Non starter

[edtvr]

Hi My car was working perfectly fine, but I hadn't driven it for a while and it was laid up in the garage.
I thought I had connected the optimate charger, I didn't check and it transpires that I hadn't!! so naturaly the battery was dead flat.
I have given it a charge and it is turning the engine over fine but the car wont start.
I used to hear the fuel pump prime as I turned the ignition on but that's not happening now so I am assuming that the pump it not getting any power!
As I have disturbed the electrics in the footwell to get to the battery does anyone know of any components i.e. relays or fuses that would cut the power to the fuel pump in that vicinity?
Or as the battery was completely flat do I need to reset the imobiliser in some way?

Any help would be appriciated!!

EdTVR

[Aussie John]

Maybe worth just disconnecting the battery for a minute, sometimes it resets the immobiliser.

[ChimpofDarkness]

Disconnect the battery for 10 seconds and then reconnect it, once reconnected you may need to cycle the alarm/immobiliser a few times to get the whole system back into sync.

After the battery disconnect/reconnect exercise you should find the fuel pump primes and the car will start as normal.

If not, swap the two matching metal relays hanging in the passenger footwell, FYI the fuel pump relay is the one fitted to blue coloured connector block, the other one is for the ECU.

If it still fails to start one of the relays in the Meta immobiliser may be sticking, a sharp thump on the passenger side of the dash can wake it up.

If not you may need to lift the dash top to get at the immobiliser.

I suspect the battery disconnect/reconnect exercise will have you back on the road though.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Dave.

[edtvr]

Thanks Guys I will try this out tonight,

[Julesprivate]

One very peculiar thing that happened to me this weekend - just a further consideration..

I only have one keybunch for the car, it has a TOAD alarm fob, a TOAD "key" (just in case the keyfob doesn't work) and a piece of plastic roughly 3 inches long and rectangular in shape.

I had thought that was part of the "old" immobiliser fitted either by the factory or a PO.

I decided to tidy up the key bunch to make room for the remote boot release so I took that piece of plastic off and put it in the door pocket.

i then installed the boot release (taking the ignition surround off to locate a suitable 12V feed). I noticed an induction coil around the key switch but thought nothing of it, assuming that was something left over from before the TOAD was fitted.

I put everything back together and went to bed.

the next day the car would not start - ignition lit up but no fuel pump priming and no "click". i admit i thumped the top of the dash...but to no avail.

I was racking my brains to figure out what i might have done, what had I changed?

For some reason that piece of plastic sprung to mind so I dished it out of the door pocket and the moment it came within 6 inches of the dash the fuel pump primed!

Moving it away and it all cut off again.... so obviously the induction coil IS in use and that piece of plastic is actually a passive microchip! once back on the fob it's all working perfectly again

I only mention this on the very slim, very obtuse chance that you might have tidied your keys up and removed something similar. I know it sounds silly but I thought I'd float the idea!

[Julesprivate]

Just re-reading your post and I realised your car does in fact turn over so it is MUCH more likely to be the relay for the fuel pump - although the immobiliser does immobilise both the fuel pump AND the starter cct..

[Harrytsg]

Don't forget the inertia switch, that breaks the fuel pump feed, worth 30 seconds to press it and retry starting.

[edtvr]

Thanks for all the above advice, this is the latest:
I have tried disconnecting and reconnecting the battery but that hasn't cured the problem.
Curiously though the door release is now only working on the passenger side door even though I can hear a relay clicking when I press the button on the drivers side door mirror, and now the engine will only turn over when the alarm / immobiliser is deactivated by using the blipper key fob!! the smaller reset device that you insert into the steering column now has no effect!! this to me would suggest a fault with the Meta alarm system.
I did try to jump start the car when the battery was dead using a starter booster pack, perhaps this has damaged something in that system.
I may need to call in someone who can check it out, does anyone know of a good alarm company in Essex?