720S Year Two Report
Discussion
720 second year carrying on from last time https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Well 18 months on – I’ve now got some time during locking 3 to write a summary. Obviously not so much happened compared with previous years so this isn’t exactly a page turner but I am now up to 7000 miles. No track days though
Picking up from last August 2019….
Straight into a second visit to Wilton House Supercar Wakeup. There was a big turnout of McLarens, we parked out the front so there would be a variety of different marques parked inside. Another great event and met in person some of the members from the owner’s club from the South Coast. Very friendly, great club.
I arranged to meet up with them on the next South coast run in November. Cold early start but the weather was kind. Great half day out!
I did then experience my first McLaren fault
Christmas Day visit to the in-laws, any excuse to drive, it’s a fantastic car
I mentioned the fuel gauge last time, it seems very pessimistic with the low fuel warning light coming on with 11 litres left. This turned out to be not quite true, here is a guide to how much fuel is really left. And there is even a red very low warning after the yellow one. But I wouldn’t run this car too dry if I could help it, it can pump a lot of fuel very quickly to make those 720 horses gallop!
The New Year 2020 brought the annual McJamboree party in early February – a highlight of the year for me, so much fun surrounded by like minded petrolheads. As it turns out, the last hurrah of 2020!
My Tuscan 2 S used to do this!
Then lockdown. For the first 8 weeks I just wasn’t in the mood to drive, just going back and forward on the driveway after a few weeks just to keep things moving. And then I had a problem, I couldn’t unlock the damn thing.
I couldn’t open the car using the fob. I could see the lock led light flashing inside the car and when I pressed the open car button on the fob I could see the start light illuminate briefly and I could hear something click but that’s it, nothing else happened. Was this a sign that the car battery was too low? On trickle charger but not driven for a month. And of course I had pulled the charger out and shut the boot already
I changed both key fob batteries - not fixed. I got the manual key ready to go......
Onto Google. I had to get into the car using the mechanical key (tip - open all the doors, boot etc you want in one go as the alarm goes off for a few minutes for each one if not! At least it stopped after a while!). I reconnected the trickle charger and it showed the battery was almost full. Placing the key in front of the front cupholder didn't help (as suggested in the manual for key fob battery issues). Some others have thought one the modules had locked up - so try an Italian reset (disconnect the negative terminal of the car battery for 5 mins – luckily it's easy to get to in the in 720S). Problem solved! Both key fobs started working, got the car started and moving around. The only issue was that it thought the service was due > 500 days ago or something but that fixed itself after I started driving around. Here are some links and information I found you may find useful:
Most of the issues published seem to be either caused low power car battery or by low power fob batteries. Some problems by radio interference from other devices (e.g. garage door openers, in car FM radio transmitters, CCTV systems) but they seem to cause the "key not present message" so the car still unlocks.
From McLaren Life :
"The fob is based on one of the Microchip/Micrel rolling-code chips.
When you press a button on the fob to lock/unlock the doors or trunk, it transmits at 433MHz to an antenna at the top of the windshield.
When you lock or unlock the door by swiping, the car wakes the fob up by transmitting 125KHz from coils in the doors, then the fob transmits its usual 433MHz back to the car.
When you start the engine by holding the brake pedal and pressing the Start button, the car again wakes the fob, but this time does it using the 125KHz coils in the cabin (one in the center console cupholder area and one behind the seats). It's the failure of this check that displays "Key Not Found".
There's also another 125KHz coil in the frunk to sense whether you've accidentally left the key in there."
Background :
https://auto.howstuffworks.com/remote-entry2.htm
Phew!
Now the car was running again I used it on the odd essential journey to stop things seizing or seals drying up. I thought as the dealership’s service department had opened up I make use of the idle time for a slightly early annual service.
The service was very straight forward, price included pick up and return £1325 all in.
Outside of the norm, they found a small oil leak near the top of the engine, I think related to the cooling, fixed under warranty. They also removed the foam pad under the fuel tank as part of the recall. It was obviously doing something as when I got the car back it had a very loud buzzing sound around 4k rpm, too bad to leave it for a year to get fixed at the next service. So back it went to adjust the undertrays. Picked up and returned again, so more bother to the dealer rather than me. All happy now, very good dealer, nothing was too much trouble for them.
As we came out of lockdown 1, I organised a couple of early morning runs for the owner’s club around Oxfordshire and the neighbouring counties. Again it was great to meet people in person.
And then there was actually a car event this year, the Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace, I joined with the owner’s club. Great turnout of many petrolheads on a sunny (but slightly cold and windy) day. Not been before but will go again, relaxed, some very interesting cars on display (and in the car parks!).
I managed to get one more club drive up in Derbyshire before the weather closed in for the year. Well and lockdown 2.
And between lockdown 2 and 3 I managed to get out for a weekend blast.
And now like everyone, I’m just waiting now for lockdown 3 to end. This year will be the 3rd year service and I will decide whether to pay for the continued warranty (likely I guess). I now have a small rattle coming from above my head which will get fixed as the rest of the car is silent (trim needs a quick remove, reinstall). I was getting a squeak coming from my seat as the back moved as I was driving around, but it turns out that was the leather of the base of the seat back rubbing where it touches the leather of the seat base. Leather conditioner fixed that. The moral of the story, keep the crack lubricated.
Take care everyone!
Well 18 months on – I’ve now got some time during locking 3 to write a summary. Obviously not so much happened compared with previous years so this isn’t exactly a page turner but I am now up to 7000 miles. No track days though
Picking up from last August 2019….Straight into a second visit to Wilton House Supercar Wakeup. There was a big turnout of McLarens, we parked out the front so there would be a variety of different marques parked inside. Another great event and met in person some of the members from the owner’s club from the South Coast. Very friendly, great club.
I arranged to meet up with them on the next South coast run in November. Cold early start but the weather was kind. Great half day out!
I did then experience my first McLaren fault
Christmas Day visit to the in-laws, any excuse to drive, it’s a fantastic car
I mentioned the fuel gauge last time, it seems very pessimistic with the low fuel warning light coming on with 11 litres left. This turned out to be not quite true, here is a guide to how much fuel is really left. And there is even a red very low warning after the yellow one. But I wouldn’t run this car too dry if I could help it, it can pump a lot of fuel very quickly to make those 720 horses gallop!
The New Year 2020 brought the annual McJamboree party in early February – a highlight of the year for me, so much fun surrounded by like minded petrolheads. As it turns out, the last hurrah of 2020!
My Tuscan 2 S used to do this!
Then lockdown. For the first 8 weeks I just wasn’t in the mood to drive, just going back and forward on the driveway after a few weeks just to keep things moving. And then I had a problem, I couldn’t unlock the damn thing.
I couldn’t open the car using the fob. I could see the lock led light flashing inside the car and when I pressed the open car button on the fob I could see the start light illuminate briefly and I could hear something click but that’s it, nothing else happened. Was this a sign that the car battery was too low? On trickle charger but not driven for a month. And of course I had pulled the charger out and shut the boot already
I changed both key fob batteries - not fixed. I got the manual key ready to go......Onto Google. I had to get into the car using the mechanical key (tip - open all the doors, boot etc you want in one go as the alarm goes off for a few minutes for each one if not! At least it stopped after a while!). I reconnected the trickle charger and it showed the battery was almost full. Placing the key in front of the front cupholder didn't help (as suggested in the manual for key fob battery issues). Some others have thought one the modules had locked up - so try an Italian reset (disconnect the negative terminal of the car battery for 5 mins – luckily it's easy to get to in the in 720S). Problem solved! Both key fobs started working, got the car started and moving around. The only issue was that it thought the service was due > 500 days ago or something but that fixed itself after I started driving around. Here are some links and information I found you may find useful:
Most of the issues published seem to be either caused low power car battery or by low power fob batteries. Some problems by radio interference from other devices (e.g. garage door openers, in car FM radio transmitters, CCTV systems) but they seem to cause the "key not present message" so the car still unlocks.
From McLaren Life :
"The fob is based on one of the Microchip/Micrel rolling-code chips.
When you press a button on the fob to lock/unlock the doors or trunk, it transmits at 433MHz to an antenna at the top of the windshield.
When you lock or unlock the door by swiping, the car wakes the fob up by transmitting 125KHz from coils in the doors, then the fob transmits its usual 433MHz back to the car.
When you start the engine by holding the brake pedal and pressing the Start button, the car again wakes the fob, but this time does it using the 125KHz coils in the cabin (one in the center console cupholder area and one behind the seats). It's the failure of this check that displays "Key Not Found".
There's also another 125KHz coil in the frunk to sense whether you've accidentally left the key in there."
Background :
https://auto.howstuffworks.com/remote-entry2.htm
Phew!
Now the car was running again I used it on the odd essential journey to stop things seizing or seals drying up. I thought as the dealership’s service department had opened up I make use of the idle time for a slightly early annual service.
The service was very straight forward, price included pick up and return £1325 all in.
Outside of the norm, they found a small oil leak near the top of the engine, I think related to the cooling, fixed under warranty. They also removed the foam pad under the fuel tank as part of the recall. It was obviously doing something as when I got the car back it had a very loud buzzing sound around 4k rpm, too bad to leave it for a year to get fixed at the next service. So back it went to adjust the undertrays. Picked up and returned again, so more bother to the dealer rather than me. All happy now, very good dealer, nothing was too much trouble for them.
As we came out of lockdown 1, I organised a couple of early morning runs for the owner’s club around Oxfordshire and the neighbouring counties. Again it was great to meet people in person.
And then there was actually a car event this year, the Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace, I joined with the owner’s club. Great turnout of many petrolheads on a sunny (but slightly cold and windy) day. Not been before but will go again, relaxed, some very interesting cars on display (and in the car parks!).
I managed to get one more club drive up in Derbyshire before the weather closed in for the year. Well and lockdown 2.
And between lockdown 2 and 3 I managed to get out for a weekend blast.
And now like everyone, I’m just waiting now for lockdown 3 to end. This year will be the 3rd year service and I will decide whether to pay for the continued warranty (likely I guess). I now have a small rattle coming from above my head which will get fixed as the rest of the car is silent (trim needs a quick remove, reinstall). I was getting a squeak coming from my seat as the back moved as I was driving around, but it turns out that was the leather of the base of the seat back rubbing where it touches the leather of the seat base. Leather conditioner fixed that. The moral of the story, keep the crack lubricated.
Take care everyone!
Also up for any meets Thank you everyone for the kind words. The easiest way to find out about the meets is to join the owners club (if you're not already), they get posted up there. I've organised the runs around Oxfordshire and others arrange the runs around the south coast and east midlands. In fact there are quite a few owners around there. Most are morning trips but some are multi-day events with hotel stays! If you drop me contact details I'll be happy to let you know when something is going on.
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