Diagnosis - help please :
Discussion
Cerbera was scooting around on Sunday, no problems.
Thursday morning decided to take it out. Unlocked fine, immobiliser ok, hit button - it coughed. That's it.
Boot opens fine.
Doors open fine. Window goes back up. Lights work.
Car doesn't lock.
When I try to start the car, the fuel pump does not whirr and the immobiliser light just continues to flash under the dash.
Using jump leads I connected it to a brand new battery this morning. No change to any of the symptoms.
Checked the No. 8 fuse which seems to cover some of the problematic areas - it's fine. Didn't change it, but it looks fine.
Have some spare relays, haven't tried that route yet.
If anyone has any ideas, however obvious they may seem, I'd love to hear - thanks!
Thursday morning decided to take it out. Unlocked fine, immobiliser ok, hit button - it coughed. That's it.
Boot opens fine.
Doors open fine. Window goes back up. Lights work.
Car doesn't lock.
When I try to start the car, the fuel pump does not whirr and the immobiliser light just continues to flash under the dash.
Using jump leads I connected it to a brand new battery this morning. No change to any of the symptoms.
Checked the No. 8 fuse which seems to cover some of the problematic areas - it's fine. Didn't change it, but it looks fine.
Have some spare relays, haven't tried that route yet.
If anyone has any ideas, however obvious they may seem, I'd love to hear - thanks!
HI
If the imobiliser light is flashing it won't let the ignition circuit energise. So your fuel pump won't run either.
You need to get that light to go out.
Does it go out with the electronic gizmo pushed into the socket?
If no then the alarm system may need resetting first.
The cough could be a poor battery connecton somewhere that could not take the high current for the starter. This would have upset the alarm system!
Battery post terminals often cause this and need cleaning and so do inside of battery connectors. Use emery cloth to get them shiny!
Might be lucky and not somnething more serious.
Good Luck Steve
If the imobiliser light is flashing it won't let the ignition circuit energise. So your fuel pump won't run either.
You need to get that light to go out.
Does it go out with the electronic gizmo pushed into the socket?
If no then the alarm system may need resetting first.
The cough could be a poor battery connecton somewhere that could not take the high current for the starter. This would have upset the alarm system!
Battery post terminals often cause this and need cleaning and so do inside of battery connectors. Use emery cloth to get them shiny!
Might be lucky and not somnething more serious.
Good Luck Steve
This may not be the problem Nicky, but have you checked the big fuse, it always seems to be the cause of a lot of problems on here, also I would check earthing points, because it will not matter how much power you put through a battery, if the earth is bad the power won't do anything, I am just clutching at straws but I suppose it's best trying the free things first before you start chucking money at it, hope you get it sorted quickly and cheaply.
Update: If I use the immobiliser key thingy then you're right - it does let the fuel pump kick-in. Just for good measure, I also then tried the normal key fob button and this did allow the fuel pump to kick-in, but it doesn't always work it seems.
The car made a half-hearted couple of coughs in an attempt to start - which then sounded like a flat battery. So connected up (via jump leads) to a new battery, but very little difference and certainly nowhere near enough to start the car.
So I suppose I have to find the earthing points now do I and clean those up.....
I just don't understand how it can all be so sudden if it's the earthing points.....
If anyone has any random thoughts to try, be good to hear - thanks!
The car made a half-hearted couple of coughs in an attempt to start - which then sounded like a flat battery. So connected up (via jump leads) to a new battery, but very little difference and certainly nowhere near enough to start the car.
So I suppose I have to find the earthing points now do I and clean those up.....
I just don't understand how it can all be so sudden if it's the earthing points.....
If anyone has any random thoughts to try, be good to hear - thanks!
I seem to remember an earthing point on the chassis behind the front passenger wheel, just where all the muck gets, when checking earth points it's best to undo and clean up, replace, then coat with something to protect it like copper grease or vasalene (spelling ?) it is worth checking the battery connections in the same way, don't forget the alarm may go off if you disconnect the battery and I would keep the fob with you and leave a door or boot open. I don't know where else to check for earths, hopefully someone else will, good luck.
Thanks Kev! Progress report - went out there again, used some heftier jump leads attached to a running car - left the pair of them for 10 mins or so, then after a few attempts the car burst into life! 
I have now tucked the car up in warm and will order a new battery today. I will check the earth point you suggest as well - thank you!
What I'm not sure of is why it's happened in the first place, which will play on my mind.
However, its good news for now anyway
Thanks for all the help
Happier now. 
Sounds like a battery to me, cold weather like we are having now soon kills off batteries that are on their way out, they can seem fine then one cold snap and they miraculously discharge themselves almost overnight (made worse with Cerbs as they like/need a really good strong charge to turn them over). Get the battery checked/replaced and am sure it will be back to normal.
Thanks TC - I have heard this about batteries, but I don't think we've had cold snaps yet - have we (between Sunday and Thursday?). This is why it was bugging me. However, I'm not sure why I couldn't use the fob blipper to engage the fuel pump - it had to be that plastic thingy. Not sure whether there is an alarm problem, which has caused the battery to drain.... 
I try to understand this stuff, but I'm rubbish really :weep:
Volospian - good point, but no I didn't check the volts. However, I ran the car for a while still hooked up to the other vehicle, then drove it up to it's hiding place which is just a couple of miles. Turned it off. And then tried to fire it up again and it started fine. Apparently this suggests that my alternator is working fine? Makes sense to me. But I should probably get it checked, so thanks. (Did replace it last summer btw, I know that doesn't mean much always though! 
).
I try to understand this stuff, but I'm rubbish really :weep:Volospian - good point, but no I didn't check the volts. However, I ran the car for a while still hooked up to the other vehicle, then drove it up to it's hiding place which is just a couple of miles. Turned it off. And then tried to fire it up again and it started fine. Apparently this suggests that my alternator is working fine? Makes sense to me. But I should probably get it checked, so thanks
. (Did replace it last summer btw, I know that doesn't mean much always though! ). 
Wimmin !!!!
Hi Nicky, sorry a bit late joining the party!
A Battery problem all the way, fit the new battery and give the car a good run and I'm sure it'll be OK. Your keyfobs are new aren't they?
The old battery you have (isn't that my old red one?) is now well past its best and the trouble with the keyfob is the car has to listen to the signal and without good power it is not operating correctly - the push key imob is direct and very positive.
Si
A Battery problem all the way, fit the new battery and give the car a good run and I'm sure it'll be OK. Your keyfobs are new aren't they?
The old battery you have (isn't that my old red one?) is now well past its best and the trouble with the keyfob is the car has to listen to the signal and without good power it is not operating correctly - the push key imob is direct and very positive.
Si
SI-PEN said:
Hi Nicky, sorry a bit late joining the party!
A Battery problem all the way, fit the new battery and give the car a good run and I'm sure it'll be OK. Your keyfobs are new aren't they?
The old battery you have (isn't that my old red one?) is now well past its best and the trouble with the keyfob is the car has to listen to the signal and without good power it is not operating correctly - the push key imob is direct and very positive.
Si
A Battery problem all the way, fit the new battery and give the car a good run and I'm sure it'll be OK. Your keyfobs are new aren't they?
The old battery you have (isn't that my old red one?) is now well past its best and the trouble with the keyfob is the car has to listen to the signal and without good power it is not operating correctly - the push key imob is direct and very positive.
Si
Hi Si - Ah, now, I like the explanation of why the keyfob scenario could be happening - thank you (Yep, your old one). And yes, my keyfobs are new. What a memory for detail you have Si!! 
Thanks Biker - I will get the other key fob out and do some testing
.Gassing Station | Cerbera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff