FLAT Battery

[ROSSGR]

Been sitting for 14days, tried it tonight, nothing, chattering noise and lights on display flashing.
Tried to jump start, nearly caught but never.

Couldn'tpush backwards to park safely?? Is that normal??

Ended up parking up, will try jump leads tomorrow. Hopefullly nothing else wrong.

Just signed up to AA home/relat/parts cover. Been meaning to do it for a while. I'll have to wait a few weeks it the battery doesn't take a charge tomorrow.....

ANy other tips when jump starting with leads,never done it on the Elise

[Andy]

Have you left it parked in gear? I'm still learning these plastic cars, but can't think why else the car wouldn't roll.

[neil]

The brake pads will have welded themselves to the disks. Jump start and a good helping of throttle should free them up. Where were you connecting the jump leads? AFAIK the connections under the front access panel are just to give you enough juice to get the central locking working - jump starting should be done on the battery itself. (awaiting correction from someone more knowledgeable)...

[robin]

Depends on the model.

S1's have the battery in the front and you can either hook jump leads to the battery or you can use a good earth and the back of the big stud on the starter motor in the engine bay.

K-series S2's have the battery in the boot, but otherwise the same principle.

No idea where the battery lives on Toyota models.

I would guess that the harness, where fitted, is for connecting a battery conditioner, though it will also allow you to provide enough current to do everything except start the engine - I doubt the wiring to it is big enough for that. This is certainly not a standard feature of S1s and the S2's that I have owned, though I'm sure it was an option on some model or other ...

Cheers,
Robin

[ROSSGR]

It's an 02 S2, so no central locking.
I know about the nreaks seizing, usually after 2mtres under power they pop off.

I know how to jump using leads. Just before an AA guy told me to use the Live on battery and Engine block to jump.
I melted my leads on a Volvo c70 convertible before when he told me this.

I don;t know why i couldn't push it backwards whilst in neutral. It was clicking over as if the starter motor was being turned over. I didn't try it whilst in Reverse though??

Never tried to puch it backwards before

[tut]

If the battery has discharged below a certain level, I believe 10 volts, you will not be able to start it straight away with a jump start. Leave it connected with the doner cars engine running for 15 mins and you will then be OK.

From experience.

tut

[Edin430]

It was in the Metro today (so it must be true) that if you get a flat car battery you should drop two asprin directly into the battery ( I know) and it will provide some kind of chemical reaction that will have the same effect as jump starting it...

Sounded a load of cack to me... And very dangerous at the same time

[steve_weegie]

If you get behind the wheel only to discover that your car's battery has given up the ghost -- and there's no one around to give you a jump -- you may be able to get your vehicle started by dropping two aspirin tablets into the battery itself. The aspirin's acetylsalicylic acid will combine with the battery's sulfuric acid to produce one last charge. Just be sure to drive to your nearest service station.

Must be true if its in the metro and on the internet

[Edin430]

That was it.....

[Andy]

The brake pads will have welded themselves to the disks.

What a mong! Mine have been doing this for weeks. Away to hang head in shame

[alicrozier]

No idea where the battery lives on Toyota models.

I would guess that the harness, where fitted, is for connecting a battery conditioner, though it will also allow you to provide enough current to do everything except start the engine - I doubt the wiring to it is big enough for that. This is certainly not a standard feature of S1s and the S2's that I have owned, though I'm sure it was an option on some model or other ...

Toyota batteries are also in the boot.

Extra harness on central locking cars (Exiges only I think as they have boot release in the cabin).
It provides 2 posts in the front nearside service access panel for when the battery is so flat there isn's enough juice to operate the central locking.

Not sure if it's strong enough to jump start from, would need to rtfm.

[Peter76]

If the battery has discharged below a certain level, I believe 10 volts, you will not be able to start it straight away with a jump start. Leave it connected with the doner cars engine running for 15 mins and you will then be OK.

From experience.

tut

Yep, do this. Also from experience.

[robin]

I'm lost.

Could you try and describe the problem again?

You cannot push the car forwards, or you can, but you think the starter is turning over while you're pushing it?

You tried to jump it, you could get the engine to turn over, but not well enough to start the car?

Is that a fair summary?

Cheers,
Robin

[Peter76]

No idea where the battery lives on Toyota models.

I would guess that the harness, where fitted, is for connecting a battery conditioner, though it will also allow you to provide enough current to do everything except start the engine - I doubt the wiring to it is big enough for that. This is certainly not a standard feature of S1s and the S2's that I have owned, though I'm sure it was an option on some model or other ...

Toyota batteries are also in the boot.

Extra harness on central locking cars (Exiges only I think as they have boot release in the cabin).
It provides 2 posts in the front nearside service access panel for when the battery is so flat there isn's enough juice to operate the central locking.

Not sure if it's strong enough to jump start from, would need to rtfm.

I've jump started the car from here before. Pretty sure Murray Motors told me it was ok to do this.

[ROSSGR]

Robin,

to cap again.
Car sitting for 14days.

You can push it forwards no problem.
When you try to push it backwards, in neutral, it doesn't, only moves far enough for the starter to move one revolution by the sounds of it. Should I have tried pushing it backwards whilst in Reverse gear?
I only wanted to push it backwards into a space in front of my parents house after running it down a slope trying to bump it.

I will be giving it a jump start with leads later tonight once i finish work so will let you know.

I'm still curious to why i couldn't push it backwards. from memory, other cars can be pushed backwards in neutral.