Help - Tuscan sat on drive, but flashing!
Discussion
Interesting one...
Last night the Tuscan got ousted to the drive as we make room for furniture from the house. Long story as to why this has happened but for 3 weeks or so she will probably be sat out in the cold and wet
Anyway, parked her up very close to the house, maybe less than 2 inches away, locked her up, and came in, went out a little later to spot the hazards flashing, interior window lights flashing and fog light indicator on the dash flashing. Randomly too - it wasnt like i had knocked the hazards on.
It was also like th battery was completely dead and the flashes were very dull, but you could hear the relay switching.
The car wouldnt respond to the key, so i slept with it next to me!
The battery was low, but started the car fine and i literally just turned her around and reversed back onto drive.
She is on the accumate too, i connected this before locking her up, but turning that off simply resulted in duller flashing!!
The battery is new, but may ber very low...could this may be immoboliser / alarm related??
Any other suggestions?!?
I cant get in, cant get to battery as its against the wall...so a little worried!!!!
BTW, still flashing this morning, only slower!!!
Last night the Tuscan got ousted to the drive as we make room for furniture from the house. Long story as to why this has happened but for 3 weeks or so she will probably be sat out in the cold and wet
Anyway, parked her up very close to the house, maybe less than 2 inches away, locked her up, and came in, went out a little later to spot the hazards flashing, interior window lights flashing and fog light indicator on the dash flashing. Randomly too - it wasnt like i had knocked the hazards on.
It was also like th battery was completely dead and the flashes were very dull, but you could hear the relay switching.
The car wouldnt respond to the key, so i slept with it next to me!
The battery was low, but started the car fine and i literally just turned her around and reversed back onto drive.
She is on the accumate too, i connected this before locking her up, but turning that off simply resulted in duller flashing!!
The battery is new, but may ber very low...could this may be immoboliser / alarm related??
Any other suggestions?!?
I cant get in, cant get to battery as its against the wall...so a little worried!!!!
BTW, still flashing this morning, only slower!!!
Edited by Robertjp on Wednesday 19th December 09:49
Hmm - sounds like the electronics/alarm circuitry thinks the battery voltage is low. Dodgy earth (for that 'circuit')? - as you know I've been poking in around the battery compartment recently and cleaned the earths up on mine.
Mine did exactly what yours is doing when my battery got goosed.
Mine did exactly what yours is doing when my battery got goosed.
Rob,
...it knows you've SORN'd it - TVR revenge.
Seriously, very similar symptoms to when I had a really flat battery. Can you roll it back to clear pass. side and allow you to put a conventional (6 amp) charger onto the battery terminals? (Access to cabin via secret method)
I found I could just access the spray panel/hatch to remove, if I put full right hand lock on and then connect charger direct to battery posts. It is weird that you had started the car - maybe that just killed what was left in the battery?
Once into cabin, I'd also check the connections to alarm 'box' in footwell.
Nick
...it knows you've SORN'd it - TVR revenge.
Seriously, very similar symptoms to when I had a really flat battery. Can you roll it back to clear pass. side and allow you to put a conventional (6 amp) charger onto the battery terminals? (Access to cabin via secret method)
I found I could just access the spray panel/hatch to remove, if I put full right hand lock on and then connect charger direct to battery posts. It is weird that you had started the car - maybe that just killed what was left in the battery?
Once into cabin, I'd also check the connections to alarm 'box' in footwell.
Nick
Ok, Gotta be the battery....
Flashing now died, car still not responding.
So... secret way in, then pop the door or climb over to release handbrake, then roll her forward, get her on full lock and try and get the battery panel off, to get a charger back in...
Its wet, cold and miserable...think im gonna be by the time i have done that little lot!!
Happy hour coming right up...
Flashing now died, car still not responding.
So... secret way in, then pop the door or climb over to release handbrake, then roll her forward, get her on full lock and try and get the battery panel off, to get a charger back in...
Its wet, cold and miserable...think im gonna be by the time i have done that little lot!!
Happy hour coming right up...
Progress, of sorts.
Managed to get in, but by fluke. Secret way not possible because the bit i needed was floating around in the cavity having detached itself
However, just as i am headbutting the boot of the car in an attempt to get i realise - its not latched anyway!!!!!!!!!!!
So, im in the boot, detach rear window...hmmm...still not easy to get to the handbrake eh...take the roof off...sh!t cant do that....the latch at the front of the roof is on...ok...
get the workmate out, sat it next to the car, climb on to it, step into back of car (taking shoes off first of course
)
slide into rear (no comments please) of car dukes of hazard stylee...undo handbrake (praying i dont roll forward into my wifes car) and key into ignition to prevent it locking the steering wheel when getting to battery.
Anyway...once out of car, moves wifeys car, push mine forward to get access to battery, realise the passenger window is open (WTF?! ITS BLOODY RAINING TOO!!) carry on to disconnect battery.
Realise that the accumate lead has frayed to a single strand which is also why it wasnt able to top the battery up last light!
Probably cause of all this is the fact the boot was open after all that......
on charge now...lets hope so!!!
Managed to get in, but by fluke. Secret way not possible because the bit i needed was floating around in the cavity having detached itself
However, just as i am headbutting the boot of the car in an attempt to get i realise - its not latched anyway!!!!!!!!!!!
So, im in the boot, detach rear window...hmmm...still not easy to get to the handbrake eh...take the roof off...sh!t cant do that....the latch at the front of the roof is on...ok...
get the workmate out, sat it next to the car, climb on to it, step into back of car (taking shoes off first of course
)slide into rear (no comments please) of car dukes of hazard stylee...undo handbrake (praying i dont roll forward into my wifes car) and key into ignition to prevent it locking the steering wheel when getting to battery.
Anyway...once out of car, moves wifeys car, push mine forward to get access to battery, realise the passenger window is open (WTF?! ITS BLOODY RAINING TOO!!) carry on to disconnect battery.
Realise that the accumate lead has frayed to a single strand which is also why it wasnt able to top the battery up last light!
Probably cause of all this is the fact the boot was open after all that......
on charge now...lets hope so!!!
Great news you got in.
Thought it sounded like a flat battery issue.
My Ctek charger is hard wired direct to battery, with the unit tucked under the flap in the boot. Reasonably heavy wires run from the Ctek over the rear wheel arch, down the B post cavity and along the cill to the bulkhead, exiting into the battery comp't through the rubber grommet for the fused supply to the dash.
I can always get the boot open and plug in to the mains using an extension lead.
PS - luck you didn't have a short with the frayed wire...could have been expensive!
Nick
Thought it sounded like a flat battery issue.
My Ctek charger is hard wired direct to battery, with the unit tucked under the flap in the boot. Reasonably heavy wires run from the Ctek over the rear wheel arch, down the B post cavity and along the cill to the bulkhead, exiting into the battery comp't through the rubber grommet for the fused supply to the dash.
I can always get the boot open and plug in to the mains using an extension lead.
PS - luck you didn't have a short with the frayed wire...could have been expensive!
Nick
Robertjp said:
Progress, of sorts.
Managed to get in, but by fluke. Secret way not possible because the bit i needed was floating around in the cavity having detached itself
However, just as i am headbutting the boot of the car in an attempt to get i realise - its not latched anyway!!!!!!!!!!!
So, im in the boot, detach rear window...hmmm...still not easy to get to the handbrake eh...take the roof off...sh!t cant do that....the latch at the front of the roof is on...ok...
get the workmate out, sat it next to the car, climb on to it, step into back of car (taking shoes off first of course)
slide into rear (no comments please) of car dukes of hazard stylee...undo handbrake (praying i dont roll forward into my wifes car) and key into ignition to prevent it locking the steering wheel when getting to battery.
Anyway...once out of car, moves wifeys car, push mine forward to get access to battery, realise the passenger window is open (WTF?! ITS BLOODY RAINING TOO!!) carry on to disconnect battery.
Realise that the accumate lead has frayed to a single strand which is also why it wasnt able to top the battery up last light!
Probably cause of all this is the fact the boot was open after all that......
on charge now...lets hope so!!!
Glad it sounds like you are sorted but that does sound like the script for a comedy sketch.Managed to get in, but by fluke. Secret way not possible because the bit i needed was floating around in the cavity having detached itself
However, just as i am headbutting the boot of the car in an attempt to get i realise - its not latched anyway!!!!!!!!!!!
So, im in the boot, detach rear window...hmmm...still not easy to get to the handbrake eh...take the roof off...sh!t cant do that....the latch at the front of the roof is on...ok...
get the workmate out, sat it next to the car, climb on to it, step into back of car (taking shoes off first of course
)slide into rear (no comments please) of car dukes of hazard stylee...undo handbrake (praying i dont roll forward into my wifes car) and key into ignition to prevent it locking the steering wheel when getting to battery.
Anyway...once out of car, moves wifeys car, push mine forward to get access to battery, realise the passenger window is open (WTF?! ITS BLOODY RAINING TOO!!) carry on to disconnect battery.
Realise that the accumate lead has frayed to a single strand which is also why it wasnt able to top the battery up last light!
Probably cause of all this is the fact the boot was open after all that......
on charge now...lets hope so!!!
By the way I thought the Tuscan beeped if you locked it with something open such as boot so you knew to check, mine used to anyway.
BluePurpleRed said:
Do all Tuscans not have the grey Anderson connector? If so would that not have been the best way to charge it up?
I'm thinking of getting a load of C-Tek to Anderson connectors fly off leads made...
I have been using this way of keeping the battery topped up when not in use for the past 12 years:-I'm thinking of getting a load of C-Tek to Anderson connectors fly off leads made...
Use it with an Accumate, and no battery issues at all in that time.
Well, it was definitely the battery, after a couple of hours on the main charger, she was happy again.
But, things arent sorted yet
I repaired the fly lead from the battery, then found that there were exposed wires coming out of the accumate itself, so stripped the accumate, cut the cable back and soldered in new cable.
Then went to connect the car and ... nothing.... seems the extended lead from the accumate has corrosion in the plug, as when i came to check that in the car, i couldnt get it off!! Ended up breaking the plug to separate.
What a bloody mess...anyway, have a new set of accumate plugs so just got to spend some time repairing (before the battery goes flat again and i am back to square one!!!)
BTW...i removed the Anderson connector in favour of the hardwired cable into the cabin, which was perhaps a little short sited (but the connector wasnt in good condition and was a risk), my theory was that i couldnt still get to the charge cable if i needed. Thats OK if the cable isnt frayed at the battery end
I will get there....thanks for the help gents.
But, things arent sorted yet
I repaired the fly lead from the battery, then found that there were exposed wires coming out of the accumate itself, so stripped the accumate, cut the cable back and soldered in new cable.
Then went to connect the car and ... nothing.... seems the extended lead from the accumate has corrosion in the plug, as when i came to check that in the car, i couldnt get it off!! Ended up breaking the plug to separate
. What a bloody mess...anyway, have a new set of accumate plugs so just got to spend some time repairing (before the battery goes flat again and i am back to square one!!!)
BTW...i removed the Anderson connector in favour of the hardwired cable into the cabin, which was perhaps a little short sited (but the connector wasnt in good condition and was a risk), my theory was that i couldnt still get to the charge cable if i needed. Thats OK if the cable isnt frayed at the battery end
I will get there....thanks for the help gents.
Did you ever get it sorted out 100%? I've just bought a tuscan,and hope i don't start getting probs like that.I am an established TVR owner, so well aware that this might be one of those TADTS jobbies. Anyway on a lighter note you tell a story very well.It reminds me of the builing site song sung by an Irishman about a guy hauling bricks up to the top of the scaffold.Anyone remember that song?it was so funny.
Dave
Dave
You always remind me of myself doing anything to any car - Nothing's ever simple
Not much to add other than your battery would be flat due to the latch not closing. After working on something in the boot the other day I decided to work out how to turn the interior light off. It happens when the latch is in the closed position.
Not much to add other than your battery would be flat due to the latch not closing. After working on something in the boot the other day I decided to work out how to turn the interior light off. It happens when the latch is in the closed position.
Nothing is ever, ever simple!!!
But i always enjoy putting things right so i guess thats a good thing?!
The damaged fly lead screwed the accumate as well i think, so i had to invest in a new conditioner - went for the CTEK 3.6, and got a cigarette lighter adapter. After half hour extending the low voltage cigarette lighter lead to reach the car whilst on the drive, plugged in and.... panic ....
The lights on the CTEK were flashing randomly...i am about to enter meltdown mode and start kicking stuff....until i realise its because the car is stuck in a loop of trying to open the drivers side door and that was affecting the voltage and making the lights flash...
Fortunately, after just leaving it to its own devices, i came back to it in the evening to find everything settled. A day later, battery all charged.
what a PITA that was!!!
Car is now also back in the garage to (drying out).
The car never used to leak until i replaced all the door rubbers summer this year...now it p!sses in lol...will need to fix that at some point now too!!
But i always enjoy putting things right so i guess thats a good thing?!
The damaged fly lead screwed the accumate as well i think, so i had to invest in a new conditioner - went for the CTEK 3.6, and got a cigarette lighter adapter. After half hour extending the low voltage cigarette lighter lead to reach the car whilst on the drive, plugged in and.... panic ....
The lights on the CTEK were flashing randomly...i am about to enter meltdown mode and start kicking stuff....until i realise its because the car is stuck in a loop of trying to open the drivers side door and that was affecting the voltage and making the lights flash...
Fortunately, after just leaving it to its own devices, i came back to it in the evening to find everything settled. A day later, battery all charged.
what a PITA that was!!!
Car is now also back in the garage to (drying out).
The car never used to leak until i replaced all the door rubbers summer this year...now it p!sses in lol...will need to fix that at some point now too!!
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