Jump to content
  • 0

Stop Start Issues


Chris
 Share

Question

Hi

Have a 62 plate SE

Almost got the SR just a day too late oh well anyway Im told the SR gives a harde ride anyway, really how can that be?

 

currently have start / stop issues and been in the shop for last 4 days plus 2 previous visits of 2 daya a piece.

Any suggestions wud b most

welcome

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Recommended Posts

  • 0

My SR MultiAir has S/S but its hardly ever worked - despite not getting any errors. It worked for a few times on a trip to Blackpool in the spring after a long run but stopped after I had refuelled. Agree with T about it being the battery voltage though mines a 2011 with 20k miles so hoped it would have been longer lasting. I did start to try to charge the battery but got aload of errors when I reconnected the battery. Even if you have only taken off the voltage sensor (as per the manual) and not the main battery terminals - the car doors will only lock manually as the car thinks its battery has been disabled. This worried me a little so I reconnected it back up to try to charge the next day but had several initial errors which scared me and I then had to reset the locks and windows for the one-touch option as per the handbook. At that point I thought I could live without S/S so will worry about it if its not working whenever I have to get a new battery...............I can live without it! 

Edited by Nello
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Just seen this thread from 10months ago!  My Start/Stop seemed to disappear a year or so ago - I just thought it had learnt to do that by itself.  But for the last few days when starting in the morning the speedo and rev counter have jiggled about with a lot of clicking before eventually turning over and starting.  Once started continues to function happily for rest of the day.

 

Therefore am thinking that the original battery may be dying - just under 3 years or something must be discharging the battery when the car is switched off over night. 

 

When I checked battery sizes for the 1.4 M-Air it seems awfully small (027).  Going to the next appropriate size up, for example an Exide EK700 which may just fit and seems to be the size favoured by Alfa on their equivalent.  The thing is these Start/Stop batteries cost a fortune. 

 

Anyone experienced anything similar?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Hi Mike - funny you should mention but as per my post above from a while ago my S/S still has not worked and I have noticed a couple of times first thing the battery light has flashed on for a quick second first thing in the morning, Still starts and runs perfect but I have also been thinking maybe its time to replace the OE battery to be on the safe side. My cars also a 1.4 MultiAir 2011 so 4 years old now. From experience a usual 5 year term is the average for a battery and with S/S I'm sure this will probably get shorter. Let me know what you decide / how you get on. As previously mentioned the only issue when you disconnect the battery is you will find several errors on the dash and you have to reset the locks and one-touch windows which is pain - electrics always get me nervous! I figure the bigger the battery output the better. Have you tried just charging up?

Euro Car Parts have Boschs 027 Stop/Start battery with a 3 year warranty. Use current promo code Extra10 and its £115

Edited by Nello
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Cleaned the monitoring cable connector and other nearby earth points with electrical contact cleaner, went for a longish drive, left overnight and it started completely normally this morning.  So will watch for the next couple of days.

 

Mine has the original Fiat/Alfa/Lancia battery (which is an Exide) with a stated 450A but checking the specs a new Exide EK600 would give 680A, which would seem to be the best bet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Correct it didn't reactivate.  I watched the display when starting and neither the Start/Stop off indicator came on nor the indicator to show a failure of the system.  The Start/Stop switch is un-illuminated - so not manually switched off.  Previously many moons ago I used to keep switching it off that's why I thought it might have learnt that I didn't want it on.

 

However it is being serviced very soon (3 July) and the specialist has full FIAT/Lancia/Alfa diagnostics and I will check whether it is switched off on the main engine computer as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Yes they work mate but its the 'one-click' auto close/open facility that stop working. Make sure it still does that. Did you change the battery purely to get S/S going again or were there any other symptoms that the OE battery was on its last legs. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Yes, that's what I meant - the one-click operation continued to work after changing the battery even though the manual says the function must be reset. I later followed the reset procedure, when you mentioned it, just out of interest to see if I had in fact missed anything and "to comply" with the manual. They worked just the same - honest. Who knows why?????

 

The original problem was due to a failing battery causing starting problems each morning, not the S/S issue. That was when I put a voltmeter on the battery and found it was reading a little low even after putting it on charge.

 

No starting problems at all since changing the battery - so probably the correct diagnosis.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Thanks Mike. My car starts perfectly still - its just the S/S not functioning so guess I'll wait until something noticeable happens before changing. Mrs Nello does use it though so theres always the danger I could get a call from her.....................I'll see how it goes. Thanks for the mention of that Battery website though. Not heard of that one before.

Edited by Nello
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Ha ha!

 

The CCA is much greater (680 compared to 450) but the AH (60) is the same as original, same physical size (026).  The next size up (096) will fit in the space. 

 

The thing is I found standard larger size batteries, not optimised for S/S, didn't seem to have as good a CCA rating unless one spent considerably more for a similar AGM construction which means £145 or so compared with mid £80s after discount.  Swings and roundabouts.

 

Found I had to remove diagonal bracing strut which runs across the top of the battery in order to get it in place - took me a little while to realise that  but only a couple of minutes to take off and then replace - doh!. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

I get a bit miffed with all these alerts on the dash and things that need resetting once the battery is disconnected. I'm paranoid something won't go off and I'm a stickler for not having any errors or lights on etc. I think I'll change mine before Winter comes...........

Edited by Nello
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Just had the car serviced yesterday at specialist NJS, they confirmed that if they "disabled" the Start/Stop feature in the body computer the system would recognise this and throw up errors which they couldn't work around.  So will have to live with switching it off manually every trip.

 

By the way, they gave me a mild reprimand for not properly "conditioning" the new battery before fitting it - and I thought charging it was good enough - apparently not so for Start/Stop AGM batteries. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Hi Nello, I am not sure of the details but I have seen this elsewhere; where rather than a smooth current flow to charge the battery a pulsed frequency is used (computer sensed and controlled).  The garage owner made a fuss over his equipment costing upwards of £1k.

 

Maybe someone else knows the details???

 

All I can say is that my new battery is rotating the engine very well indeed, even after a "normal" charge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Just to update this - I had my battery disconnected for at least 45 mins the other day when I 'finally' ( :D ) got around to changing my airbag................. Ever since reconnecting - and as such probably resetting the ECU etc. - my stop-start has been functioning perfectly again?!  B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Answer this question...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...