Hi from a new owner and a couple of random questions
Discussion
Thought I’d drop by and say hello. 
I picked up an ‘06 AMV8 in Meteorite with Obsidian leather just over a week ago. It’s a beautiful beautiful car, low mileage, all the options ticked and has been well looked after by the previous owner.
I’ve come to AM from previously owning a Lotus Elise and a Noble GTO-3R so have a lot in common with some others on here.
Now for some random questions I couldn’t find the answers to in the PH forum:
1. I’m getting a rattling from inside the steering column when manoeuvring (turning the wheel more than 90 degrees in either direction), it sound like something plastic moving up and down. It’s not obvious when driving so it doesn’t worry me that much, but wondered if anyone knew what it was and how easy it is to fix?
2. I was playing with the SatNav yesterday, engine off and got a message that the battery was low. So I plugged my AccuMate battery conditioner onto the battery and left it overnight. This morning I put the key in the ignition and it now says that the battery is low and it’s gone into power saving. Is that an indication that the battery is on its way out or are AccuMate’s not powerful enough to charge such a high capacity battery?
3. I wanted to check the tyre pressures as one of the tyres looks a little flat. Is there some special tool to remove the knurled metal valve caps or should they undo by hand? They seemed well and truely seized on so I could only get them off with a small pair of mole grips. I've managed to mash two in the process so have resorted to plastic caps. Anyone know where I can get OEM replacements?
That’s it for the moment. Cheers.
I picked up an ‘06 AMV8 in Meteorite with Obsidian leather just over a week ago. It’s a beautiful beautiful car, low mileage, all the options ticked and has been well looked after by the previous owner.
I’ve come to AM from previously owning a Lotus Elise and a Noble GTO-3R so have a lot in common with some others on here.
Now for some random questions I couldn’t find the answers to in the PH forum:
1. I’m getting a rattling from inside the steering column when manoeuvring (turning the wheel more than 90 degrees in either direction), it sound like something plastic moving up and down. It’s not obvious when driving so it doesn’t worry me that much, but wondered if anyone knew what it was and how easy it is to fix?
2. I was playing with the SatNav yesterday, engine off and got a message that the battery was low. So I plugged my AccuMate battery conditioner onto the battery and left it overnight. This morning I put the key in the ignition and it now says that the battery is low and it’s gone into power saving. Is that an indication that the battery is on its way out or are AccuMate’s not powerful enough to charge such a high capacity battery?
3. I wanted to check the tyre pressures as one of the tyres looks a little flat. Is there some special tool to remove the knurled metal valve caps or should they undo by hand? They seemed well and truely seized on so I could only get them off with a small pair of mole grips. I've managed to mash two in the process so have resorted to plastic caps. Anyone know where I can get OEM replacements?
That’s it for the moment. Cheers.
Hello and welcome,
1st question this is most likely the airbag moving on the steering wheel, to test just try moving vertically, easy fix but does require great care so not a diy job in my opinion,
2nd question i presume that either the charger is not working correctly or the fuse has blown, to test try pluging something into the cigarette lighter in the boot, to see if there is power there,
and finally the caps should just unscrew as normal,
1st question this is most likely the airbag moving on the steering wheel, to test just try moving vertically, easy fix but does require great care so not a diy job in my opinion,
2nd question i presume that either the charger is not working correctly or the fuse has blown, to test try pluging something into the cigarette lighter in the boot, to see if there is power there,
and finally the caps should just unscrew as normal,
Thanks for the quick replies guys.
Rick, I'm contemplating taking my car up to DMS for it's next service so can get the airbag thing done then? I'll be in touch. I don't suppose it is covered under the warranty?
I don't think the Accumate is broken as I've been using it to keep my Elise battery topped up all winter, but I will check with a multi-meter tonight. I'm connecting it direct to the battery terminals with the crocodile clips so it's not a fuse either. I'm just wondering if being a conditioner (recommended mainly for motorbikes), it doesn't provide enough charge to offset the standing drain on that huge battery?
I was going to use copper slip on the valve caps once I put them back on. Anyone have any OEM valve caps going spare they want to sell me?
Rick, I'm contemplating taking my car up to DMS for it's next service so can get the airbag thing done then? I'll be in touch. I don't suppose it is covered under the warranty?
I don't think the Accumate is broken as I've been using it to keep my Elise battery topped up all winter, but I will check with a multi-meter tonight. I'm connecting it direct to the battery terminals with the crocodile clips so it's not a fuse either. I'm just wondering if being a conditioner (recommended mainly for motorbikes), it doesn't provide enough charge to offset the standing drain on that huge battery?
I was going to use copper slip on the valve caps once I put them back on. Anyone have any OEM valve caps going spare they want to sell me?
Edited by EpsomJames on Thursday 25th March 13:48
EpsomJames said:
I don't think the Accumate is broken as I've been using it to keep my Elise battery topped up all winter, but I will check with a multi-meter tonight. I'm connecting it direct to the battery terminals with the crocodile clips so it's not a fuse either. I'm just wondering if being a conditioner (recommended mainly for motorbikes), it doesn't provide enough charge to offset the standing drain on that huge battery?
I use an accumate on my V8V and it's definitely up to the job - if the battery is fairly well charged to start with. I know from experience that it won't recharge a flat battery.when my battery was flat I found that the trickle charger I have, was pretty pathetic and would take days to get some life back into the battery
Ive got a more heavy duty automatic charger from halfrauds and it works a treat, from flat to startable within a few hours
just take it for a drive to charge it up and then use the accumate whilst on holiday etc
Ive got a more heavy duty automatic charger from halfrauds and it works a treat, from flat to startable within a few hours
just take it for a drive to charge it up and then use the accumate whilst on holiday etc
The battery appears to be building a charge now. I don't think I gave it long enough.
Does this mean the power socket in the boot is permanently live and can be used to trickle charge the battery? It would save the hassle of removing the rear shelf and foam to get my Accumate directly onto the terminals.
Does this mean the power socket in the boot is permanently live and can be used to trickle charge the battery? It would save the hassle of removing the rear shelf and foam to get my Accumate directly onto the terminals.
EpsomJames said:
The battery appears to be building a charge now. I don't think I gave it long enough.
Does this mean the power socket in the boot is permanently live and can be used to trickle charge the battery? It would save the hassle of removing the rear shelf and foam to get my Accumate directly onto the terminals.
yes, thats what the socket in the boot is forDoes this mean the power socket in the boot is permanently live and can be used to trickle charge the battery? It would save the hassle of removing the rear shelf and foam to get my Accumate directly onto the terminals.
dont you ever RTFM?
bogie said:
EpsomJames said:
The battery appears to be building a charge now. I don't think I gave it long enough.
Does this mean the power socket in the boot is permanently live and can be used to trickle charge the battery? It would save the hassle of removing the rear shelf and foam to get my Accumate directly onto the terminals.
yes, thats what the socket in the boot is forDoes this mean the power socket in the boot is permanently live and can be used to trickle charge the battery? It would save the hassle of removing the rear shelf and foam to get my Accumate directly onto the terminals.
dont you ever RTFM?
I did plough through the manual as bedtime reading. I must have missed that bit. Probably nodded off during the stereo section which completely bamboozled me. 
So that socket isn't to connect the power to my trailer then
Edited by EpsomJames on Friday 26th March 14:39
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