some kind of power/electrical/battery/fuse/connection issue with my 08 FG xr6 turbo

[Roo32]

Hi all, I really need some assistance please (FYI I am not a mechanical car person at all).  Having some kind of power/electrical/battery/fuse/connection issue with my 08 FG xr6 turbo.  Let me run you through what has happened.

Sunday morning I go to start the car and click, click, click with ‘Vehicle immobilised’ on the screen. Yes I know this generally means dead battery and to get a new one.  So I do and still does the same thing.

Try a heap of different things throughout Sunday. (Disconnect battery for different periods, lock and unlock car etc etc) but to no avail (randomly gt different codes (vehicle immobilised, comms error, transmission not in park and it’s a manual).  Late Sunday afternoon when trying again accessories come on (as they had previously) but when turning ignition it just dies completely.  Then disconnect for a while, try again and dies completely again.

Later I try charging the battery in case the new one was a dud, but it makes no difference. Then I tried charging the battery over Sunday night.  Monday morning before work try again, get accessories (as previously had) and get the ‘transmission not in park’ message.  Try ignition and dies completely again.

Then I get home from work and try again and get basically no power at all. No accessories, keys don’t open or lock car, no inside lights when opening the door. Only faint sign of power is the boost gauge vaguely flickering in the on position and the air bag light being on when off.

A mate came round and measured the battery and it is putting out the 13 volts so I don’t think it is the battery itself (plus it is new).  At some point sufficient power is not getting to the car.

If anyone has any idea your feedback would be great?

Really frustrating!

[k31th]

sounds like a loose connection of the engine earth strap or starter motor electrical connections.

[Roo32]

Thanks mate.  Is that difficult to fix or what would be involved? Would a standard Auto electrician be able to fix it?

[skidxr6t]

did you clean the battery terminals when changing the battery? ^

[k31th]

it's easy to check yourself. Just follow the wires from the battery directly to their connections.

 

The engine earth strap is underneath the turbo intake piping and runs from the chassis on the strut tower and connects to the engine on the other side.

 

The starter motor is near the firewall underneath the intake plenum.

 

Of course a professional would sort be able to sort it out for you.

[Roo32]

Thanks mate appreciate it.  I'll probably try and get someone who knows their stuff to look at that stuff.  Is there anything else you think it could possibly be? (Hard to say without seeing I know)

 

10 minutes ago, skidxr6t said:

did you clean the battery terminals when changing the battery? ^

Yeah, the terminals are in really good condition (as far as I can tell anyway)

[k31th]

it's pretty much sure to be a bad/loose connection somewhere in the starting/battery system, unless there's some other symptoms you haven't told us.