Battery Replaced - Now Electronics Weirdness

[68X]

Hi all,

I'm Mike from East London - it's my first time on here - so a warm hello to you all.

This is the first real problem with the car since I bought it in Nov 2008. It's a '97 V8 4.2. I'm really hoping someone on here may have some ideas on this one and I'm crossing my fingers it's going to be something unusual but simple.

It wasn't used much over winter/recently (embarrased to say only about 850 miles since November) - resulting in the battery ending up going flat.

When I have put the battery back in I got it started ok but the headlights came on, windscreen wipers go on, and hazards on. None of these can be turned off. Drivers door button doesn't open it anymore (passenger door seems ok for now), boot mechanism doesn't sound likes it's working (I haven't closed the lid fully just incase) - everything has gone nuts. Before the battery died the only niggles I was having was the drivers door window never seemed to fully close after closing the door - so I had to close it by opening the passenger door and using the internal window buttons - a bit uncool but at least it closed the window.

I had an AA guy come out but he didn't have much in way of answers. He pulled a few fuses out and put them back in etc.

I read here some information about changing the battery:
( http://www.aauk.biz/Cerbera/manual.htm#Battery ) and it mentioned something about Reseting the ECU ?? Sorry I'm not very clued up about electrics and engines (I got the car not because I knew how the engine works but because I knew that it does work, it produces incredible performance and sounds second to none). No doubt I'm on the very bottom of a huge learning curve.

Anyway - any clues, pointers would be very gratefully received.

Hopefully I will be able to put something back into this forum at some point - although at the moment it's not likely to be technical help

Many thanks in advance.

Mike.

[64X]

...And to make things even more hilarious, I'm supposed to be going on holiday in it on Monday

So obviously I am as cool as a cucumber - especially cos of the bank holiday and all that.

I suppose what I am hoping for is a secret reset button concealed behind somewhere with the words "Make all the electrics work like they were before" written on it.

Anybody know where this button is

Cheers.

Mike.

[JensenA]

Hi Mike welcome to the fold.
First thing to to do is disconnect the battery for 30 seconds. ( you only need to disconnect the positive terminal) When you reconect it will hopefully set everything right. I know the battery has been out of the car, but the thinking behind disconnecting the battery is this..........The battery has gradually run down, so the ECU/Immobiliser hasn't detected anything untoward, it still thinks it's monitoring 12volts. Then you reconnect it, and it gets all confused because now it detects a sudden rise in voltage, but everything is still 12 volts! "WTF is happening" it shouts, and it gets all confused!
So disconnecting the battery, lets it do what it's meant to do, a detect a sudden drop in voltage, then the reconect resets it. Hopefully
If it doesnt, repeat the excercise, but this time when you re-connect the battery hold the blipper down on the fob for a few seconds.

[64X]

Thanks for getting back so soon.

I really appreciate that.

I will be trying allsorts tomorrow. I am starting to get a bit nervous about roaring off on Monday on my Hols, but I still have faith. After a hard days uselessness I have now, at 2am, resorted to Red Wine to help fix my problem. I am hoping that when I wake up, your advise and the dreams that I have had will mean it's going to be sorted no sweat. And I should be ready to ride the monster sometime before Monday.

My 10 year old daughter is keen to take the car, as am I, but I have been telling her today that trains ain't that bad

Thanks for the post.

Fingers crossed.

Mike.

[Marian]

Your window problem sounds similar to mine, before switching the ignition off put your window fully up, then switch the ignition off and open your door,close your door then lock the car and see if it goes fully up.

[64X]

Hi Marian,

I knew the car was going to be quirky and I can deal with that except for the fact its come a couple of days before my holiday on Monday. So fingers crossed I wont be walking although it's not looking good at the moment

[JensenA]

Mike, if you still haven't had any luck, ring Carl Baker on 0772 072 3407. He is a real Gent, a TVR Electrics Guru, and he is always willing to offer help - a great Guy, he'll help even if there is no money it for him.

[ridds]

I'd also find the boxes in the boot and unplug/replug them.

Take note of what connectors go in what holes and which boxes where though as some fit in others.

Lights, still sounds like the battery is a little flat as that's a common trait, or you have the beginnings of the overheating light control box.

Window should be cured by window up, window down, open close alarm set and unset. Any combination of and a a few times.

Also if the fuel pumps won;t prime that's the immobiliser having a spaz which means disconnecting and reconnecting that.

Can you tell I've had a fair few flat batteries.....

Mine hasn't turned a wheel since October.

[64X]

Thanks again for the tips.

I've given up for today but I think I'm in a slighlty better position.

Update:

Now when I start the engine no headlight comes on, no wipers and no hazards - HURAAH !!!

Thought it was sorted but....

When I turn the wipers on they don't stop and I have no variable speed. By accident I found out they turn off by turning the lights on and then turning them off.

The indicators hazards seem a bit ropey. Turn right indicator on - and again to cancel but then the hazrds come on and wont turn off.

Turning off the engine and restarting seems to reset and all things back to normal.

I'm considering braving it on Monday to still go on holiday if things don't get any worse - it's only about 180 miles round trip. And I wont be doing much driving over the week while I'm there (classy holiday park in clacton on sea - just me and my daughter 10yrs, can't wait.

The drivers door still doesn't open (bugger) and even worse the boot lock doesn't open - so I have to find a way to drive it with the boot open/not locked - anyone ever done this - any tips? Cardboard between lock and lid with a bungy holding te lid down??

Anyway thanks so much for all your help so far.

I'll get a pic up of the car once I fid out how to do it.

Cheers.

Mike.

[BCA]

64X - theres a fuse that is linked to all of those; hazard, headlights, wipers - I think radio and door locks too. TVR wiring eh? Worth checking though.

[64X]

Hi,

thanks for the tip.

If the fuse was knackered wouldn't that mean that they wouldn't work at all? I'll have to check in the black book tomorrow to see which fuse that is - it's in the car and I'm done fiddling for today. It's Good Friday so I think it's only appropriate that I have a good Friday, so I'm taking my laptop out for dinner and a few beers

The only place I could see where to put up a photo of the car was in my profile so you can see the misbehaving monster there.

Thanks again.

Mike.

[BCA]

Oh, and leave the car in neutral when doing *anything* with the fuses.

We found one of our fuses - for what reason we have NO idea - if pulled, will make the starter turn continually. Honestly, the wiring on these cars is just scary. Dads a leccy engineer, so our car is mostly fine, though I am tempted to make him do a complete custom loom when the body-off rebuild happens.

[ridds]

I'd also check your earth straps down in the nearside wheel arch. You might need to take the wheel off to get to it.

[itiejim]

BCA said:

Dads a leccy engineer, so our car is mostly fine, though I am tempted to make him do a complete custom loom when the body-off rebuild happens.

If he does, make sure he keeps a copy of the wiring diagram - I reckon he might get a few orders...

[64X]

JensenA said:

Hi Mike welcome to the fold.
First thing to to do is disconnect the battery for 30 seconds. ( you only need to disconnect the positive terminal) When you reconect it will hopefully set everything right. I know the battery has been out of the car, but the thinking behind disconnecting the battery is this..........The battery has gradually run down, so the ECU/Immobiliser hasn't detected anything untoward, it still thinks it's monitoring 12volts. Then you reconnect it, and it gets all confused because now it detects a sudden rise in voltage, but everything is still 12 volts! "WTF is happening" it shouts, and it gets all confused!
So disconnecting the battery, lets it do what it's meant to do, a detect a sudden drop in voltage, then the reconect resets it. Hopefully
If it doesnt, repeat the excercise, but this time when you re-connect the battery hold the blipper down on the fob for a few seconds.

Hi again JensenA,

when you mentioned the idea of reconnecting the battery and holding the blipper for a few seconds, do you mean while I actually am re-connectng the pos terminal or just after? By the way my alarm has never gone off during any of this. Strange?

Cheers.

Mike.

[JensenA]

Im sure you hold the blipper down, then reconnect the battery with the blipper still pressed.
Check your fuses - the cig lighter on mine blew a fuse and made the lights and wipers switch themselves on!

[64X]

JensenA said:

Im sure you hold the blipper down, then reconnect the battery with the blipper still pressed.
Check your fuses - the cig lighter on mine blew a fuse and made the lights and wipers switch themselves on!

Christ, these really are weird cars

[FUBAR]

JensenA said:

Check your fuses - the cig lighter on mine blew a fuse and made the lights and wipers switch themselves on!

From memory, check fuses 6,7 & 8. Cig lighter blew the fuse on mine and took 3 or 4 others out at the same time resulting in the lights/hazzards/wipers staying on. Probably best to change them just in case

[BCA]

FUBAR said:

JensenA said:

Check your fuses - the cig lighter on mine blew a fuse and made the lights and wipers switch themselves on!

From memory, check fuses 6,7 & 8. Cig lighter blew the fuse on mine and took 3 or 4 others out at the same time resulting in the lights/hazzards/wipers staying on. Probably best to change them just in case

Thats the fuse I was on about... mad wiring.

It astonishes me that TVR can make something so good in so many ways and yet so bad in so many simple ways.

[64X]

JensenA said:

the cig lighter on mine blew a fuse and made the lights and wipers switch themselves on!

Well actually this has made me think. Whilst pluging my sat nav into the cigarette lighter it pushed the whole thing back into the dashboard and the front of the lighter socket that screws it against fell off. So effectively I have the metal "live" bit just inside the panel. Haven't got it sorted yet. I thought pointy pliers would be able just to pull it back through but didn't work and I didn't fancy taking the whole dash board out. Hmmmmm. The plot thickens.

Cheers,

Mike.