Technical battery trouble

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Technical battery trouble

stilojay

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Joined
Feb 11, 2005
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191
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Location
Kent
So, after getting a job in London (with the Train commuting) I thought what an ideal way of keeping maintence costs down - I'm not using her.

I have in fact used her once, if not twice, since Christmas, until Saturday, when the battery packed up.

I got the man from Greenflag out, who after a surge of power got her started. I then went off on my merry way.

Unfortunately my dashboard lighting decided to do its "FIAT thing" and flash a message, hence my post...

When you put in the key and start her up it says "Engine Fault...." and the (what I assume is engine management) engine light comes up! I rang Fiat up Saturday and they mentioned that the car does not charge the battery and I have to charge it up - do I really? I thought alternators did the charging?

Well, if it does not work, I will have to take her in for a trip on the Fiat 'expert' computer - one of those £30 jobbys - so any ideas?

Ta
 
with all the whistles and bells on your car it may need starting more often.yes the alternater charges the battery when there is spare but if you start the car that hits the battery and without a good run it may not charge the battery enough.
perhaps you should get one of those solar charging trickle chargers to help. any modern cars have this prob when left too long.
i would cosuider disconnecting the battery for an hou and reconnecting it as it may be the low battery and then jump has just thrown up a fault which may be cleared via diconnecting for a bit
 
Had a fault on mine the other day as I'd left for a month after i hit it :cry:

Had an engine fault, but it disappeared about 5 engine starts afterwards, which I did in about 5 minutes as I was going to and fro. May do the same, never know. I think the Engine Node stores it but because it is not a repeat fault is treats it as an anomoly so does not display the error message.
 
stilos do like a full battery
i sometimes have similar problems when the car has been left standing with all the bells and whistles going off but once i've done a good run (y) it normally sorts it(y)
 
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Surely the best way would be to never let the battery run flat? Say, charge it every week overnight with a standard charger? Having said that, I have never suffered from a flat battery, as I use my car every day.
 
Thanks for all your suggestions.

I've used it a few times since it happened. I've used it at various times (ie long trips at night with lights on and with the radio on etc) but it thankfully appears to be keeping its charge now. Thing is though, the damned engine management light wants to stay on :bang:

To add to the joys of my Fiat motoring the airbag light has decided its time to rear its ugly head again, especially when cornering :nutter:

I really like the Stilo, but if this is how my Fiat life is to continue I'll go back to Peugeot :rolleyes:

Oh I sense another visit to the Fiat "Expert" computer :yuck:
 
Do to much miles in mine to have charging issues. Have noticed though, after a short stop (hot engine) if I crank the engine and it does not fire first time then on second / third twist of the key I have encountered multiple warnings & lights on occasions. Suprisngly voltage sesitive :(
 
Just an update really..

Fiat told me that I could take the battery out to charge it. But, with all the "bells and whistles" plus the CAT1 alarm that is on her I took one look under that black cover and decided perhaps not..

So she is in the Fiat garage today, I checked up on what is happening at lunchtime and they say they have got rid of the lights and were currently charging the battery. They said they would confirm what they have done later. I briefly asked about cost, and was told it would not be that much :chin:

Oh the joys... even when I don't use her regular she likes her trips to the dealer :rolleyes:
 
And Finally....

They have called me back..

* They have charged the battery
* The AirBag light was up due to the connector under the driver's seat (hohum @ well known problem)
* The engine management light - now thats a funny one......

The lazy way I use the accelerator pedal means that I wear through one bit of the floor mat. Therefore I have probably three or four mats now in the drivers side floor. Apparently one (or some) of these has got under the accelorator pedal, which seems to have been bugging a sensor under the pedal thus causing the engine management light to come up :nutter:

They've replaced the connector under the driver seat and turned off the Christmas lights.

Cost? Well not Mastercard priceless, but £70.
 
hello dearest forumites

I have had the engine management light again, tut.

So I rang the garage up for suggestions, and he advised that it should go away. I've read posts on here where they do go away, but, I asked the fella how long it would take...... he suggests only (only) (only) (ahem) 40 (forty) starts :eek:

So there you have it, by my reckoning I should be clear of lights in about 10/15 weeks, if no more appear during the while.
 
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