mixja23

So, got her back Thursday night after having here 3rd front spring fitted, she's obviously been sat around for a while whilst being repaired...
No issues with starting but I'm pretty sure that 2 or 3 times, when I've tried to start it, the starter motor has been initially sluggish before spinning up fully and starting the car...
Not sure if it's relevant but the starter always seems to spin for 3-5 seconds before the engine fires, it's never not started anyways...
So I did a OBD scan and it came back with this:



All the faults (apart from the ones that were there initially that I knew about) were related to voltage, headlights, AC, airbags, bootlid, driver ID, Kessy, etc etc...
The battery section showed this:



I cleared everything and they all went away, aside from what was there previously that I knew about...
This was Saturday... Since then, I'm sure the starter has spun slowly again a few times before spinning up to start the engine...
Now yesterday, I'm not sure if this is all related but I pulled into a petrol station and the car literally died when I got to the pump...
Tried how many times to start it with finger, nothing, no lights, wouldn't even spin over... Took a bit of fiddling about, locking, unlocking the doors then after a few minutes, it started as it should perfectly with the key...
I got off the pump, turned it off and started it with finger, no issues... It's now Monday and it's been fine since then, started every time with no issues...
I scanned it again straight away in the petrol station after I'd started it with finger and there was nothing at all relating to this, no voltage error on anything and again, nothing that wasn't there before...
So I'm wondering.... Would the car just ever cut out and not start for any other reason...?? Or is this all connected somehow to a failing battery...???

And something else I've noticed, has anyone had this...?? It's done this 4 or 5 times now, maybe once every 3-4 weeks...
So I'm sat still at lights or something with engine running and theres like a noise that sounds like it's coming from under the rear seats, it's like something, like a blunt object, has hit the floor, just once...
Mechanic has check it over and hasn't found anything untoward under there, it's just weird as it does sound exactly as if the floor has been hit with a mallet or lump of wood, it doesn't sound metally, if you see what I mean...

Can anyone shed any light on either of these issues please...??? What with still convalescing from open wallet surgery for the 2 front springs and compressor, my patience is wearing a bit thin now...
I've only had it 4 months...

Thanking you...

chokboywonda

Battery!!!
If you are planning on leaving the car standing for a few days take the battery out and get it tested. If it hasn't had a new battery that you are aware of then I would get one

mixja23

Yeh, I've no idea when the last one was fitted, they don't last long out here at all tbh, if you get 3 years out of one you've had a result...
I've put a battery in every single car I've had here...

I'm intrigued as to how this would suddenly just make it cut out/stall at the petrol pump tho, no lights on dash, no spinning of starter motor then 5 minutes later, start as if there is no issue...
As said, i've done 3-4 trips here and there last night and this morning and it's been fine...
Haven't checked the voltages yet as it goes, either running or off... Will do that now...

mixja23

So... This is after car been sat at work for 6 hours...




This is after just started the car... Which again, started fine...




And this is after a rip up the road of about 1km...




Couple of other shots...





So, anything there to worry about...??

Jack88

When the battery goes out on these cars, it causes all kinds of weird problems. If you have any doubt, take the battery out, have it load tested, keeping in mind it has to be at least at 12V to load test. If you can't get it to at least that voltage, you already know it's bad.

MP4.2+6.0

Defcon 2. If your battery blew deep into the quiescent stages per the screens below, either something is left on way too long (remaining lights, MMI screen) etc. or battery is probably heading south.

Net, new battery. Might have a current drain too, but for most a simple battery change cures the ills.

dvs_dave

mixja23

The only drain really when the car is parked up is the the phone charger in the cigarette lighter which my iPhone I use as a dash cam is always connected to, 12V power is always on...
And the OBDEleven dongle which is also left in full time...
The car was away for around a 1.5 weeks or so while they replaced the second strut, i only drove it 15 kliks before it went back on the tow truck to change said exploded new strut...
It was OKish Friday, Saturday and Sunday up till it cut out in petrol station... I say fish as, as I mentioned, the starter on a lot of occasion seems sluggish before it span up fully and fired the engine...

So in my first photo there where it says Battery voltage (Actual) 11.75V after being parked up at work all day, is 0.25V below 12V possibly because the power drain I have mentioned above...??
It's been absolutely fine since Sunday's cutting out dilemma, I've done around 200 kliks over 5-6 separate short trips...

All I can do is see how she goes tbh, if she needs anything else, it's gonna have to wait a while, I have a $650 parts bill this week for my TT....

mixja23

If I go back to my mechanic again, he will start charging me rent...!!!

mixja23

Thanks for the input tho chaps...