Starting problems - diagnostics

[stig rotax]

This morning my wife wanted to drive to work and the car wouldn't start. Here is what happens.
All kinds of fault alarms from Door locking is activated to the clock spinning round and round like it was travelling through time.
Turning the ignition key only resulted in click click click ....

What is wrong?

My first thought is the battery has run down or needs replacing. I find it odd that in the modern technology, something as simple as a voltmeter or ammeter has been overlooked in the car development programme.

What to do

I shall charge a spare battery I have and try a jump start, something I have never tried with the Racer. PCA usually like to use the bodywork as an earth, so this will be interesting with so much plastic and aluminium.

If anyone has any ideas or can point me to another thread with the answers, let me know.

Thanks
Stig

 

[thornebt]

Hi Stig

I had exactly the same problem. I replaced the battery but found when replacing it that one of the battery terminals was loose. Cheers. Bruce.

 

[2retro]

Definitely the battery. Has the car been stood for a while?

 

[stig rotax]

This morning my wife wanted to drive to work and the car wouldn't start. Here is what happens.
All kinds of fault alarms from Door locking is activated to the clock spinning round and round like it was travelling through time.
Turning the ignition key only resulted in click click click ....

What is wrong?

My first thought is the battery has run down or needs replacing. I find it odd that in the modern technology, something as simple as a voltmeter or ammeter has been overlooked in the car development programme.

What to do

I shall charge a spare battery I have and try a jump start, something I have never tried with the Racer. PCA usually like to use the bodywork as an earth, so this will be interesting with so much plastic and aluminium.

If anyone has any ideas or can point me to another thread with the answers, let me know.

Thanks
Stig

I solved it. the battery was flat. Jump start brought it back to life. Still odd that the voltage or charge cannot be read anywhere amongst all of the amazing text messages on screen. This must be too difficult to build into the system

 

[stig rotax]

Hi Stig

I had exactly the same problem. I replaced the battery but found when replacing it that one of the battery terminals was loose. Cheers. Bruce.

I can check the terminals, true. I must admit, Peugeot have actually made something easier, jump starting was a piece of cake. It started

 

[stig rotax]

Definitely the battery. Has the car been stood for a while?

Not really, just 6 days. So perhaps the battery is on it's way out anyway. Can I use an COTS (off the shelf) battery or does it have to be special?

 

[stig rotax]

Hi Stig

I had exactly the same problem. I replaced the battery but found when replacing it that one of the battery terminals was loose. Cheers. Bruce.

HI Bruce, replacing the battery looks to be a nightmare as all the electronics has 12v power attachments right above the + terminal. Dismantle half the car to change a battery? I hope not.

 

[2retro]

Yeah, it's a real pain to swap a battery by all accounts as, like you say, you have to remove all the stuff above and around it to get to the bloody thing. It's the reason I haven't got a new one myself even though I know it's on it's way out. As long as you drive it regularly and connect a trickle charger when it's not in use for a while it'll hang in there a while longer yet.

 

[RCZIain]

Last time I had a battery changed (in fact the last 2 occasions) I just went to my local Peugeot dealer. I think they charged £80 to supply and fit a battery to my RCZ and previously, 508 GT.
Swapping a battery is easy, when you can get to it!

A bonus is you don't need to find somewhere to get rid of the old battery. Plus if there are any issues, they aren't your issues.

 

[2retro]

Although that does mean trusting your local Peugeot dealer of course....

 

[DKZ5745]

Now that’s a completely different thread......

 

[RCZIain]

Although that does mean trusting your local Peugeot dealer of course....

There is that.
I actually used to use one a few miles up the road, but always got a courtesy car so no problem.

 

[DKZ5745]

I used Evans Halshaw Wakefield Peugeot for years. They were very good. They also had a Vauxhall dealership in Wakefield. Then they closed the Peugeot site & split the Vauxhall site so half Vauxhall, half Peugeot. Ever since, whenever I call up & they ask my name, they insist I have a Vauxhall Zafira. I had one when the kids were small @ 16 years & 5 cars ago.
There has just been a new Peugeot dealership in Barnsley opened up, so I might see if I can take it there next time. They can’t be any worse than the Wakefield bunch.

 

[stig rotax]

OK lads, one more thing. If I make a small report on 'how to' change the battery, where can I put the report on this website? is it best just to attach it to my own post as a reply? It would be written and with photos (I'm not a videoman), besides, it gives me more time to do it properly.

Greetings

 

[apple3337]

Battery change video here

 

[Pedro]

A healthy battery can be left for 2 weeks then should be charged up with a run out or boost charge a low power battery will struggle to supply the starter motor with a maximum load & this can trigger a "load Management power control mechanism " works in conjunction with Economy mode which deletes power to certain Ancillaries ie heater radio clock etc to make sure the starting system & ECU BSI have enough power to function
Mine has only 400 cranking amps from a 600 amp battery so I have to run mine every week to keep it charged as I think its the original battery but it still operates everything onboard but might struggle in colder weather

 

[DKZ5745]

Still have the original battery in mine. Touch wood, never had any issues with it & now we have a new Range Rover, there are many occasions when it’s left some time between drives. It’s 7 years old now. Car has just done 50k

 

[Pedro]

Still have the original battery in mine. Touch wood, never had any issues with it & now we have a new Range Rover, there are many occasions when it’s left some time between drives. It’s 7 years old now. Car has just done 50k

Their OK as long as the battery doesn't go completely dead which usually finishes them off as it can destroy the cells inside hence the old saying a dry cell fault means won't hold the charge= new battery

 

[stig rotax]

OK lads, one more thing. If I make a small report on 'how to' change the battery, where can I put the report on this website? is it best just to attach it to my own post as a reply? It would be written and with photos (I'm not a videoman), besides, it gives me more time to do it properly.

Greetings

I've done the job and made a How To report. You can print it in the form of a broschure . Took a bit of time but I think it's worthwhile. One more thing I forgot to put in there: before you start leave the ignition switched off for 3 or 4 minutes.
Have fun

 

[Pedro]

I've done the job and made a How To report. You can print it in the form of a broschure . Took a bit of time but I think it's worthwhile. One more thing I forgot to put in there: before you start leave the ignition switched off for 3 or 4 minutes.
Have fun

Well done that man !!
Nice one that well documented it will go a long way to help others & they are fairly easy once you have 40 yrs of stripping cars under your belt !