Battery flat, car gone beserk!
Battery flat, car gone beserk!
Author
Discussion

chrissy g

Original Poster:

193 posts

294 months

Wednesday 10th December 2003
quotequote all
Evening all. Here is the problem....(ps I'm desperate)
Didn't drive the cerb for 2 weeks, went to start the car over igntiion ok, but starter really slow to turn over as if the battery was run down, try a number of times but it wouldn't turn. After borrowing a "professional" jump starter, wire it up and still nothing, although the aforementioned gives out peak current of 500A and my cars battery is 650A type 072, so I suspect this is the problem. Unfortuneately the car is parked frontways into the garage and despite help from my neighbours I can't push the damn thing out to jump start it. So I leave boot, and door open and buy a new battery, attack it with jump leads, again ignition works but the starter refuses to turn, the indicators come on and the alarm sounds - and I cant turn the bloody thing off. Despite detaching the new battery the alarm still goes on for a further few minutes before switching itself off. Unfortueately no mains supply to the garage so can't use charger either. Has anyone got any ideas of what to do next -before i ring the dealer?


Many thanks

Chris

:nownursingthemotherofallheadaches:

darreni

4,527 posts

299 months

Wednesday 10th December 2003
quotequote all
when you reconnect the battery you have a few seconds to press the keyfob blipper to sync the alarm. If you get it right the indicators will flash a few times(faster than normal), get it wrong & you'll piss the neighbours right off.
Good luck.
Darren.

Habib

47 posts

275 months

Wednesday 10th December 2003
quotequote all
I had exactly the same problem over the last few weeks. I ended up replacing the battery and the problem was still there. The car was getting more and more difficult to start.
Cut a long story short, the fault was traced to a poor performing starter motor.
As for the battery/charger. You deffinately need to get power in the garage, even if you have to buy a 50m extention cable from B&Q (about £15) and leave the battery on charge overnight. If your problem still exists, it could very well be the starter.

As for the alarm, I had a spate of the same. Even though i resync'd with the key fob after every connection of the battery, the alarm kept going off and to make it worse, the alarm still sounded with the battery disconnected (bloody back-up battery). I finally gave up and came back 24hrs later. by this time the backup battery was completely flat and this time every thing worked.

TVR's have something called character. I'm sure mine has attitude as well!

crazycats

700 posts

278 months

Wednesday 10th December 2003
quotequote all
Habib said:
TVR's have something called character. I'm sure mine has attitude as well!


They've all got that, which is why we love em!

JMH99

169 posts

275 months

Wednesday 10th December 2003
quotequote all
I am right in thinking that when putting a battery back in, you should reconnect terminal, then disconnect and reconnect a few seconds later - or did I dream this. I would like to know if any PH can help. My battery is on charge this week and going back in on Sat am. Thought I would give neighbours a rest until then

Jnr

483 posts

280 months

Thursday 11th December 2003
quotequote all
Its worth checking the earth strap to see what sort of a connection it has on the frame.

A new battery with a crap earth might just seem like a flat battery...


Jnr

darreni

4,527 posts

299 months

Thursday 11th December 2003
quotequote all
if you connect, then disconnect, then reconnect the battery, you will set the alarm off.
connect negitive first, then positive, press blipper, job done.
changed my battery a couple of weeks ago & expected a half hour alarm display, but all went smoothly & did not set it off once. Had the drivers door open all the time i was working on it though. (make sure you leave the door open & have the keys in your pocket in order to prevent a rash of "i'm locked out" threads next week).
Darren.

JMH99

169 posts

275 months

Thursday 11th December 2003
quotequote all
Thanks, Darren - but supposing you have already shut the door and you have the battery out - charging and want to reconnect

RUSSELLM

6,002 posts

276 months

Sunday 14th December 2003
quotequote all
Reference charging a dead battery, book says "connect the red posotive lead to the red terminal visable through the access hole in the engine bay trim panel"

Is there an ammendum that says "unless the **** you bought the car off changes the battery so that the red terminal is under the panel causing the red cable to melt against the engine, & all that is visable through the access hole is flat black plastic" ???

RUSSELLM

6,002 posts

276 months

Monday 15th December 2003
quotequote all
Ok I'm over that one, realised Its only 2 screws to get to the battery.
To get the alarm working I am going to follow the instructions from earlier in this thread, but before I re connect is there anything I should know in regards to getting the second fob to work ?
Or do you just press both fobs after reconnecting.
Thanks in anticipation.

birdmanperri

1 posts

242 months

Thursday 27th July 2006
quotequote all
Um If the bat is fine, which it seems to be, then the starter has a prob. I would have checked connections and then do a starter test! DUH! If the start is slow then that means its the starter. Also if the voltage and amprige is fine then it cant be the bat! You people have to get ASE cert. Or at least get the book : Automotive Repair for Dummies. Thats a start! Have a great day! Oh I dont mean to be mean its just what I think! Peace

alinton

965 posts

265 months

Friday 28th July 2006
quotequote all
"amprige" ?

New one on me. I should try 'current' instead, which is measured in Amperes, shortened to Amps.

[/pedant mode off]

And you can't measure current without putting a meter in series with the supply. Even if you could, it wouldn't be umuch use unless you know exactly how much current the starter would draw in various states of repair.

By all means measure voltage though; if it drops well below 12v on a crank then the battery, or one of its connections, is likely to be suspect.

Andy.


Edited by alinton on Friday 28th July 20:18

Wacky Racer

41,314 posts

276 months

Friday 28th July 2006
quotequote all
For anybody leaving ANY car for more than one or two weeks without use the answer is an "Accumate", they are sre superb and cannot overcharge your battery...

You can either connect direct to the battery or to a 12v cigarette lighter socket via a special lead.

Great value from this company:-

www.thegreenreaper.co.uk/ShowDetails.asp?id=761


:-)

Steve_T

6,356 posts

301 months

Friday 28th July 2006
quotequote all
On a related note. I have recently had a tracker system fitted to the Cerb, which among other features will send me a text if the battery voltage gets below a certain threshold. I use the car enough typically that it's not a problem, but I could see it being a real boon for those that keep their cars in a lock up away from their home, or have to park on the street.

Steve.

speed8

5,125 posts

302 months

Friday 28th July 2006
quotequote all
Wacky Racer said:
For anybody leaving ANY car for more than one or two weeks without use the answer is an "Accumate", they are sre superb and cannot overcharge your battery...

:-)


Not necessarily... I used to leave mine regularly for 5 weeks at a time when I was away working. No power in my garage. I had a relatively new battery from discount motor store (069 or 072, can't remember). She would start first time when I got back. Managed like this for about a year or so.
Admittedly, with the previous old battery then yes 3 weeks was the maximum.

Touching Cloth

11,706 posts

268 months

Friday 28th July 2006
quotequote all
birdmanperri said:
Um If the bat is fine, which it seems to be, then the starter has a prob. I would have checked connections and then do a starter test! DUH! If the start is slow then that means its the starter. Also if the voltage and amprige is fine then it cant be the bat! You people have to get ASE cert. Or at least get the book : Automotive Repair for Dummies. Thats a start! Have a great day! Oh I dont mean to be mean its just what I think! Peace



He's probably got it sorted out now though, given that it was 2.5 years ago when he posted - heck might not even have the car
Am sure he thanks you for your considered input and sage advice though

Mr.Cerbera

5,151 posts

259 months

Monday 31st July 2006
quotequote all
[Super-pedantic mode]
[quote=alinton]"amprige" ?

New one on me. I should try 'current' instead, which is measured in Amperes, shortened to Amps.

[/pedant mode off]

Nicely over-pedantic ! The double-negative of [/pedant mode off] actually means [pedant mode on]

p.s. It's Amperage !
[/Super-pedantic mode]

headcase

2,389 posts

246 months

Monday 31st July 2006
quotequote all
birdmanperri said:
Um If the bat is fine, which it seems to be, then the starter has a prob. I would have checked connections and then do a starter test! DUH! If the start is slow then that means its the starter. Also if the voltage and amprige is fine then it cant be the bat! You people have to get ASE cert. Or at least get the book : Automotive Repair for Dummies. Thats a start! Have a great day! Oh I dont mean to be mean its just what I think! Peace


Were you bored man, digging up a thread from many a year ago Go in the pie and piston mate when its dead here there is always something going on there!

Edited by headcase on Monday 31st July 19:25