Ford Scorpio Forum - Print Page


    
      
        Ford Scorpio Forum
        (https://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl)
      

        General >> Problems >> Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
        
(Message started by: Cosray - The Hague - Holland on Feb 24^th, 2009, 2:10pm)

Title: Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
Post by Cosray - The Hague - Holland on Feb 24^th, 2009, 2:10pm

Recently my alarm (it was set) sounded a few times for no apparent reason.
Then recently few times the alarm sounded when the car was on SINGLE lock (no alarm set)..!
Upon entering I found Oil & Battery, ABS & TCS lights on, background lightswitch on, autolever console light on and TCS switchlight... w/o key.
The lights periodically flickered on and off and relays clicking could be heard. The Dash LED stayed on, off or flickered 1 : 3. Batteryvoltage was down to 8Volt. Starterengine turned, no ingnition. Madhouse.

Had the battery fully charged and checked.
When connected, systems clicked and rattled for a while, then settled.
After setting and resetting the alarm the startinhibitor allowed for starting and engine running.
Fuseboxes are Saharadry, glovecompartment and bootlights are off.

Did some measurements today as to currentdrain.
Key off, with either single lock or alarm set a steady 0.6 A (600 mA).
When Fuse 39 (Cooling fans) pulled current dropped to 0.3 A (300 mA)
When Battery Saver Relay R16 pulled current went down to 0.15 A (150 mA)
The Green/Violet Realy R17 (fuel pump) spuriously clicks and buzzes for no reason; pump can be heard.
After a while current goes down to a steady 0.15 A (150 mA) which I think is still high.

Apparently something in the electrical system
is unstable and drawing current which trips the alarm, even when it's not set.
Its cause must be a device which is directly connected to the battery.
Very disturbing when parked for a few days.
Also strange is the drain to the cooling fans. Cooling motor relay?
Could this be a defective alternator diode spuriously opening?

Any clues?
Ever had something similar?

Looking forward,
Ray

Title: Re: Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
Post by martin_rowe on Feb 24^th, 2009, 5:12pm

water in fuse box ?.

Title: Re: Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
Post by Cosray - The Hague - Holland on Feb 24^th, 2009, 5:30pm

Thanks but alas no, all of them dry as a Sahara oasis... looked after them after years of bad experience...

Fuel pump relay still clacking away; won't start now; starterengine turning but no ignition.

Key/PATS is OK; LED lights up for 4 sec but then nothing.

Looks like fuelpump trouble because of this relay clicking away.

Took it out for the night; recharge battery and see in the morning.

Any other clues?

Thanks

Ray

Title: Re: Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
Post by gozz on Feb 24^th, 2009, 5:37pm

Cosray.
Could it be as simple as the ignition switch ? have you disconnected it to try ?
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
Post by Cosray - The Hague - Holland on Feb 24^th, 2009, 5:54pm

....eehhh what do you mean by "Ignition Switch"?

Do you mean Fuse 13 "Ignition Lock"?

Relay 11 "Start Inhibitor"?

In the V24 the ignition is always on the + and gets fired by the EDIS module + the EEC-V.
Curious,

Ray

Title: Re: Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
Post by cossie_ed on Feb 25^th, 2009, 5:36pm

Hallo ray dit is wel heel toevallig ik woon ook in den haag en heb ook zo,n ding.
Ik heb exact hetzelde probleem als jij hebt en wordt er zo langzamerhand gek van.
Ik ben begonnen met een nieuwe accu daarna een nieuwe zekeringkast maar dat heeft helaas niet geholpen.
Al trek ik alle zekeringen en relais eruit blijf ik een ontlading houden van 150 ma heb voor de rest alles gecontroleerd maar niets helpt.
Ik ga nu mijn dynamo er maar afhalen en laten kijken of het daar aan kan liggen.
Ik zal het je wel laten weten hoe het af loopt.

Sorry for the dutch i won,t do it again {}

Title: Re: Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
Post by Cosray - The Hague - Holland on Feb 25^th, 2009, 8:45pm

Hi cossie-ed and other V24 addicts,

Inspected the beast where I'd left it in my garage yesterday. Had it dripcharged overnight at c. 2Ah, w/o the formerly rattling green/violet fuelpump relay installed.

No alarm, no locks on. Measured draincurrent in rest from the battery's neg pole: 60 mA - 10 times less than yesterday!

Pulled the coolingfan's fuse F39: - down another amazing 30mA.
Inspected the cooolingfan's relay K45 or R34 in the engine bay right below the righthand headlight.

Inspected diodes, corrosioned contacts, sprayed. No difference: pulling the fuse F39 still reduces draincurent by 50% to 30mA, which is allright. But why? There's nothing but wires and a relay in that circuit.

No spikes, no current surges anymore. All quiet.
Started: all fine and normal. Ran her for 10 miles - everything fine.
I will put her in the street and keep her locked once - see what happens next.
Cut the alarm horn though.

Title: Re: Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
Post by Cosray - The Hague - Holland on Feb 26^th, 2009, 9:16pm

Today Thursday: no strange indications. No false alarms, no spooky illumination, no rattling relays.

To eliminate all causes took out large number of relays, opened them, measured them for leaks and cleaned all contacts, in and out.
Took out EEC-V, cleaned all 108 contacts + CCM (above EEC-V).
Testrun: all OK.
Current drain in rest however 0.6A (600mA) again, 10 times higher than yesterday. Cause unknown. Left car on float charger for the night.
Test
Any ideas? Any clues?

Title: Re: Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
Post by Highlander on Feb 26^th, 2009, 10:00pm

on 02/24/09 at 17:54:00, Cosray - The Hague - Holland wrote:

The ignition switch is at the opposite end of the barrel to where you stick the key in to start the car, its a round switch with all the ignition wires coming from it.

If it fails all sorts of funny things can happen or not happen, with or without the key.
It has a short loom coming from it with a multiplug under the dash, fairly easy to disconnect or swap another unit to try.

I think i'd start there first ;)

Title: Re: Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
Post by gozz on Feb 26^th, 2009, 10:07pm

It takes a Scot to translate ::)
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
Post by Cosray - The Hague - Holland on Feb 27^th, 2009, 7:23am

Thanks Highlander, gozzz -- I now understand to which part you refer.

Yes, I did check functioning and measured all contacts; apparently no wobbly ones. Though I agree due to its high usage it would be a suspect part.

Exchange -- since it is a security device the physical part seems somehow strongly connected to the steering house and as far as I remember an article on this website it needs to be drilled away.
Is that assumption correct?

Would I have to take out the lock/barrel first?

Curious, Ray

Title: Re: Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
Post by Highlander on Feb 27^th, 2009, 1:51pm

I think only a couple of screws hold it in place if i remember correctly, i've taken them off plenty times so cant be too difficult :)

I would reckon if you remove the plastic cowlings round the steering wheel you would be able to remove it easily

Title: Re: Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
Post by Snoopy on Feb 27^th, 2009, 5:32pm

The part that need to be drilled away is the housing holding the ignition barrel to the steering column. that has shear bolts as a security measure ( HA ;) ).. the switch fits on the back of that and is easily removed. ;)

Title: Re: Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
Post by Cosray - The Hague - Holland on Feb 27^th, 2009, 6:02pm

hahah so I am joining the car burglars ring here? ;D

Will give it a try soon and get the spare part first!

Thanks,

Ray

Title: Re: Battery discharge, spooky lights on, alarm V24
Post by Cosray - The Hague - Holland on Mar 2^nd, 2009, 12:02am

Ran the car this weekend for a 1000 miles - went like a bomb, engine sounded more smooth than ever, started, accelerated, no pinging, consumption 29 MPG left it oovernight on alarm, thenm on single lock: no heebies jeebies, everything normal.

I am at a loss what may have caused the original aberration.

It may well have been a coinciding low battery, a not properly closed relaycontact, a slightly corroded connectorpin.... in Scorpio there's literrally thousands of those...

Fingers crossed... driving this car is so much fun!

Any clues & ideas & afterthoughts welcome though --

Ray