Parked up the Scoob for 7 weeks whilst I took an overseas contract. Apparently its been raining like mad in the UK and now I have a little problem....

Turn the key and it just clicks away at me - doesn't attempt to turn over.

Get another battery to jump it assuming battery may be flat - again it just 'clicks' at me without turning over.

If I disconnect the battery (which I haven't done yet), does this bugger up my alarm/immobiliser (Clifford Cat1) etc meaning it wont start anyway till I reset the immobiliser?

Could it just be the immobiliser is playing up? Usually when the immobiliser is activated, it won't make any sound on the turn of the key. At present it sounds like it wants to do something but nothing happens.

Any other ideas? It won't accept a jump start from another vehicle either......... I've left it for 9 weeks before over a dry summer and it fired up just fine first time.

Help!!

 

Sounds like starter motor solenoid is jammed....hit it with something big

Richard


[Edited by dowser - 6/14/2002 12:57:35 PM]

 

Still sounds like a low battery, the click sounds like the solenoid is working fine, but not enough juice to turn the motor.

Check the battery voltage, make sure battery connections on anything you hook up are good, charge the battery.

Paul

 

Dowser

I'd wondered about the solenoid because I used to get the same clicking on crappy old cars which needed a thump to get them going.

Where is it on the Scoob and is it easily accessable? Whats the best technique?

I used to use the end of a pool cue on my mini (long time ago!) and I don't really want to do that this time around!

 

If the solenoid isn't the problem, does disconnecting the battery usually cause immobiliser problems after re-connection?

 

Just disable your immobilser, if you have a multi meter check to see what charge you have in your battery, if its low, shove it on charge for an hour or so then try again dont whatever you do, take the car out straight away! if you get stranded your screwed but do try starting the car more than once when the battery is charged, just to make sure its going to work

Tony

 

Sounds like not enough juice, the starter solenoid probably draws 20 amps at least, so a low battery won't have a enough voltage to give enough of a shove.

Charge the battery, but something tells me you don't have a charger....

Paul

 

Cheers guys

Paul - I'll stick it on charge tonight...

I was just worried about disconnection cos in nearly 3 years I've never had to do it.

Ben

 

I've disconneted the battery plenty of times on mine, with a Toad Ai606, no problems encountered.

Paul

 

Definitely need to fully recharge the battery. I have the exact same problem with the bike when I leave it lying up. Jump won't do it.

 

A few people have had probs with batteries that are about three years old.

Let them discharge a bit and they just die. Mine did.

Ian

 

Stock battery ddie very quickly when stood.

Fitted uprated battery to the P1 and it last forever when the car is stood

It is a good idea to charge regularly tho, as if you let it go flat it will bugger it.

 

Definately battery - had same problem on loads of cars and jump starting does not work - or rather it takes a hell of a long time to get it to jump start!!

Immobiliser, etc should not be effected at all

Whats the best battery out there - I keep being told that the Optima is the best one? especially with an uprated sound system?n and who supplies them cheap?

 

The immobiliser could well be affected & be the problem - mine (cat1 jobbie) has its own internal battery as well. I think this needs to be charged up a bit as well. At least, jumping the car just got a very fast clicking noise - taking the battery out & putting it on a charger sorted it completely. Wasn't the scoob, but was the same type of alarm.