Tuscan S- Power Failure! 1st Day of Ownership....
Discussion
Yesterday I had my rude awakening to owning a Tuscan S. I picked the car up from Sussex, drove 20 miles, stopped for 25 mins and then discovered that there was no power in the battery to turn the engine over. I rang the dealer who was excellent and immediately the tech came out to where I was.
This took 20 mins or so and when he turned up as predictable, in went the keys and it fired up. The battery level was a little low 12.0, 12.1 and he then proceeded to make a number of checks around the car. I had not expected to get into the engine bay quite so early in my TVR ownership, but I know how it’s all done. The battery was checked as were a number of electrical joins and all seemed well. So I put this down to a blip and started my 70 mile journey home.
65 miles into the trip, I noticed the battery level dropping again, 10.5, 10.2 etc then got a warning “level 9.9” this then returned to normal and I continued. Within ½ mile of home the car died completely. No power at all and battery 6.0 or so. Thanks to TVRCC Mid Essex Ray for his help over the phone I managed to get the boot open, where my leads will never live again, and jumped the car. It moved all of 200 yds and died again. I was now within sight of home and took the decision to jump it again and get it in to my garage, where it died again.
Clearly I have a power management issue. Ray suggested a number of things to check, which I will today and I am expecting the dealer to come and sort this out today, but has anyone else had the same? Does anyone else have any ideas?
It could be it is not earthed properly, the battery, although the connections were checked, could be dud, the alternator could have had it or not be connected properly, fan belt is unlikely.
So any ideas, and what and where can I look for the issue whilst I wait for the dealer to arrive today!
The first 80 miles were fun!! I just didn’t expect my entry into to this unpredictable world to come so quick! But am eager to get back out there asap ! Cheers.
This took 20 mins or so and when he turned up as predictable, in went the keys and it fired up. The battery level was a little low 12.0, 12.1 and he then proceeded to make a number of checks around the car. I had not expected to get into the engine bay quite so early in my TVR ownership, but I know how it’s all done. The battery was checked as were a number of electrical joins and all seemed well. So I put this down to a blip and started my 70 mile journey home.
65 miles into the trip, I noticed the battery level dropping again, 10.5, 10.2 etc then got a warning “level 9.9” this then returned to normal and I continued. Within ½ mile of home the car died completely. No power at all and battery 6.0 or so. Thanks to TVRCC Mid Essex Ray for his help over the phone I managed to get the boot open, where my leads will never live again, and jumped the car. It moved all of 200 yds and died again. I was now within sight of home and took the decision to jump it again and get it in to my garage, where it died again.
Clearly I have a power management issue. Ray suggested a number of things to check, which I will today and I am expecting the dealer to come and sort this out today, but has anyone else had the same? Does anyone else have any ideas?
It could be it is not earthed properly, the battery, although the connections were checked, could be dud, the alternator could have had it or not be connected properly, fan belt is unlikely.
So any ideas, and what and where can I look for the issue whilst I wait for the dealer to arrive today!
The first 80 miles were fun!! I just didn’t expect my entry into to this unpredictable world to come so quick! But am eager to get back out there asap ! Cheers.
I can more or less guarantee it's the 100A fuse that's gone.
Probably a hairline crack which gives some very strange symptoms.
You need to remove the airbox, then look at the back of the starter motor...
...you will probably see this...
You can get new ones from here...
HTH
Neill
Probably a hairline crack which gives some very strange symptoms.
You need to remove the airbox, then look at the back of the starter motor...
...you will probably see this...
You can get new ones from here...
HTH
Neill
Edited by nelly1 on Saturday 19th July 08:39
Cheers for that. I really hope it is that simple. I cant quite understand how it went for 20 miles, stopped for 20-30 mins.. then would not start... but then after 40 mins started and lasted 1 hour or 70ish miles before dying completely. I guess if it was partially blown there could have been some contact before finally totally going. I am going to have a look in a bit. I bet there is nowhere I am going to get a fuse from - a shop - today which is frustrating... so will prob end up buying online. Thx for the advice and pics. Fingers crossed!!!!
Thx for the adv ice, and for the benefit of anyone else who has power issues this is how things transpired….
After a day of total frustration and a visit from Leven Tech. - who were more helpful than I could have ever imagined, thx again to Simon and Julie, everything possible was checked starting with the 100amp fuse. This was fine as was the alternator, al the earths were correct and there were no blown fuses or other obvious component failures. Very, very frustrating. Sometimes it really is a case of woods for the trees…………The brand new battery had failed! There was obviously a damaged cell or cells in the new battery and it was totally dud. One call later, a new one was delivered and I undertook an exercise in front wheel removal, dud battery exhumation and new replacement – Then the mighty roar was back. How frustrating and random!
In terms of the dealer, he was supportive and is obviously paying for the battery. I am more than capable of doing the initial investigations and therefore I asked them to hold back from the offer of collection or making the 80 mile journey until I had checked as much as I could as I clearly wanted it back on the road asap. If we had not solved this, plans were in place for the dealer to collect or send a tech. to me during the week. Anyway – not required, and I went and woke up the neighbourhood with the wonderful noise!!!
I did not expect in the first 24 hours to become an expert in bonnet removal and now know a lot more about what lurks under there and where it is hidden than I did the previous day, so I guess some good came out of it.
After a day of total frustration and a visit from Leven Tech. - who were more helpful than I could have ever imagined, thx again to Simon and Julie, everything possible was checked starting with the 100amp fuse. This was fine as was the alternator, al the earths were correct and there were no blown fuses or other obvious component failures. Very, very frustrating. Sometimes it really is a case of woods for the trees…………The brand new battery had failed! There was obviously a damaged cell or cells in the new battery and it was totally dud. One call later, a new one was delivered and I undertook an exercise in front wheel removal, dud battery exhumation and new replacement – Then the mighty roar was back. How frustrating and random!
In terms of the dealer, he was supportive and is obviously paying for the battery. I am more than capable of doing the initial investigations and therefore I asked them to hold back from the offer of collection or making the 80 mile journey until I had checked as much as I could as I clearly wanted it back on the road asap. If we had not solved this, plans were in place for the dealer to collect or send a tech. to me during the week. Anyway – not required, and I went and woke up the neighbourhood with the wonderful noise!!!
I did not expect in the first 24 hours to become an expert in bonnet removal and now know a lot more about what lurks under there and where it is hidden than I did the previous day, so I guess some good came out of it.
Cranky Nuts! said:
Thx for the adv ice, and for the benefit of anyone else who has power issues this is how things transpired….
After a day of total frustration and a visit from Leven Tech. - who were more helpful than I could have ever imagined, thx again to Simon and Julie, everything possible was checked starting with the 100amp fuse. This was fine as was the alternator, al the earths were correct and there were no blown fuses or other obvious component failures. Very, very frustrating. Sometimes it really is a case of woods for the trees…………The brand new battery had failed! There was obviously a damaged cell or cells in the new battery and it was totally dud. One call later, a new one was delivered and I undertook an exercise in front wheel removal, dud battery exhumation and new replacement – Then the mighty roar was back. How frustrating and random!
In terms of the dealer, he was supportive and is obviously paying for the battery. I am more than capable of doing the initial investigations and therefore I asked them to hold back from the offer of collection or making the 80 mile journey until I had checked as much as I could as I clearly wanted it back on the road asap. If we had not solved this, plans were in place for the dealer to collect or send a tech. to me during the week. Anyway – not required, and I went and woke up the neighbourhood with the wonderful noise!!!
I did not expect in the first 24 hours to become an expert in bonnet removal and now know a lot more about what lurks under there and where it is hidden than I did the previous day, so I guess some good came out of it.
Well done on getting the car back on the road After a day of total frustration and a visit from Leven Tech. - who were more helpful than I could have ever imagined, thx again to Simon and Julie, everything possible was checked starting with the 100amp fuse. This was fine as was the alternator, al the earths were correct and there were no blown fuses or other obvious component failures. Very, very frustrating. Sometimes it really is a case of woods for the trees…………The brand new battery had failed! There was obviously a damaged cell or cells in the new battery and it was totally dud. One call later, a new one was delivered and I undertook an exercise in front wheel removal, dud battery exhumation and new replacement – Then the mighty roar was back. How frustrating and random!
In terms of the dealer, he was supportive and is obviously paying for the battery. I am more than capable of doing the initial investigations and therefore I asked them to hold back from the offer of collection or making the 80 mile journey until I had checked as much as I could as I clearly wanted it back on the road asap. If we had not solved this, plans were in place for the dealer to collect or send a tech. to me during the week. Anyway – not required, and I went and woke up the neighbourhood with the wonderful noise!!!
I did not expect in the first 24 hours to become an expert in bonnet removal and now know a lot more about what lurks under there and where it is hidden than I did the previous day, so I guess some good came out of it.
I have only heard good things about Leven Tech and it sounds like they came up trumps again.Enjoy the Tuscan experience you will love it
This was bad luck at the first day of ownership, Cranky Nuts,
but you were still lucky:
The very same happened to me at my first day of ownership - unfortunately in Switzerland - fortunately right behind the loooong 10.5 miles tunnel of St. Gottardo..., but 150miles away from the dealer and 300 miles away from home....
It turned out to be the alternator and this break down has cost me some 900 pounds, including "yellow angels service", towing service to the 1 and only TVR garage in Switzerland, replacement alternator and 1 night in a hotel without even a tooth brush on me... and my wife waiting at home was really "not amused" neither..
Nevertheless, it was a good crash course in opening all bonnets and boxes and -since then, I drove some 2500 miles without any problems - and this car really is the most exiting vehicle I have ever driven - a TVR !
cheers,
Funky Jo
but you were still lucky:
The very same happened to me at my first day of ownership - unfortunately in Switzerland - fortunately right behind the loooong 10.5 miles tunnel of St. Gottardo..., but 150miles away from the dealer and 300 miles away from home....
It turned out to be the alternator and this break down has cost me some 900 pounds, including "yellow angels service", towing service to the 1 and only TVR garage in Switzerland, replacement alternator and 1 night in a hotel without even a tooth brush on me... and my wife waiting at home was really "not amused" neither..
Nevertheless, it was a good crash course in opening all bonnets and boxes and -since then, I drove some 2500 miles without any problems - and this car really is the most exiting vehicle I have ever driven - a TVR !
cheers,
Funky Jo
Edited by Funky Jo on Sunday 20th July 23:34
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