Technical Poor starting Panda.....

[R1NGA]

Voltage drop to less than 9 or 10v is bad news, so yes, I'd definitely bag a new battery and see how you get on. There is also a temp sensor on the back of the engine and they are not expensive (http://www.shop4parts.co.uk) and for the sake of £29.32 it might be worth a go anyway. Change that battery first though.

 

[james2609]

As above, the voltage should not drop that low, likely you have a dead cell in the battery. I have a Bosch S4 in mine, does the job nicely and costs around £45 iirc and normally comes a with gaurantee. To confirm the battery problem without spending, is it not possible to try the newer battery you have in the Panda?

If there's a very slim chance it's not the battery, you may have a bad earth.

 

[portland_bill]

I've had a similar problem with my 2006 Panda recently. Cranking voltage dropped to under 9v and trip and clock reset. Generally cranking voltage needs to be 9.6v or above to have enough to fire the ignition. This generally indicates a battery fault, unless the starting system is drawing too much current.

I've replaced the battery and now all is well. So thanks to all contributors above, made the diagnosis easier.

 

[mpin9020]

So, after a lot of faffing about it seems that the battery was on the blink. I took the battery off the car with the intention of giving all the terminals a thorough clean and decided to charge it on the bench at the same time. Rather unexpectedly, when the charger was connected the ammeter shot up to 5 amps, its maximum rate and stayed there for 5 hours! After this time it gradually dropped back to just under 1 amp so it had accepted as much charge as it could.
Conclusion to all this.... the battery was almost flat and couldn't deliver the amps. I suspect Fiat's management systems prioritise current to the starter and ECU for cold starting and although there was enough ooomph for the starter, there was insuficient for the ECU which is why the trip and clock kept re-setting. Food for thought perhaps?
So far things seem to working normally but if the battery shows any further signs of distress, it will be changed without hesitation.
I think we can log this one as 'fixed, no further action!'

 

[R1NGA]

A very logic assessment and I suspect you're right. In the olden days, when we didn't have smart current and voltage control systems, a fast spinning starter suggested a good battery, period. Now it might indeed mean that there's enough to spin the engine, but clever systems are not able to fire the ECU and other vital organs as well.

If you do get to change battery, go for a bigger one if possible, as it will always do better than a smaller unit. I went up a size on the Bosch Silver jobbie I bought for mine a couple of years ago and it's never run up a sweat since. Still fits in the tray OK too, althouh I did need to make up a slightly different securing strap.

 

[mpin9020]

R1NGA, thanks for the comments.
I have been doing a bit of research on car batteries and it seems the ones to go for these days are the silver / calcium types rather than an upgraded standard type with increased AH output. They are apparently, more capable of taking a bit of abuse than the standard lead acid types.
Most of the 'upgrades' I have looked at are physically bigger and there 'may' be a bit of a problem getting the thing into the battery tray! I suppose I could remove the plastic tray which would create a bit more space but.......! Will have a detailed look at some stage.
Thanks to all for comments and suggestions made over the past few months.

 

[pgainf]

Greetings!

Some people have been posting that cleaning the ECU plugs (unplug then) with WD40 will fix/help electric problems during colder days. All plugs that are in contact with humidity might need WD40 cleaning.

The next day apply some electric protective coating spray to all plugs and battery terminals.

Something like this:

My regards

ps. It fixes also instant power loss after starting the car and driving it for 2 to 5 minutes, during rainy colder days.

 

[mpin9020]

Ok thanks. I will do a bit of research on that product as I haven't heard of it before. I do remember a product called Holts 'ignition and wiring sealer' which was pretty awful stuff as it gummed everything together and was very difficult to shift so I hope it isn't the same sort of thing.
Suffice to say that just about ALL of plug connectors and ignition leads have been thoroughly cleaned with WD and so far, the problem hasn't re-appeared. I think we can close this one now.

However, whilst on the subject of Panda's, I intend to replace the discs and pads at some stage. The discs are quite badly undercut and the braking is rather 'snatchy' which is not very desirable. Any suggestions as what brand to fit? I notice that there are some quite cheap parts available... (probably too cheap!) but am thinking along the lines of Pagid. I don't particularly want Fiat originals as they don't seem to have a very good reputation and Brembo are probably OTT.

 

[james2609]

I've always used Mintex and they have lasted well and at a good price