2 weeks in - first breakdown

[_deejay_]

Hmmm, I may come to regret this (it's the missus's car, which makes it more painful).

So, she drives the car for 40mins then stops for fuel. It won't restart. Absolutely nothing from the battery - turning on the lights turns off the interior light!

It jump starts fine, and will run off the alternator.

So, has the battery just died on us (it is 6yrs old) or something more sinister? I've been told that the Rangey alarm receiver is prone to interference from other sources which flatten the battery when in proximity (and I live next door to a weather station).

However, I don't understand how it started in the first place if that was the case

Oh, and the battery is now putting out about 8 volts and won't charge. Did you battery (or a couple of cells) just die and all will be well with the world with a new one?

D

edited to add: I'm sure this is the TVR curse. Sold mine 6 weeks ago and since then both the Range Rover and the Alfa have broken down. Never had a problem with the TVR

Edited by _deejay_ on Monday 26th June 15:46

[skey]

Definately sounds like battery to me. Probably an internal dead short. Batterys can go quickly like that.

Steve

[_deejay_]

skey said:

Definately sounds like battery to me. Probably an internal dead short. Batterys can go quickly like that.

Steve

Thanks for that, I hope you're right! I'm having a new battery delivered tomorrow. I figure if I monitor the draw on the battery when the car is locked it'll help me work out if there's anything else going astray. Fingers crossed I'll be back on the road by tomorrow...

[GKP]

If you monitor current draw on the battery when the car is locked but with the bonnet open the BECM won't got to sleep and will always be drawing an amp or so. Probably easiest just to fit the new battery and once you've reprogrammed all the windows/roof/radio etc run the car for a day or so with the jump leads near to hand!

[_deejay_]

GKP said:

If you monitor current draw on the battery when the car is locked but with the bonnet open the BECM won't got to sleep and will always be drawing an amp or so. Probably easiest just to fit the new battery and once you've reprogrammed all the windows/roof/radio etc run the car for a day or so with the jump leads near to hand!

Thanks for the info. I'm able to shut the bonnet with the leads attached, so should be able to get some decent readings from it.

The problem is that from what I've read, it takes a few days to drain the battery, so it'd die over the weekend and she'd not be able to get to work on Monday, so I'd rather do everything I can to prevent that!

Edited by _deejay_ on Monday 26th June 21:31

[BLUETHUNDER]

One of the most common problems is all so the gearbox E.C.U not going to sleep.After you switch the car off look down on the gearbox selector,and in the park position you will notice the little red light glowing.this should go out after 5 mins when the B.E.C.M goes to sleep,but sometimes it does not,this is where a lot of the battery draining problems stem from.P.S you must test this while inside the car with the doors locked.

[_deejay_]

BLUETHUNDER said:

One of the most common problems is all so the gearbox E.C.U not going to sleep.After you switch the car off look down on the gearbox selector,and in the park position you will notice the little red light glowing.this should go out after 5 mins when the B.E.C.M goes to sleep,but sometimes it does not,this is where a lot of the battery draining problems stem from.P.S you must test this while inside the car with the doors locked.

Thanks, I'll check that. I live a couple of doors down from a water board weather station.

There are a load of articles on the web describing problems with the BECM waking up every 2 minutes as the weather station transmits on the same frequency as the remote keyfob.

However, I've got a few things to go on now. I'm beginning to think it was a simple battery failure, given it had enough juice to start the car not 40 minutes before she stopped (and the alternator has been proven to work) so the battery shouldn't have drained in the 5 minutes she was getting gas.

D

[rich 36]

[petrol_noggin]

rich 36 said:

clubbing a sleeping dog is just plain cruel.

[_deejay_]

That horse looks dead, no idea why it's still being flogged...

I still don't understand though - you may be better using english, and explaining yourself as I'm obviously too dumb to appreciate your rapier wit.

[triple7]

Just a small drop in voltage from a battery past its best, will cause all sorts of gremlins.

G

[_Deejay_]

triple7 said:

Just a small drop in voltage from a battery past its best, will cause all sorts of gremlins.

G

It's actually quite amusing waiting to see what the Range Rover is going to complain about next. I've seen just about every error message going in the last couple of days - abs, traction, gearbox failure - all due to that drop in voltage!

[greenlandy]

_deejay_ said:

Never had a problem with the TVR

Edited by _deejay_ on Monday 26th June 15:46

TVR to Range Rover

[_Deejay_]

greenlandy said:

_deejay_ said:

Never had a problem with the TVR

Edited by _deejay_ on Monday 26th June 15:46

TVR to Range Rover

It's worse than that - TVR to Range Rover, horse and kitchen

Ah well, at least we're getting good use out of the Rangey and the kitchen looks nice (and so will the horse when it stops trying to kill me).

Once I've build a garage, I'll be back, oh yes.

[FUBAR]

_Deejay_ said:

[
Once I've build a garage, I'll be back, oh yes.

Maybe a stable would be better?

[_DeeJay_]

FUBAR said:

_Deejay_ said:

[
Once I've build a garage, I'll be back, oh yes.

Maybe a stable would be better?

You may laugh. I suspect next on the list will be a couple of acres, then it'll be a stable.
I said I'd be back, not when . On the positive side, it'll be nice to get the Supercharged Saggy on classic insurance

[FUBAR]

_DeeJay said:

You may laugh. I suspect next on the list will be a couple of acres, then it'll be a stable.
I said I'd be back, not when . On the positive side, it'll be nice to get the Supercharged Saggy on classic insurance

Youve only just started matey. Then you'll want a horse trailer, then you'll want a small horsebox coz the trailer isnt bling enough (keeping up with the Jones's etc) then that horsebox wont be big enough, so you'll want a bigger one. Then of course your horse will be lonely, so you'll have to buy another one as a companion. Then you'll need a bigger field I havent even started on Stubon (sp?) saddles etc etc

My mum has 30 competition horses and a frikin horse box that cost £140k new

Horses: They is rather expensive.

Good luck

Oh, then you can have your Supercharged Saggy (and can I have a go in it, pretty please )

[_DeeJay_]

FUBAR said:

_DeeJay said:

You may laugh. I suspect next on the list will be a couple of acres, then it'll be a stable.
I said I'd be back, not when . On the positive side, it'll be nice to get the Supercharged Saggy on classic insurance

Youve only just started matey. Then you'll want a horse trailer, then you'll want a small horsebox coz the trailer isnt bling enough (keeping up with the Jones's etc) then that horsebox wont be big enough, so you'll want a bigger one. Then of course your horse will be lonely, so you'll have to buy another one as a companion. Then you'll need a bigger field I havent even started on Stubon (sp?) saddles etc etc

My mum has 30 competition horses and a frikin horse box that cost £140k new

Horses: They is rather expensive.

Good luck

Oh, then you can have your Supercharged Saggy (and can I have a go in it, pretty please )

Have you bugged my house?

£1200+ for a saddle, the horse gets anxious when he's left, therefore he needs a companion (and a bigger field) - perhaps I'd like to take up riding ,
Also, because he's anxious he's losing weight (so I have to feed him twice a day) and the horse nutritionalist (!!) has recommended some damned expensive food.

We need a horse box (as that'll allow us to move straw around and we'll save £1 a bale or something)...... and I thought TVR's were expensive!!

And yes, you're more than welcome to get a ride in the Saggy. I was thinking of perhaps a retirement present to myself (I'm 29 next month)

Edited by _DeeJay_ on Wednesday 28th June 13:39

[Liszt]

Every time the mention of horses comes up in our house, I insist it will have to be a horse I can ride and a minimum of 18 hands. Mrs won't go over 17. End of conversation.

6 years could be about right for a battery. On my disco it did all sorts of wierd things before dying.

[FUBAR]

_DeeJay_ said:

[And yes, you're more than welcome to get a ride in the Saggy. I was thinking of perhaps a retirement present to myself (I'm 29 next month)




[]

Mate, by that time Labour would have taxed cars out of the equation and we'll ALL be back on horses for transport