system, and doing a bit of work routing around in the wiring, I found the relay it engages to activate the starter motor which would turn it over but found out the system also over rules the ignition so it wouldn't fire.
Before that though, we were looking at flat battery (left fully charged for two days on charger), stuck starter motor (bashed and battered with mallet).
Don't know whether any of that will help, but thinking about it, if it's your Astra, they're both GM cars so sharing a dodgy anti-theft system wouldn't be unlikely.
Alright, went out and bought some jump leads. Figured I'm going to need them at some point so hey. Jumped off my mum's car, and it started. Ran it all night without a hitch. Leaving it until tomorrow evening to start again and see what happens.
Question regarding jump leads
I was always under the impression you connected them 'positive to positive' and 'negative to some sort of earth'. Other people are saying you should connect both negative terminals. Would either of these work?
Question regarding jump leads
I was always under the impression you connected them 'positive to positive' and 'negative to some sort of earth'. Other people are saying you should connect both negative terminals. Would either of these work? Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff