9 replies to this topic

[Mattc72]

Hey all!! 

 

So my NA appears to be dead and refusing to start or even turn over after some pretty bonkers behaviour on a drive down the motorway over the weekend. 

 

Everything was ok and the car started and was running fine, cruising down the motorway with the stereo and intermittent wipers on until the dash went bonkers, stereo died, intermittent wipers stopped working (full wiper settings were fine tho?!?) and the full beam came on and wouldn't go off!!?!

 

Has anyone seen their dash do anything like this... needles flying all over the place and warning lights coming on and off completely randomly while the car continues to drive perfectly well? 

 

When i got to where i was going, the car wouldnt start again (nothing from the starter at all) and wouldnt even bump start down a hill - all fuses are OK & RAC guy came out and checked battery - voltage was 12.5v, but the OBD port was only showing 5v?

 

Im completely confused as there have never been any electrical problems in 10 years of ownership and just hoping i havent been visited by the loom of doom! 

 

Any ideas gratefully received! 

 

 

 

 

 

[smiley]

In case you hit a pothole, there is an inertia switch deep down the engine bay that needs to be reset.

Picture here. http://www.vx220.org...e-doesnt-start/

 

 

Edited by smiley, 08 June 2021 - 01:44 PM.

[martinf]

Start with a good check of the tightness of the crappy battery terminal clamps. They can aften look clamped up but will still rotate on the terminals, causing all manner of grief. Also check that the battery is unable to move left/right as it can short out on the chassis rail too.

[OneYet]

Earth?

When I sandblasted my Ford Taunus in the 80-s I got all kind of electrical gremlins. When I put it in reverse the brake light came on, all of the three warning lights on the dash was dimly lit and wipers where very strange.

Turned out that it was sand in the bulb-connections in the rear lights!!

My Mercedes in the 90-s also was very weird once. That time it needed new coals for the generator.

[Arno]

Definitely sounds like a connection issue to either the battery or on the ground cables to/from the chassis and the battery and engine/gearbox.

 

LIke mentioned above, check the condition of the battery terminal clamps they go 'limp' over time even though you can't tighten them any further.

 

The cable from the chassis to the gearbox in the back can also fray/break around the connectors/crimps and that gives all sorts of bizarre behaviour as the current tries to find a ground via other paths.

 

Bye, Arno.

[Mattc72]

Thanks guys - I’ll be going down to collect the car at the weekend so will give all of these things a go! 👍🏻👍🏻

[FLD]

The battery can move if the clamp gets loose. It slides around and can short on the tub. Worth a look and a piece of tape on the tub just in case.

[TheRealVXed]

It was wet/raining when this happened I presume as you had your wipers on?

 

My money would be on an earthing problem.  Can definitely send everything doolally like that when there is a poor connection.  Surprised the RAC didn't mention/investigate that given that the battery is fine and the car is only reading 5v....  I guess though they don't know anything these days unless the computer gives them a specific fault code to look into...

[Mattc72]

thanks guys - ive checked all the earthing points and re-seated the battery, but its still dead?!  I think i might need to get an auto-electrician out  - anyone know of anyone who knows anything about the cars who is based near brighton? 

[TheRealVXed]

If you're in Cobham, maybe try giving Back on Track a call.  They are based in Guildford.