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[randomspam]

Hi,

I have a facelift 2000 MV6

Got in the car this morning and on starting it up, it nearly didn't make it as it's not been started for a week and it sounded a little weak for a few seconds. Once started all the lights didn't go off. I have acquired myself a TC light, an ABS light, A seatbelt/airbag light and an Immobiliser light. I turned off the stereo and found the windows were reluctant to open at first.

I stuck it in Auto and it was really sluggish, all the dials stayed at 0. I drove a long for a few miles and every so often the dials would leap into life and give me an accurate reading and then they would revert back to 0 again.

I didn't go far from home and on the return journey I tried Sports option manual gear change and the car was infinitely more responsive the way it would normally feel, I still had all the same problems, lights on the dash flashing on and off intermittently and dials jumping into life occasionaly.

What on earth is going on?

Any help would be really appreciated, there is no way I can handle a large bill right now, could this just be something electrical that is loose?

Cheers

[Markjay]

You may have a faulty or partially-discharged battery... otherwise it is difficult to see how one fault could cause all these problems. Potentially also ECU connection problems, if you are happy the battery is OK then try checking the ECU connector, but on balance I would go for a low battery or bad/corroded battery connections (mainly earth!) etc.

[Marks DTM Calib]

My honest opinion, the Alternator is not charging.

Can you measure the battery voltage with the engine running......give it soem revs also?

[Marks DTM Calib]

You may have a faulty or partially-discharged battery... otherwise it is difficult to see how one fault could cause all these problems. Potentially also ECU connection problems, if you are happy the battery is OK then try checking the ECU connector, but on balance I would go for a low battery or bad/corroded battery connections (mainly earth!) etc.

Markjay, its classic low/high volts, all the ECU's will report a supply voltage error and chuck a light on.

[Markjay]

You may have a faulty or partially-discharged battery... otherwise it is difficult to see how one fault could cause all these problems. Potentially also ECU connection problems, if you are happy the battery is OK then try checking the ECU connector, but on balance I would go for a low battery or bad/corroded battery connections (mainly earth!) etc.

Markjay, its classic low/high volts, all the ECU's will report a supply voltage error and chuck a light on.

I see.... makes sense.

[randomspam]

Hi guys, I'm no car expert at all so unfortunately I've got very few tools to check much at all other than visible problems. The one thing I do know though is that when I bought the car in September it had a receipt for a new alternator dated May this year, and a new battery dated July this year in amongst it's paperwork.

Oh yes and there is one other light on the computer display which is an exclamation mark in a circle/snow flake.

[Markjay]

...Oh yes and there is one other light on the computer display which is an exclamation mark in a circle/snow flake.

That's probably the transmission fault light, but as siad you can't possibly have so many things going wrong at the same time, so check the voltage on the battery with the engine running (a multi-tester costs £5-£10 from most car accessories shops or the likes of Maplin etc)

[randomspam]

Ok thanks markjay and markstdm, I shall buy one tomorrow and do that.

WOuld this be sufficent?
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=25414&criteria=multimeter&doy=10m12

Do I simply hook it up to the +/- of the battery whilst the engine is off and take a reading and then try it when the engine is on as well? What should I be expecting to see?

[Markjay]

Ok thanks markjay and markstdm, I shall buy one tomorrow and do that.

Do I simply hook it up to the +/- of the battery whilst the engine is off and take a reading and then try it when the engine is on as well?

Yes, but make sure that the dial on the tester is set to 'DC V' and not to AC or Resistance (the 'Omega' sign). The digital testers should be autonmatic, but analogue ones may also have a 'range' festure - so you should be within the 14V range, i.e. 5V-20V etc. Also, some testers have a socket for 'com', ignore that for the V testing. And read the instructions...

[Markjay]

Ok thanks markjay and markstdm, I shall buy one tomorrow and do that.

WOuld this be sufficent?
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=25414&criteria=multimeter&doy=10m12

Do I simply hook it up to the +/- of the battery whilst the engine is off and take a reading and then try it when the engine is on as well?

OK, saw the picture, it should be on 'DC V 30' (2 o’clock on the dial)

[randomspam]

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=99065&criteria=multimeter&doy=10m12

this one would be better then?

[Markjay]

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=99065&criteria=multimeter&doy=10m12

this one would be better then?

The digital ones are easier to read (though it does not necessarily mean they are more accurate), But as all you need out of it is a two-minute voltage test, it doesn’t really matter which one you get… You can try just borrowing one from a friend.

[randomspam]

thanks markjay, you wont believe this though

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1165764763/0

separate thread for a separate issue.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Its worth getting a tester anyway for general use anyway so it wont be a car only purchase....they can be used for checking fuses, christmas tree bulbs, batteries etc....

[Markjay]

Its worth getting a tester anyway for general use anyway so it wont be a car only purchase....they can be used for checking fuses, christmas tree bulbs, batteries etc....

Quite... I have a mini digital multi-tester which I bought 15 years ago - they cost an arm and a leg then as they were new - served me well over the years and still does - anything from checking the voltage of Lithium on-board PC batteries to testing fuses etc - no home or car should be without one!