So flat battery this morning. Dash lights OK, and the remote unlock worked OK, but dim lights when the key was turned and the battery monitor was reading 11.15v. Its a 2018 van and the original battery was replaced under warranty within the 1st year (with another Moll that I suspect they got out of a van in their yard - they as much admitted so), but it has lasted well enough and I’ve only done one short (10 mins) drive in the last 2 weeks, so maybe I can’t complain.
Anyway…
No problem I thought, as I dug out the Noco GB150 to jump it. It was a bit difficult to get the chunky Noco clamps onto the battery terminals, but I found a way and expected all to be OK as I turned the key. Engine turns over and starts. Starter disengages, engine dies. Again and again.
So I hit the throttle, and managed to keep it going with some revs, but as soon as I let off the throttle, it died. I tried the same again, and kept it running for longer on the throttle hoping to put some charge in the battery, then a red warning appeared on the dash (it may have been the ACC unavailable? It certainly included an exclamation mark) so I released the throttle and it died again. After that, it wouldn’t rev at all while attempting to start, although the engine caught each time and immediately died as before.
I couldn’t try anymore as I had to be somewhere, so I hurriedly attached a battery charger to the dash 12v socket, but it didn’t appear to register the battery and couldn’t be set to anything (the last battery it charged was a Lithium), so I left it like that for the day (with the charger LED indicating off, but still connected). This evening, when I got home, I was able to reset the charger and it appears to be charging, but has not reached a full charge yet so I haven’t tried to start it.
I expect that I am going to have to buy a new battery, but my concern at the moment is why could I not start it using the Noco jump start pack that seemed perfectly capable of turning it over many more times? That has always been my fall back in case of a flat battery but, while it appeared to have plenty of juice for the job, why did my petrol van not start?
Incidentally, I have checked quickly for error codes using an OBD reader and there were none. However, my old laptop with VCDS is on charge for a more thorough check tomorrow. I’ll be able to update with details as to any codes and whether it starts tomorrow.
Anyway…
No problem I thought, as I dug out the Noco GB150 to jump it. It was a bit difficult to get the chunky Noco clamps onto the battery terminals, but I found a way and expected all to be OK as I turned the key. Engine turns over and starts. Starter disengages, engine dies. Again and again.
So I hit the throttle, and managed to keep it going with some revs, but as soon as I let off the throttle, it died. I tried the same again, and kept it running for longer on the throttle hoping to put some charge in the battery, then a red warning appeared on the dash (it may have been the ACC unavailable? It certainly included an exclamation mark) so I released the throttle and it died again. After that, it wouldn’t rev at all while attempting to start, although the engine caught each time and immediately died as before.
I couldn’t try anymore as I had to be somewhere, so I hurriedly attached a battery charger to the dash 12v socket, but it didn’t appear to register the battery and couldn’t be set to anything (the last battery it charged was a Lithium), so I left it like that for the day (with the charger LED indicating off, but still connected). This evening, when I got home, I was able to reset the charger and it appears to be charging, but has not reached a full charge yet so I haven’t tried to start it.
I expect that I am going to have to buy a new battery, but my concern at the moment is why could I not start it using the Noco jump start pack that seemed perfectly capable of turning it over many more times? That has always been my fall back in case of a flat battery but, while it appeared to have plenty of juice for the job, why did my petrol van not start?
Incidentally, I have checked quickly for error codes using an OBD reader and there were none. However, my old laptop with VCDS is on charge for a more thorough check tomorrow. I’ll be able to update with details as to any codes and whether it starts tomorrow.
