Oo-er ELECTRONIC IGNITION FAULT on mfd

[Welly]

HDi 110 - for the last few mornings the old girl has been slow in turning over (sounds like a weak battery) but always starts fine.

Just nipped out - 1.5 miles, park for 10mins, then re start and it just turned over with ELECTRONIC IGNITION FAULT on the old mfd.

Tried again straight away and it fired up and has fired up for the other 5 or 6 times I tested since.

I was rather hasty with the key in the ignition - maybe it wasn't time enough for the immobilser to read the key? seemed a bit odd though.

Any others had the same thing happen?

Welters.

[steve_earwig]

No, sorry. Hey, hold on - what electronic ignition???

Tried disconnecting the battery yet? Maybe the battery is going weak (there always seems to be a run of these things...)

[Welly]

Contrary to what I said earlier on here about modern batteries just packing up overnight - my battery does indeed seem like it's running down on power.

Maybe the warning message is sod all to do with anything really important (as usual)

[steve_earwig]

Important, or even existent...

If it's not your battery then check the engine earth strap

[Welly]

Well I know exactly what it is this morning - I was met with a flat battery

[steve_earwig]

My dad always says "ignore it until it manifests itself in a more apparent manner" I think a dead battery qualifies

I hope it didn't mess your Friday morning up too much, did you manage to get it going?

Did you sort out a new one yet? Don't go to Halfords...

[Welly]

I jumped it from her Arsetra

Trouble is, being the weekend an all I'm not going to get my on-line battery in time (uless I just leave my old battery on charge for the weekend and hope it's strong enough for another start on Monday morning.

Not sure how much strain on the alternator though running like this? would hate to kill that thing as they are mega £££££'s

[Welly]

*checks he's not dreaming all this*

Just put the phone down from my local Eurocarparts - the guy opened my "account" from when I bought the radiator fan (£120.00) and he quoted me £47.00 inc VAT for a new battery and said the equivalent battery from Halfids would be about £89.00

I said - "are you sure it's the right battery? - my car is loaded with extra kit" - "yes my friend - don't worry this battery is the exact one for your car"

Picking it up at lunch time

Also - my credit card is on a short term 0% interest offer at the mo (cos I've been a good boy and not used it for 12 months) I am a bit short so I'll stick it on the plastic and pay it off gently, along with my holiday hire car

[teamster1975]

Nice result Welly! I didn't know they did batteries!

[Welly]

Well the battery is spot on - a 62AH 550CCA maintainance free jobby. BUT - 3 miles down the road the dreaded CHECK ENGINE LIGHT came on followed by the usual dump the boost trick

The car then recovered as it went through checking which bits it could rely on UNTIL I stretched it just above 3000rpm and it said "OH NO WAY" and really spat the dummy out this time it went for the "you aint going above 3000 rpm in me today" favourite and by god it meant it alright first real time it's done this too me but then after a mile or so it slowly let the turbo back in and now things seem not too bad again

I just hope, and pray, that my jump-lead start on Friday didn't upset the ECU and now I'm up for another (Read: 5 times now) visit to my running-out-of-favours-and-free-diagnosis-mechanic friend to see which component has given up this time.

Oh and just to piss me off a tad more I over-tightened the battery retaining strap and snapped the captive nut part of the plastic battery "bucket" so now my battery is as free as a bird under there I suppose a trip to stealer land for a new battery box ("we don't sell many of these Sir")

Welly.

[Welly]

ODO = 115K, real mileage = 121K (don't ask)

Alternator is pushing out 14.55V (I checked that)

I shall keep using the thing until it stops TBH, not really that bothered any more! the list of ideal repairs is now more than the car is worth