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        General >> Problems >> needles flicking
        
(Message started by: heliphil50 on Dec 30^th, 2008, 11:38am)

Title: needles flicking
Post by heliphil50 on Dec 30^th, 2008, 11:38am

Scorpio 2.3 sal 97 had a problem last summer with a flat battery LSUK fitted new battery and said all was well. In the last couple of weeks i've had a flat battery and needles flicking round took it to my local auto electrian as LSUK are no more who said the battery ok and the alternator ok must be draining somewhere overnight I have no extras fitted to my Scorpio anyone got a suggestion???

Title: Re: needles flicking
Post by Tompion on Dec 30^th, 2008, 3:04pm

Possibly the glove box light staying on.

Open the glove box and see if the bulb’s hot, or you could try the diagnostic for the central timer:
1 Hold in the rear screen heater button
2 Turn on the ignition
3 Release the button
You’ll hear beeps that signify it’s in diagnostic mode

Opening a door, glove box or working anything linked to the central timer will produce a continual beep.
Try the glove box and see how sensitive the switch is. I screwed something to the lid to make the switch go off more positively.

In theory the central timer should turn it off anyway, but that doesn’t always seem to be the case.

If it doesn’t go into diagnostic mode try the method described here under electrical concerns:
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/faultfinds.htm

Title: Re: needles flicking
Post by scorpio_man on Dec 30^th, 2008, 5:20pm

on 12/30/08 at 11:38:25, heliphil50 wrote:

hi there

did he not check for a drain?

how did he check battery? with a meter or a dis-charge gauge?

what size of battery did they fit ( http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/battery.htm )

hth

Title: Re: needles flicking
Post by heliphil50 on Dec 30^th, 2008, 6:40pm

Hi thanks for the replys will check the glove box tomorrow,seems very reasonable assumption. the guy checked the alternator with a meter and the battery with another box of tricks said i should book it in to the workshop in the new year for him to find the problem. Thought i would ask you guys first!!! the battery fitted by LSUK is smaller than the origional though i seemed it to be spot on till now

Title: Re: needles flicking
Post by Highlander on Dec 30^th, 2008, 6:45pm

If its not the correct rating it will be struggling to cope and probably shortening its life considerably, worth getting a big one ;)

Title: Re: needles flicking
Post by scorpio_man on Dec 30^th, 2008, 6:52pm

hi there

^^^ []

in winter, great demands are put on the battery/charging system.

i was once told it takes 20 minutes of running to recharge a battery back up to pre starting state.

hth

Title: Re: needles flicking
Post by heliphil58 on Jan 2^nd, 2009, 4:46pm

Hi checked the glove box light it isn't working at all so i assume the bulb has blown so not draining there. no other electrical probs. Battery has been good as gold for the last few days so i assume that i did to many short runs with lights /screen htrs etc on

Title: Re: needles flicking
Post by Baz on Jan 2^nd, 2009, 4:51pm

My Car was always rubbish at holding any charge in the battery. I fitted a brand new (and very expensive) battery on it a few days before I went away for a week. When I got back the battery was stone dead. I never did discover where it was draining from!

Baz

Title: Re: needles flicking
Post by mindofitsown on Jan 6^th, 2009, 11:52am

on 01/02/09 at 16:46:47, heliphil58 wrote:

Don't wish to be cynical but from your description of events it occurred to me that battery is now behaving BECAUSE the glove box bulb has (perhaps) recently blown and that replacing the bulb might make the mystery drain problem re-appear. Bulbs normally blow after 100's of hours of duty and glove box bulbs often outlast the car because of their limited duty. If the switch or central timer is not switching the bulb off properly then then time to expected failure is vastly accelerated. Just a thought.