brucemillar
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2010
- Messages
- 8,663
- Car
- C55 AMG Wagon - W124 300te 4matic Wagon - BMW 4.8is X5 E53 - SWB Pajero 3.5 V6 24v
Friends
Car: 2004 W203 C55 Estate.
This needs fixing please.
Every few weeks I have to attend a hospital outpatients appointments that lasts, just over an hour, max = 90 minutes. For some reason this encourages me to use my C55 AMG (other cars are available) but it is what it is and that is: a 10 mile fairly quiet run (mixed motorway and town). I mention this but please be aware that the car does similar runs without the Parking Space routine (that follows here)
A few trips ago I returned to my car to find the starter straining to the point it would not start the engine. One or two lazy cranks then just clicks from the starter AKA dead battery clicks.
So I get recovered home using my breakdown cover and suffer the glares and questions from my wife and daughters.
I find no issue with the car or battery, apart from the battery is now sat at 0.8vdc. 48 hours connected to my maintenance charger and all is good again. Car starts on the button, voltages are holding at the correct levels and the family look lovingly and proudly at their very smart ****d Dad.
Next outpatient appointment (three weeks later) during which time the car has behaved impeccably and the incident has been forgotten until,? I return to my car, which by coincidence is parked in the next bay (same attitude) to my previous fated trip.
You guessed it. The bloody thing does it again, no start, just a few lazy cranks then nothing. Dead.
Being head of “the International smarty pants brigade” I have left my trusty battery booster in the boot and my cigarette lighter volt meter in the dash. I am like a well trained Boy Scout all primed with nowhere to go. Checking voltage on attempted start up, reveals it to be back down at 0.8vdc.
Car starts first time on the booster.
Yesterday, after a few stressful weeks of trying not to think about cars (never easy in my house, I’m back at the hospital again in almost the same parking space (a message here, me thinks). However I have returned just short of the hour (around 50 minutes) since parking up.
Yes, you guessed correctly again. Car does lazy a crank, but this time it catches on it’s dying breath and fires into life. Had I returned on or, over the hour, I’m sure it would have failed to crank again.
So what does this tell us? Apart from I’m an idiot, who should not be allowed out in Public Car Parks.
* Well, the car never fails to fire or start or , turn over at any other point in time / location that I’m aware off. It is really truthfully a good starter on the first turn every time.
* When it does fail, it’s in that same spot/ attitude. That is: Parked facing slightly downhill, in ‘P’ with the lights off and the doors locked. No evidence to suggest the alarm has triggered. The same way I would park every other time I leave it anywhere.
* The car can and has sat for, up to, four weeks between failures, with no problems.
The only common factor I can think of is location and downhill angle.
So far, between failures I have checked:
The battery and alternator output voltages using a meter and a cigarette lighter gauge. Nothing untoward here.
Checked the battery is tightly clamped and not able to move about.
Checked the earth straps are tight, clean and not damaged.
Battery was replaced 18 months ago with a good ECP one and gives no other symptoms apart from lazy cranking (as above)
I’m now thinking about parking facing downhill (at home) to see if I can replicate the problem. Even if I manage this, what does it tell me that I don’t already know, apart from it’s not unique to the hospital car park.
Has anybody out there had anything like this happen to them?
Where to start looking for an issue. I’m loathed to chuck another new battery into the mix but know that maybe my only option.
Many thanks for looking
Bruce
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Car: 2004 W203 C55 Estate.
This needs fixing please.
Every few weeks I have to attend a hospital outpatients appointments that lasts, just over an hour, max = 90 minutes. For some reason this encourages me to use my C55 AMG (other cars are available) but it is what it is and that is: a 10 mile fairly quiet run (mixed motorway and town). I mention this but please be aware that the car does similar runs without the Parking Space routine (that follows here)
A few trips ago I returned to my car to find the starter straining to the point it would not start the engine. One or two lazy cranks then just clicks from the starter AKA dead battery clicks.
So I get recovered home using my breakdown cover and suffer the glares and questions from my wife and daughters.
I find no issue with the car or battery, apart from the battery is now sat at 0.8vdc. 48 hours connected to my maintenance charger and all is good again. Car starts on the button, voltages are holding at the correct levels and the family look lovingly and proudly at their very smart ****d Dad.
Next outpatient appointment (three weeks later) during which time the car has behaved impeccably and the incident has been forgotten until,? I return to my car, which by coincidence is parked in the next bay (same attitude) to my previous fated trip.
You guessed it. The bloody thing does it again, no start, just a few lazy cranks then nothing. Dead.
Being head of “the International smarty pants brigade” I have left my trusty battery booster in the boot and my cigarette lighter volt meter in the dash. I am like a well trained Boy Scout all primed with nowhere to go. Checking voltage on attempted start up, reveals it to be back down at 0.8vdc.
Car starts first time on the booster.
Yesterday, after a few stressful weeks of trying not to think about cars (never easy in my house, I’m back at the hospital again in almost the same parking space (a message here, me thinks). However I have returned just short of the hour (around 50 minutes) since parking up.
Yes, you guessed correctly again. Car does lazy a crank, but this time it catches on it’s dying breath and fires into life. Had I returned on or, over the hour, I’m sure it would have failed to crank again.
So what does this tell us? Apart from I’m an idiot, who should not be allowed out in Public Car Parks.
* Well, the car never fails to fire or start or , turn over at any other point in time / location that I’m aware off. It is really truthfully a good starter on the first turn every time.
* When it does fail, it’s in that same spot/ attitude. That is: Parked facing slightly downhill, in ‘P’ with the lights off and the doors locked. No evidence to suggest the alarm has triggered. The same way I would park every other time I leave it anywhere.
* The car can and has sat for, up to, four weeks between failures, with no problems.
The only common factor I can think of is location and downhill angle.
So far, between failures I have checked:
The battery and alternator output voltages using a meter and a cigarette lighter gauge. Nothing untoward here.
Checked the battery is tightly clamped and not able to move about.
Checked the earth straps are tight, clean and not damaged.
Battery was replaced 18 months ago with a good ECP one and gives no other symptoms apart from lazy cranking (as above)
I’m now thinking about parking facing downhill (at home) to see if I can replicate the problem. Even if I manage this, what does it tell me that I don’t already know, apart from it’s not unique to the hospital car park.
Has anybody out there had anything like this happen to them?
Where to start looking for an issue. I’m loathed to chuck another new battery into the mix but know that maybe my only option.
Many thanks for looking
Bruce
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last edited:
The interior motion and tilt sensors are housed in that overhead console thingy beside the rear view mirror I believe?? They can be disarmed[ for ferry crossings etc ] with the key or maybe dash switches. My money is still on a dodgy starter because of the high current parasitic drain needed to flatten the battery so quickly.
Worse mistakes have happened. Even if it's 8.0V, that's a big drain in a short space of time. As others have said, something ought to be getting warm.
