Rad Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 Hi all, in need of some dire assistance. I used my car this morning - fired up no bother and took me to work as normal. With it being a nice day I thought i'd leave the sunroof open on tilt. Came back at the end of the shift and she won't fire up. I always lock it with the key as the remote is jiggered for lock only - I always unlock her from the remote though. The central locking works ok but when I put the key in the ignition the dash lights all come on then when I turn the final click to start her they all go out with a click. I then hear a quiet alarm - bleeping on/off approx 15 times. This bleeping is coming from a sounder unit behind the panel in the boot on the drivers side. When I turn the key immediately after the bleeping stops there are no dash lights. I wait a short while (approx 1 min) then try again and the dash lights come on and when I turn the key to start her they go out again. There is plenty of life in the battery as I've now shut the roof and the radio etc all work ok. My suspicion is the immobiliser. Anyone any ideas? I never leave the roof open so don't know if this has caused any probs or if its just the heat from the sun affecting something (its only approx 17-18 degrees up in Cumbria though and we've had a lot warmer days without affecting anything. I'll try again in the morning when its cooler but if I have no joy then its the AA for me. Cheers Rad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nthnmunky Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 You have a flat battery. It requires a lot less juice to pop the door locks and suchlike than it does to turn over the starter motor. Get a jumpstart and all will be well. You might wanna get a new battery or that one on charge properly though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rad Posted June 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 You have a flat battery. It requires a lot less juice to pop the door locks and suchlike than it does to turn over the starter motor. Get a jumpstart and all will be well. You might wanna get a new battery or that one on charge properly though Thanks I will try that in the morning. Does that maybe mean that by leaving my sunroof open the sensors in the car have drained the battery because of slight air movement? Cheers Rad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planc Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 The fact that you can't lock the car with the remote tells me the system thinks a door is open, when you get some life in the battery have a look at the dash to see if the door open light is on or the courtesy light is on (with the doors and boot shut). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oMIKEYo Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 Flat battery Ecu not reading key (if it sounds like it's gunna go but just doesnt) The beeping sounds like what you get when you try locking the car with the door open Apart from that I have no idea haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splinter Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 Oh this sounds very familiar!! haha. yep, defo flat battery. you might just have an old battery so need a new one, or unlucky like me and realise your alternator was shagged. Get a multimeter over the battery with the engine running, above 14.5 volts is good. If it still reads like 11.5 volts, your alternators shagged. if the reading is good then a good deep cycle charge on the battery over night should see you right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rad Posted June 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Panic now over. Went to start it with jump leads this morning, removed the cover from the + terminal to attach the crocodile clip to and noticed and the wire connection was a bit loose, tried to start her and she did, with no bother. Got her back home with no probs then tried to start her again later on and no joy, fiddled with the said connection again and she fired up. Only problem I have now is that the clamp won't go any tighter, so I will have to put something around the terminal to make it thicker, I presume whoever had this battery fitted (previous owner) maybe didn't know it wasn't exactly for a Gen 7. Now to make the terminal thicker, some folk from work have suggested anything from tin foil to solder or lead tape. Any ideas? Cheers Rad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rad Posted June 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Job done - found out there was already some copper wire wrapped round the terminal so have removed that and re-wound it thicker and re-clamped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planc Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 I would take a look at the terminal and see if it is all the way down the post, the posts are tappered so slacken the terminal right off and then get a 19mm socket and place it on the terminal then give it a light tap with a small hammer. Then nip up the terminal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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