Help! Dead battery, locked out of the car

[jhollands]

Haven't driven the car for a few weeks - the battery is now totally flat, not even enough charge to open the door... and the jump leads for the battery port are locked in the boot!

Any suggestions?

[glow worm]

With only 2 posts ... think you need to go to a dealer

[jhollands]

Any suggestions - my ones, Gatwick TVR (serviced it since purchase) and Mole Valley Motors (bought from), are no more!

[glow worm]

If you're a TVRCC member try via their Website it would give some crediblity to your request...Otherwise who's to say your not a car thief. Rather suprised if you're a previous Griff owner that you don't know what to do...since it's the same.

Edited by glow worm on Saturday 29th December 17:50

[jhollands]

Understand your point.

The Griffith method involved the soft hood. My Tuscan is doesn't have a soft hood - it has a hard plastic rear window.

Let's hope the AA man knows how to get me in.

Dumb question but presumably he'll be able to charge it from the port under the wheel arch without getting access to the interior first?

[glow worm]

With an Anderson connector under the passenger side wheel arch( well behind outrigger , just under door edge). Red rubber cover should be on.

P.S. Not the only way on a Griff !!!

Edited by glow worm on Saturday 29th December 18:01

[jhollands]

Cheers - I'll give it go to tomorrow. I think I know what you mean. At least I won't need a broomstick!

[Hambo]

Hi,

I know the original poster (for about 7 years been to each others weddings etc so can vouch for him) and have been a member myself since May 2005 (although I'm not a great one for posting myself). I dont know how to get in with a flat battery however if someone would like to email me I can then phone my mate and let him know.

Any help would be appreciated.


Kind regards,

[glow worm]

Hambo said:

Hi,

I know the original poster (for about 7 years been to each others weddings etc so can vouch for him) and have been a member myself since May 2005 (although I'm not a great one for posting myself). I dont know how to get in with a flat battery however if someone would like to email me I can then phone my mate and let him know.

Any help would be appreciated.


Kind regards,

YHM

[jhollands]

Not that it matters but I did use to post on this site - back in the days when it was called Petrolheads.com. Forgot my original logon. Don't think the posts go back further than 2006.

[Hambo]

Many thanks for the info.

[jhollands]

Cheers guys. I'll give it go and let you know how I get on.

I've bought a solar powered trickler from Maplin for a mere £20 which plugs into the cigar lighter. Be interested to see if this helps save the battery once I've got her charged up.

[jhollands]

Thanks for the tip on gaining entry to the car - very simple and worth every owner knowing about. If you don't know the emergency access procedure for your car should the electrics go down get on to the dealer or another owner who can explain it to you now!

Interestingly, I found - and have noticed this previously - that using the battery port under the passenger side door gives a much weaker charge than unscrewing the panel under the passenger side front wheel arch and connecting the crocodile clips directly to the battery.

Today, using the ports I got sufficient charge to open the doors, turn the headlamps on but not enough to fire the starter motor. Only by connecting directly to the battery was I able to start the engine.

[J_E_T]

jhollands said:

Interestingly, I found - and have noticed this previously - that using the battery port under the passenger side door gives a much weaker charge than unscrewing the panel under the passenger side front wheel arch and connecting the crocodile clips directly to the battery.

Anyone give a reason why that is ? When I had my battery problems few months ago had the AA out to start the car .. he had his van, plus a second battery, plus a booster battery, all wired up just to turn things over !

[UpTheIron]

The Anderson connector can get corroded quite badly as it isn't sufficiently well insulated from water ingress (on early Tuscans anyway, can't comment on later ones).

I had mine replaced after it disintegrated when trying to jump start on one occasion, no problems starting from a single battery.

[Whitey]

I've never had an issue using mine, but then it lounges in a cosy garage and is serviced by someone that knows what he is doing

Hence, if yours has a fault it can be fixed.

[s6boy]

UpTheIron said:

The Anderson connector can get corroded quite badly as it isn't sufficiently well insulated from water ingress.

Well worth smearing some grease over the cleaned terminals for this reason, it can save a lot of hassle and only needs doing every 6000 mile service. Of course it also helps to have the plastic cover tightly fitted