Just a flat battery ?.

[Mr.T]

Thought I'd start the Tuscan up and go for a quick blast. It's been stuck in the garage for a few weeks, although plugged into the trickle charger. Turned the key, and all was pretty dead, the digital read out flashed up various voltages ranging from around 7.0-9.5, and occasionally the starter motor clicked, and then after a short while clicked quite rapidly while I had the key turned, but didn't seem to have enough power to turn the engine over. Also, while the key was turned, some of the display warning lights flickered in mostly random fashion. I'm guessing the battery has just died, would I be correct here, and/or would I have any other issues/electricals to worry about?. Would a simple jump start get it going, although still needing a new battery?. Thanks all, and enjoy the rest of the festive period.

[x 7usc]

i have read on here that jumping a flat battery can damage the ECU although ive done it on my tuscan and its been fine, the battery does sound fooked, how old is it and is the car kept outside as if the battery is old a savage frost can easily kill an old battery, happened to me, fine one day and dead as a dodo the next after just one very cold night

if you do jump start it i would be very weary of stoping anywhere just in case it has lost its ability to hold a charge if its been on trickle and is still flat

Edited by x 7usc on Sunday 27th December 13:28

[melrose]

Hi Guys and Gals
I am a new member to Piston Heads and as you said went to go for a blast after my Tuscan standing for 2 weeks and yes you guessed it completely flat battery i cannot get in any where even the remote door and boot opening will not work any bl*ody ideas, i have only had tha car for few months no problems at all until now

[shapeshifter]

melrose said:

Hi Guys and Gals
I am a new member to Piston Heads and as you said went to go for a blast after my Tuscan standing for 2 weeks and yes you guessed it completely flat battery i cannot get in any where even the remote door and boot opening will not work any bl*ody ideas, i have only had tha car for few months no problems at all until now

Jump it with the anderson thingy

[melrose]

Thanks will try anything once

[asrovak]

melrose said:

Hi Guys and Gals
I am a new member to Piston Heads and as you said went to go for a blast after my Tuscan standing for 2 weeks and yes you guessed it completely flat battery i cannot get in any where even the remote door and boot opening will not work any bl*ody ideas, i have only had tha car for few months no problems at all until now

I think the alarm will drain the battery over a couple of weeks, the same happens to other TIVs as well.

[Mr.T]

Thanks all, it does seem to point to just being a flat battery problem. I would guess the battery is a good 5 years old, but the car is kept in a garage, plugged into a trickle charger when the car is in there, so could the trickle charger also be the start of the problem, ie. it's stuffed (although the expected lights come on on the charger?), if it's not stuffed would the battery still die if it was totally kna*kered, but plugged into the charger?.

[SP6 Animal]

For a car that's not used everyday i reckon more than 3 years out of a battery is good going.
And yes your battery is knackered even though your trickle charging it's not holding the current.

[tripleblack]

And always keep your jumps start cable connected for about an extra minute after start-up. Otherwise your alternator may ruin your ecu by overcharching.

[Mustang Baz]

I am suffering from flat battery syndrome badly at the current time and even with a new battery fitted in May, still seem to be loosing charge over a 2 week period if the car is not driven during this time. It sits outside, albeit under a cover, and the weather/work has prevented more regular use regrettably.

I have a Leven set of Tuscan specific jump leads - but have usually called out the AA to assist (who then use them to avoid taking off the bonnet). Am going to jump start it myself later this week once the snow is gone - is it merely a case of connecting the crocodile clips to another cars battery and jumpstarting as normal? Sorry for the muppet question, but have not had to do before...

[Mr.T]

I believe it is as you say, just jump it from another cars battery as per normal, but note the post from Tripleback just before yours, on leaving the leads connected for a short while after starting. Good luck.

[Mustang Baz]

Jump cables to the Tuscan appear too short and being in a public road, no option of bring the other car alongside it. Anyone recommend a good quality portable battery pack which I could jump the Tuscan from?

[977]

I got one of these things off eBay, works a treat, they sell them with a few names on, and from all sorts of places. I bought the cheapest one, and it has jumped bikes, the BMW, the Chimaera, an Astra, and a few other things along the way:

[S6PNJ]

Mustang Baz said:

Jump cables to the Tuscan appear too short and being in a public road, no option of bring the other car alongside it. Anyone recommend a good quality portable battery pack which I could jump the Tuscan from?

CAREFULLY attach another set of good quality (ie thick) cables to the Leven ones to extend the distance you can reach. Its probably best if you can isolate the red from the black lead by separating with something, ie piece of wood, cardboard, bag (not plastic from Tesco's) etc.

[BigJL]

Hey folks!

Haven't posted for a loooooong time, but just wanted to say I had the exact same issue after coming back from a two week holiday over Xmas. I could get in but the starter motor was just ticking and my voltage was showing a reading of about 11.4v.

Just wanted to add that once you've connected your jump battery, you might need to jiggle the anderson connector around a bit until it actually makes a proper connection. If you can get into the car and the dash comes on, you want to make sure you voltage is reading around 12v otherwise it probably won't start. This is a good indication of whether the anderson is plugged in properly.

If you can't get in, attaching the plug correctly should blip the alarm, so that's a good enough indication!

Good luck!
Justin

[WhyTwo]

Mr.T said:

so could the trickle charger also be the start of the problem, ie. it's stuffed (although the expected lights come on on the charger?)

Absolutely! When I was checking my battery during the summer I found the in-line fuse for the trickle charger completely corroded away to the point where only 1 end was attached to the fuse. The lights on the charger still came on??! I've replaced the fuse and it looks like the battery is holding a charge. I last started it 2 weeks ago after leaving it for almost a month and it started first time. fingers crossed for when I try it tomorrow

[mikey d]

Not sure if this helps but ..........my tuscan ran the battery down so only option was to buy a trickle charger with a cigarette lighter attachment , charged it up a treat but came to start and the immobiliser would not turn off , hence the car would not start . 10 mins later and a phone call to batley boy , it seems that you have to diconnect the battery then re-connect it to make it work . Don't make same mistake I did by leaving keys in ignition and when I connected the battery and the windows went up and I was locked out , hence time to put into action the emergency entry method that knowone wants to mention , they always say that knowledge is power , anyway 30 mins later the beast was awake :-)

[Mustang Baz]

Further battery challenges again with the Tuscan; only one week after a decent two hour hoon and relatively mild weather here in London and went to take the Tuscan to work this am - dead as a dodo. No immediate suspects so blo**y frustrating and have to assume the battery is not doing the job expected of it any more.

Prior to my last hoon, I had left the car two weeks without a drive and had had no issues - now it appears to have completely lost any charge within a week (can't see any lights/immobilisers on inside the car at all).

Thoughts? Have a feeling that three jump starts have been the death of this battery along with the harsh winter but would not have expected it in under one year since fitment.

[SP6 Animal]

Have you kept the receipt at least you should get a free replacement.

[Mustang Baz]

Jump started the Tuscan this morning with no issues further to the good advice here. One hour drive to work, battery seems well charged and constant 14.2-14.4v showing on the dash.

Then went out at lunchtime to check on things; was able to get into the car and start her no problems, but for the first time in 5 yrs, could not gain access into boot. Took about 5 mins of the car running and warming up for the boot button to then miraculously work and release the boot lid. That, and the passenger side door entry button was also slow to work upon start-up.

Am now slightly concerned there is a serious drain going on which is causing some of these issues only 3 hrs after any drive. Anyone else had similar? No lights are on anywhere - I have checked, even climbing in the boot and shutting the lid! Dodgy alarm or immobiliser?