No start (clicks), braking system fault - abroad

[Hoofty]

SOLVED - multiple issues related to low battery voltage, and were all resolved after a simple jump start
12v battery was original factory unit with 5 years/45k usage

Hi, sorry if this has been covered in other threads, search on phone is a bit naff.

I'm at Le Mans, in a campsite and a dawn raid to Mulsanne has just been nixxed by multiple failures:

Red/critical
- No start (clicks)
- Braking System Fault

Amber
- Check Braking system
- Check Hill start assist
- Check ABS
- Check ESC
- Check Parking Brake

Other
- windows dropped and won't close (but car will lock/unlock and door switches seem operative as it shows on dash)
- keycard was not detected but this disappeared

Seems to combine a few individual issues into one big ruin-your-day moment. There's a very nice looking dealership in Le Mans which I can imagine can sort it, just wondering what the best advice might be in the meantime? Obvs I have no tools or local support, and am stuck in a large field inside a motor racing circuit. Supposed to be on ferry from Caen tonight but seems unlikely. I have euro recovery FWIW.

Circumstantial info:
- I parked up Friday following a fault free 4-5 hour drive
- it was over 30 degrees then, is 15 now
- I've unlocked/locked it only a few times to put stuff in/take it out
- brake discs and pads are low (known, proceeding at own risk while I decided whether to fit something else)

TIA, Nick

Edited by Hoofty on Monday 6th July 15:29

[johnnyreggae]

No expert but reads like the selection of issues delivered by a faulty/failed battery - how old is it ? Start by accessing it & double-checking connections to terminals then someone in the field must have a voltage checker / voltmeter - should give more than 12v preferably disconnected else with car off - if its an original battery & under 12v its probably best not to try to charge it but just replace tho' its possible as a get-you-home a good charge may suffice

[Hoofty]

Thanks - same diagnosis as I’ve received through whatsapp - really hope it’s this.

It’s the original battery, on 5 years/45k miles. Never bothered trickle charging it with the above-average amount of use. Seems like a prime candidate for being on its last legs!

[Hoofty]

Given it’s Sunday all the local sources are closed so plan A would be to charge it. Anything in particular to know about jump starting on these?

[johnnyreggae]

Owners manual seems happy enough for you to do it - see page 5.21

Just a thought: might your breakdown cover have access to a new battery today even if most retail is shut ?

Edited by johnnyreggae on Sunday 5th July 06:27

[Hoofty]

Super, thanks again! Should have checked that myself but became distracted by old racing cars. Much appreciated.

[LE62NDE]

It sounds like a battery to me. Mine went after 3½ years/30k miles.

Might a hypermarché sell batteries on a Sunday? Or a booster pack? Just a thought. Although the dealership might be a better option, as a new battery may also require a software upgrade: the stop/start has worked way more reliably on my car since having the new battery -more than when new, so I suspect they did more than just drop a new item in. But John Banks Cambridge took several days to source and fit a new battery...

Having had a puncture during a French road trip a couple of years ago, with similarly extended timeframes for replacement, I feel for you.

[Top Banana]

Had exactly the same symptoms around 2 weeks ago (luckily just before I was heading off on European roadtrip)

Total failure of battery (car is 4 years old and many owners are experiencing failures at this age, especially if car is infrequently used and not on trickle charger)

Replaced with Yuasa battery from Halfords and fitted it myself on driveway - about an hour's work with just basic tools (spanner for terminals and torx bits/screwdriver to remove frunk compartment and side trims)

Get exactly the same EFB type battery as currently fitted and no coding is needed (if you go AGM type then coding is required for different charge profile)

Cars been perfect ever since

Edited by Top Banana on Sunday 5th July 07:51

[SchillingTwo]

It could also be the alternator. It’s a bit unusual for the first signs of a failing battery to be finding it completely dead after a very long drive if it started the car OK at the beginning of the journey.

I keep a Ctek jump starter with me on trips away, is there a Norauto nearby that can sell you one?

[Doesitdrive]

SchillingTwo said:

It could also be the alternator. It s a bit unusual for the first signs of a failing battery to be finding it completely dead after a very long drive if it started the car OK at the beginning of the journey.

I keep a Ctek jump starter with me on trips away, is there a Norauto nearby that can sell you one?

Its actually not, and it has been sitting a couple of days.

Dying battery taken on a long trip with lots of ancillary on in hot weather, perfect recipe for heat to finish it.

Almost certainly a battery issue and where you should start with any unusual sensors being set off.

Have " fixed" all sorts with a new battery. Including auto gearboxes. Everything is voltage sensitive nowadays.

[Hoofty]

Update - she’s running! All battery suspicions seem accurate.

Neighbour had a jump starter, what a bit of kit. I’d never thought of it but I guess like yourself, once bitten…

I suspect I might have been riding a small wave of luck with the current part - once it was a few degrees warmer the window drop fixed itself, and I think I’ve been starting it at warmer temps lately. Anyway, new part needed. May chance Super U.

Thanks for the support (both technical and moral), really appreciate it. Hopefully no more dramas but will add here in case they unfurl…

Nick

[Simon_GH]

Multiple warnings point to battery. I’m sure it’s a case of worrying symptoms and simple fix.

[S600BSB]

Definitely battery. They are crap.

[MinusOne]

It's worth checking the battery voltage from time to time. You can also read the voltage through the infotainment system. Simply press the A symbol and the clock at the same time using two fingers. This works on the early infotainment systems in PE cars. I'm not sure if it works on the later versions.

[Maxym]

Glad you got a result there OP.

[Hoofty]

Thanks again to all - just confirming that the return trip was incident free. So incident free that I now somewhat resent the prospect of having to replace it...

Jokes aside (I will replace it!), yesterday it started repeatedly without issue once going - none of the Super Us etc open on a Sunday were big enough to sell car parts so after having exhausted that avenue it felt like chancing it would be fine. My main concern was whether it'd repeat after sitting overnight on the ferry; I resolved to put it in neutral and knock the handbrake off prior to trying the start, but wasn't needed. Even the stop-start felt able to kick in by passport control. Weird.

Simon_GH said:

Multiple warnings point to battery. I m sure it s a case of worrying symptoms and simple fix.

This was right on the money Simon - I'll update the post title to reduce the drama and make it more useful to future panic-searchers like myself. While I'm sure all those faults are technically valid, it'd be jolly nice for them to code it all up into a simpler "battery voltage low" message rather than "DANGER TO MANIFOLD" etc etc

Nick

[Simon_GH]

Great news Nick. My 2019 Ford Focus was equally as dramatic when the battery voltage dropped. Worth checking whether you can reset the BMS (battery management system) for the new battery. In the case of my car, some people go into the Ford software to change the charging parameters - there’s a feeling manufacturers have marginal tolerances to minimise charging and maximise low CO2 which is understandable for the test but a pain in the real world.

[Sporky]

Mine did exactly that after 18 months in storage not on trickle charge.

[Safak]

I'm glad the issue is resolved.

I noticed that a few others have run into the same problem which made me curious about the impact of start-stop system on the battery. I wanted to take this opportunity to hear some real-life experiences from you all who had dead batteries.

I'm particularly interested in how the start-stop system affects the battery in cars that aren’t used regularly. Did you keep the start-stop function ON all the time, and did you often drive in stop-and-go traffic?

[SchillingTwo]

My car has a separate battery for the stop-start system, which suggests it’s a system that does strain the battery.