Hello all

I recently got my TDV8 back from the garage having had a new EGR valve and belts.

All good for a week and maybe 150 miles.

This morning the car would not start. Ticking noise, full Christmas tree of warning lights and after a couple of further attempts the brake pedal goes 'hard' and cannot be depressed. Tried again tonight, no joy. No Xmas tree this time, just a blank screen and no ticking noise at all, so starter motor not firing at all, I think.

Previous posts suggest it could be related to the brake pedal, my instincts say it's battery.

My question is how best to get some charge into the car as if it can be started it will save me calling out the recovery guys for the 2nd time in a month.

I see mentions of CTEK chargers, looking online there are several so can anyone advise which I should use? Can I charge the battery in place as removing it seems complicated to a layman like me?

Should I try to jump start?

All advice gratefully recieved.

John

My TDV8 is on the CTEK in the garage most of the time. Ditto the BMW in fact. It gets plugged into the white tow socket via an adapter. Particularly handy at this time of year as I can fire up the remote heater without worrying about the battery. If you don’t have the tow electrics, you can still hook it up straight to the battery although you’ll obviously have to either wire in the socket or connect it via the clips.

All that said, my first instinct is your battery is goosed so I’d change that as your first port of call. It probably won’t be recoverable with a charger. If you can get enough charge in it to start it, drive it straight to somewhere which will change it. 2021 3.0 P400 Vogue
2012 4.4 TDV8 Westminster - gone!
2007 3.6 TDV8 Vogue - gone!
2003 V8 HSE (LPG) - gone!
2018 F-Pace 25t Portfolio
1974 LR Series III Lightweight FFR
2014 BMW 640i Gran Coupe

Thanks for the advice.

I do have a tow bar so that's an option.

It won't hurt to have a suitable charger at home so will try that first.

https://www.britpart.com/parts/winching/ba...ors/da1409 2021 3.0 P400 Vogue
2012 4.4 TDV8 Westminster - gone!
2007 3.6 TDV8 Vogue - gone!
2003 V8 HSE (LPG) - gone!
2018 F-Pace 25t Portfolio
1974 LR Series III Lightweight FFR
2014 BMW 640i Gran Coupe

If you’re going in via the tow socket, make sure you get the right pin connector, 7 or 13.
You asked about C-tek, make sure it’s man enough for these large batteries, from memory a 5.0 or higher is needed. I normally connect mine every few weeks if she hasn’t been out, very handy set up. 2012 Orkney Grey Westminster 4.4TDV8 with Ivory interior.........nice!
Alfa Romeo Giulietta
Just one Montesa now, 349 White Wonder
Austin A40 Farina MK2
1975 Morris Marina 1.8TC
1973 Honda CB250 K4

Simple fix for this.

Ive had the same issue in the past with my 4.4 TDV8.

You need to press the brake pedal harder to engage the starting connector.

Simplest of fixes!

Might want a 10 amp battery charger for the big battery . Ctek are ok I’ve been using them for more than a decade and still going .
Victron chargers reputed to be very good and have an app to connect to the charger via Bluetooth and can set parameters . A 10 amp charger can be set to 5 amps if required for a slow charge .
A 25 amp can give a quick charge or set to 10 amps for a slower charge .
Bluetooth range is short . Can check state of charge remotely . Most have IP rating for dust and splash resitance . Marine version available with better IP rating .
Ctek 10 amp and over can do supply mode if using diagnostic tools . Victron can do supply mode as well .

Thanks all.

I charged the battery for a couple of hours, and hey presto, started without issue and again a few hours later.

Drove for 10 mies or so, all well except I have an amber engine warning light, and the date has reverted to 2009, time is incorrect etc.

I assume therefore that there must have been a total loss of battery power at some point? Also that the amber warning light is just because the management is out of sync?

My question now then is should I change the battery (I have extensive history for my 2012 4.4TDV 8 with no reference to a new battery ever have been fitted) as a precaution? Or do I need to get diagnostics to find out why the battery drained in the first place?

Basically, what do I do next?

Is resetting the time etc a garage job or can an inexperienced but competent layman do it themselves?

Sorry that I didn't get to try Benji's fix, that was my kind of home mechanics.

Tis the time of year that weak batteries throw their hand in!

Not sure of the spec for a 2012 4.4 but mines a 2007 3.6 tdv8 and have had great success with yuasa batteries from gsf car parts. I have the same battery in 2 other vehicles.

And a ctech (7) charger works great. Has a supply function for testing also. Can be found for approx £100 if you look around. Can clip straight on the battery terminals (no tools reqired) or install the plug in tail, or get the optional longer tail to hide in the grill area.


Chris

The "Wiki" is your must go-to place on here
https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic43662.html Gone to a good home: 2011 4.4 TDV8 Vogue SE Buckingham Blue with Ivory and clear glass = "Rory"
2025MY Defender D350 90 in Silicon Silver on coils
1974 Series 3 Lightweight = "Millie"
Many, many other Landies over the years
My preferred specialist: www.glenrands.co.uk
--------------------------------------------------

As far as I know the not starting and the hard brake pedal are unrelated.
There are a few posts about the brake pedal issue, none (that I've seen) with a solution.

When the car does tick over and starts but the info display reboots while starting you can be sure your battery is on it's way out, especially during a cold start after a day or two of not driving. 2012 4.4TDV8
2000 Honda S2000

The brake pedal needs servo assistance to be able to comfortably press it down enough to engage the starter safety switch. It only takes 1 or 2 pedal actuations as a result of a no start to drain it. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

Just out of interest. If this is the case, how would you be able to start the car following maintenance which drains the vacuum system or on a vehicle that has been standing unused for a long period.

Thanks all once again.

dead again today, so new battery it is.

One final question. I have AA so the path of least resistance (no pun intended) is to pay them to come and fit a new one for me and presumably sort out the time/date/warning light by doing so.

The recommend 3 x Bosch batteries that range between 95AH 800 CCa and 110AH 920 CCA for just under three hundred quid for the bigger one.

Should I buy the more powerful one, or should I do something else entirely. Having had so little use of the car for the last few weeks the idea of the AA just turning up and getting me sorted appeals.

Have a great Christmas all, and a happy new year.

Dtech wrote:

Just out of interest. If this is the case, how would you be able to start the car following maintenance which drains the vacuum system or on a vehicle that has been standing unused for a long period.