Car would not start now ok

[Derek Batty]

Hi we were in Scotland last week and hit a large pot hole giving the car a hard jolt every thing seemed ok     ,,it was near the. End of the applecross run coming into lochewe  were we usually fuel up after filling the car pushed the button it was dead and would not start , did  the usual swore at it kicked the trye no luck just wagled the wires under dash then it started  , but as we were driving along I noticed the red light on the dash flickering when we stoped 100 plus miles later in kylsku switched it Of then tried to start it ,,everything ok ,, few have said the battery in the immobiliser is the problem ( wondering if the heavy jolt was to blame ) since then did poss 500 miles back round Scotland and home and no problem ,

any body any ideas will look to se if all connection ok under dash 

derek

[Jonathan Kay]

Yes, check all the connections with a good wiggle...  at a time and place where you're not too bothered if something fails!

With that flickering charge warning light I'd pay particular attention to the feed from the battery to the ignition switch and everything at the ignition switch.

If it fails to start again note if the warning light has come on with the ignition switch or not.

Jonathan

[Jonathan Kay]

Duplicate.

[Stridey]

Funnily enough Derek , I had my red alternator light come on last Wednesday night, on a run, just for a short time, then got dimmer, then did it again a few minutes later, but not constant. Made more obvious by it being night time.

I checked the alternator belt tension and it was on the upper end of being loose, so I adjusted the bracket by leverage on the alternator and engine block, and tightened up.

Your bump may just have given the alternator a little movement, that needs tightening up?

As an aside I have a digital voltmeter on the passenger side knee panel, so I can closely monitor charging state. I find this really useful, others have put in a USB socket that has a digital volt meter built in, which is a neat solution, but my placement means I can see it from the driving position. It told me the alternator was charging when need be. The red dash light will tell you when the alt isn’t charging at all.

[Derek Batty]

Hi.  Striday. The problem with mine was the battery ect ok just when I pushed the start button nothing happened , so battery was ok that’s why I thought it was something to do with hitting pot hole or immobilizer , haven’t done anything yet as just got back to iom and as said only happened once 

volt mtr ok but I am always leaving lights on and flattening battery so bought a small jump start pack of machine mart 

best £100 I have spent it also has cables and connectors to charge phone , i pad ect    And son  broke down other day two ltr diesel van ,, turned it over no problem 

derek

[Stridey]

Agreed on those Lithium battery starters. 

I was just trying to figure out why the red light came on. It’s an indication for that short time the alt is not working, and a slipping belt can do that.

[Jonathan Kay]

With the failure to start I jumped to a bad connection, but that's definitely worth checking:

• Belt tension and condition
• Alternator spinning nicely
• Alternator wiring and connections
• Voltage at rest, idle and 3.000 rpm.

Jonathan

[Derek Batty]

Sorry striday I mean the red light top center of dash which is for the immobilizer 

Derek

[Jonathan Kay]

Ah... could you add a photo of your immobiliser fob so that we can work out which kind you've got.

Don't worry about the orientation! ;-)

Jonathan

[Derek Batty]

Thanks Jonathon photo encls.  It says sterling on the fob car is a 150 sigma 

now.   please excuse my ignorance but is the battery in the fob or under the dashboard 

Derek

[Jonathan Kay]

I'm not an expert on these, but:

1. I don't think that any Sterling immobiliser fitted by Caterham has a battery in the fob.
2. There's a history of unreliability and some Members have removed or replaced them.
3. Here are the instructions that I once found.

Jonathan

[Sooty]

Derek, I had a similar issue which turned out to be a loose spade connection on the starter motor . Bouncing a pot hole could have caused it to temporarily break free but even a small amount of contact enables starter to work and it can drop back into contact under gravity - very frustrating but nipped up the female spade to a snug fit and problem solved.

S a me problem on the alternator can cause the ignition light to behave erratically

[anthonym]

+1 connectors