Thread: D4 Push button start issue

Originally Posted by Barryp

All of the unclamping and re-clamping for the hard resets would have worn the battery terminal clamps and added to the problem in all probability.
Regards
Barry

Without a doubt Barry!

I'm still having this issue...
The battery was replaced recently (separate post), and it still has the starting issue - regardless of hot/cold, time of day etc.
When the battery was replaced, I took the -ve terminal off and cleaned the inside of the clamp. I also had a little go at filing away a bit at the clamp faces, where the bolt closes the 2 faces together to provide the clamping force on the battery post.
==>> no change!

Which battery terminal/cable did you have replaced - the -ve or +ve?

The -ve terminal has the battery voltage monitor as part of the terminal clamp, and the cable is soldered/welded to the battery monitor.
How did Battery World make one of these up? They look like a specific L/R part to me??

I've had the L/R -ve battery lead (inc battery monitor) quoted at between $270 - $450!!!

Thanks.

Rob

Originally Posted by Ghost-Who-Walks

I'm still having this issue...
The battery was replaced recently (separate post), and it still has the starting issue - regardless of hot/cold, time of day etc.
When the battery was replaced, I took the -ve terminal off and cleaned the inside of the clamp. I also had a little go at filing away a bit at the clamp faces, where the bolt closes the 2 faces together to provide the clamping force on the battery post.
==>> no change!

Which battery terminal/cable did you have replaced - the -ve or +ve?

The -ve terminal has the battery voltage monitor as part of the terminal clamp, and the cable is soldered/welded to the battery monitor.
How did Battery World make one of these up? They look like a specific L/R part to me??

I've had the L/R -ve battery lead (inc battery monitor) quoted at between $270 - $450!!!

Thanks.

Rob

G'day Rob, I did not get anything replaced, it was all cleaned & tightened thoroughly. This repair/maintenance was good enough to last until Sunday when it happen for the 1st time in more than 2 months!

I could not do any trouble shooting as the workshop tightened the bejesus out of the +ve clamp to the point I rounded the nut with a ring spanner trying to get it off.

I think I would have been able to fix it had I been able to get both clamps off. As it was, I left it where it was until the next morning when it started first go.

Booked in to replace the camps on Monday. Dealer still thinks it is something other than what I think it is (might be right).

I notice both our vehicles are MY10 - truly a head scratcher. I'll report back on further developments as they come.

After recently having some car-park damage to my D4 repaired, the vehicle was started and driven a couple of times before the task of re-connecting the aux battery was commenced. The positive battery terminal could easily be rotated on the post yet the clamp's nut was excessively tight. Undoing the nut allowed the terminal to be gently tapped further down the post to spread the terminal where the nut could be lightly tightened yet still clamped the terminal firmly.

I wonder how many times this occurs where all seems OK at the time but is the cause of later electrical faults.

Originally Posted by Graeme

After recently having some car-park damage to my D4 repaired, the vehicle was started and driven a couple of times before the task of re-connecting the aux battery was commenced. The positive battery terminal could easily be rotated on the post yet the clamp's nut was excessively tight. Undoing the nut allowed the terminal to be gently tapped further down the post to spread the terminal where the nut could be lightly tightened yet still clamped the terminal firmly.

I wonder how many times this occurs where all seems OK at the time but is the cause of later electrical faults.

Yes that is exactly what happens. In addition to that, it seems that the conical mount that the nut tightens down on to draw the clamp together wears over time making it less effective.

I realised I had not updated this thread on the final outcomes with this issue.

the car failed to start two more times but I was able to get it started with this simple procedure each time:

1. ensure the ignition is turned off
2. turn the ignition on to accessories mode by leaving the foot off the brake and pressing the start button.
3. Turn the ignition off by pressing the start button
4. Now start the car as usual with the foot on the brake and pressing the start button. You should hear the steering column lock disengage at the same time.

I came up with this after remembering Bobd had just advised his wife to restart the car by turning it off then back on. I had always tried this previously but the difference being that I always had my foot on the brake which never worked for me so I had a careful think about how I might achieve the same results as Bob and came up with the above steps.

Another thing I developed was a very keen sense of when I was going to get the issue. The car would begin to take that half a second longer before it would kick the starter over. A soon as I felt that it was taking "too long" I would release to the start button so as not to force the "Steering Column Locked" error to be displayed (usually would display after about 3 seconds of holding the button in without a start). In the past, seeing that message sealed my fate so I tried to avoid triggering it as best I could.

To the person who bought my car from Purnell Motors a couple of weeks ago (xmas '15), who ever you may be, I advise you to get the steering lock disabled in the CCF. I had never done this, as Graeme had recommended as the dealer was not happy when I mentioned it (PS Purnell were very good to me with trying to sort this out).

Hopefully this will help someone.

Aside from this issue I could not fault the car.

Sean,


That is correct. You must have your foot off the brake to switch it off and then on again to start. Mine hasn't done it for quite a while now, especially because my wife is not driving it as an every day driver.

It reads a bit like you were holding down the start button rather than pressing and releasing? Wouldn't that force the car to override it's pre-start routine including the glow plug warm up?