SiPie

Mods, apologies if you end up having to move this to Electrical or General Technical but......

Speaking to Saxo Boy yesterday and he said that after he'd cleared all the ice away, he was indicating and the alarm would give a beep (my99 also). My huge electrical knowledge came up with "Aye Kenny, cars do funny things when they are cold you know"

So this morning (around minus 7) the engines idling as I'm clearing the substantially thick ice from my car and I swear I hear a beep and think I've pressed the alarm transponder thingy, then remember it's in the ignition.. d'oh not awake yet

Then it starts beeping more frequently and eventually (after around a minute) shuts up.

Anybody else find this happens or is it just my99's from Edinburgh that talk when they are cold

Cheers

Brun

None of that business from my 99. Mine is a Yorkshire Scoob though, so the Scots thing could be correct

SiDHEaD

I went to look at a MY00 to buy on sat, and when he was startin it with bonnet up it beeped a few times then started .

Andy

Mickle

My P1 beeped at me the other day when turned the key to start the engine first thing from cold. Happened 2 days on the trot, stopped doing it now.

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Check your battery.

On one occasion when I started my MY00 last month, the alarm gave a chirp at the same time as the engine started.

Three days later, the battery was almost totally dead. Despite being labelled as 'maintenance-free', it turned out to need almost a litre of top-up water and a recharge. It's fine now, although I expect it to need replacing soon. Given that MY99's will have four year old batteries by now, they're likely to be on their last legs.

Andy.

SiDHEaD

great so if i buy that one (which i was going to if its still there next week) i will need to buy a battery too

Beemer_Deano

The indicators on my MY01 frequently flash on when starting it and have since new - I always presumed this is something to do with the alarm, although I have the activation beeps switched off.

However, the most common phrases in my Scoobs repertoire seem to be "Need petrol" and "Faster, faster!"

Deano

SiPie

AndyC

Thanks...

Will double check that mate, as it has been on the leaky side recently.

Cheers
Si

SiPie

Had to speak to the dealer on a separate matter and they've just confirmed that it's the first sign that the battery is on it's way to the grave....

Cheers AndyC

dominicm

Only a guess, but my old Evo used to bleep at me when the temp. dropped below zero, as a warning!! Do you have climate control?

Dom.

SiPie

Dom

Nope... no climate control, this wasn't the odd beep mate it was a full morse code novel

As mentioned the battery is prob on it's last legs and it must be the cheapest replacement part for a scoob anyway so happy to replace it....

If it beeped upon freezing point, the thing wouldn't have shut up for the last 2 months up here

Cheers m8

nigelward

Mine does this when I have automatic locking enabled on the standard fit alarm but I leave the drivers door open so that it doesn't automatically lock.

The only time my alarm beeped at startup was when the battery was on its last legs (MY01 this December, though it was replaced under warrantee )

Tony_W

I have a 7 month old WRX MY02. After putting the alarm on, it chirped at me once (after about 5 secs) then set itself off after a couple of mins. It did this twice whilst at a friends house.
I then drove to Manchester (approx 50 miles), parked up and checked it again...no chirp and it hasn't done it since. I now wonder if it's also the battery as the car has been parked in the garage for almost a week prior to this (being Xmas !). Can't imagine a new Scooby battery would go after 7 months, but you never know.

LG John

I'm not convinced of the battery theory in my case....I'll eat my words if she doesn't start tomorrow though

I started my car the other day beep free and warmed her up for 10 minutes to get the ice of the window. I then started driving no problem but when I indicated right the alarm went nutts with some strange beeping (no pattern and a pretty crap tune ) nonsense. The dash lights were flashing a little too. I paniced and hits some buttons including the infamous 'bright button' and the headlight washers (not that they were going to work at -6!!). The beeping/squeeling stopped and the car was fine.

I put it down to a strange electrical gremlin caused by the extreme temperatures

Knowing my car it'll probably happen again and it'll probably cost lots of money to fix

SiPie

Kenny

Temps were as cold if not colder last year and there wasn't a beep out of mine

My battery is a bit on the leaky side and as mentioned earlier in the thread all MY99 batteries will undoubtedly be original and probably due a replacement anyway

A lot of extra strain on batteries at this time of year and I'll err on the side of caution thanks......

ScoobyJawa

This EXACT thing happened to me last week. Alarm chirping or sounding as I started the car for a few weeks. Last week - dead battery, fitted a new one and its not done it since. Car was also an MY99.

LG John

So, the bottom line...........whats it gonna cost me this time

SiPie

You not read your e-mail m8....

£40 plus VAT

SCOOBY TOWERS

iTrader: (7)

Mine to.MY99.
Kept in a garage so not down to damp etc.
Alarm chirped on starting for about a week then on sat it slowly turned over and would not start. Fitted a new battery and it's been fine since.

Squizz

<sigh>

started my MY99 this morning and it gave me a single beep, I'd assumed it was some kind of low-charge indicator.

Oh well - Time to go shopping.

</sigh>

ScoobyJawa

SB - you get that type of thought too then

I got my replacement Heavy Duty jobby for £39.95 fitted from my local Tyre/Battery place The breakdown chap that got the car started to get there told me to avoid the likes of Halfrauds like the plague, he said their batteries are rubbish and don't last.

chockymonster

This time of year is killer for batteries.
My dad's garage has had 7 cars this morning with battery problems.
Best thing to do is put a voltmeter across the battery terminals and see what it drops to when starting the car.

SB, if yours does it only when operating electrical bits, then you may want to check that the alternator is charging properly

chockymonster

ScoobyJawa,
the halfords batteries are made by Yuasa and are not rubbish, imho they are very good value!
The calcium versions have a 3 year guarantee

SiPie

I was surprised at how cheap the battery is

Would have expected the usual,

ie. the minute you say 'it's an Impreza Turbo', they immediately add on at least £1,000 and don't bother subtracting the first number they thought of , then proceed to tell you that it needs one with Kryptonite and inverted lithium dual processing crystal diodes

Pleasant surprise

LG John

Uh-oh

And if not, it'll be how much...............

SiPie

A lot more than a new battery

Squizz

Anything to keep in mind when disconnecting/re-connecting??

Will the alarm/tracker/etc go doolally-tap or can I change the battery without wads of cotton wool in my lug-'oles

Cheers,
Squizz.

ScoobyJawa

Dude, I'm only going on what the breakdown bloke told me, and this is a thing they see alot of Don't shoot the messenger

Besides - I still got it cheaper than Halfrauds from my local place and got it fitted too

ScoobyJawa

Oh - and same length warranty too

chrisp

Best extra I have brought for my impreza is a DRAPER trickle charger. Cost £19 from Halfords and it has 2 crocodile clips to the battery with 2 long wires to a transformer and best bit connects whilst still on the car. Only really any good if you have a garage and have power in the garage but I left mine 2 weeks on over christmas and it fired up no problem. Have a few friends I recomended the same charger to with a few classics and they previously had battery problems which are now resolved. Obviously if your battery is on the way out then theres nothing you can do. I dont plug mine in straight after a drive though as the engine is very very warm and normally leave it till it has cooled down before pluging it on.

I use to have problems with it coughing into life but now fires on the button first time even after leaving it a week or so.

[Edited by chrisp - 1/7/2003 1:33:41 PM]