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my car is dead...
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I had a similiar issue.ROCKCENTER said:
http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4820
It turned out to be a loose cable at the junction box behind the battery. Good luck.
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Dead battery. It happens! Not a problem, it's an Interstate battery and the warranty is with the manufacturer of the battery.ROCKCENTER said:
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thank you AAA... all is well in the world again.
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Congratulations.... all is well in the world again...thanks to AAA!ROCKCENTER said:
....but, doesn't necessarily mean that your problem is solved. Three things come to mind.
1) You left something on which was draining.
2) Something is draining which is unknown.
3) Battery is defective.
I had a situation several years ago where I bought a new Sears 'Diehard' for my MR2. It only lasted one week and was dead. I took it back to Sears to find out that the batteries have a shelf life. This one was basically expired when I bought it. There is a date on the tag which indicates when it was manufactured. It had sat on the shelf too long and shouldn't have been sold. They replaced it....no problem....but these things do happen.
The headlights or parking lights when left on lead to a warning sound when you open the driver's door. It's easy to leave the parking lights on since you turn the parking and heads on with one push of the headlight button. But you turn them off by hitting the headlight and then parking light buttons, which is unusual. I think it's important to discover what happened in your case.
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AutoZone (and probably other car parts stores) test batteries for free. They have some fancy battery test device that they hook it up to. I would go and have it checked. If you don't figure out what went wrong, it will happen again.
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If all the accessories worked but the car did not crank over that means one of two things happened:
1. The battery did not have enough power to crank the starter, which requires a LOT more juice than accessories. Either caused by a defective battery or you left something on that drained it. Test it, and if necessary charge it fully.
OR
2. The cable that runs from the battery to the starter is loose or not getting a good connection. This is usually a totally different cable than the one that powers accessories (I assume the Elise is the same). They're mounted to the same terminal, but its the thick one that goes to the starter. Frequently you get a good enough connection to power a few amps of accessories but not enough to turn the starter. The clicking you hear is the starter relay. Disconnect the cables, scuff up the terminals a bit, and really tighten them up well.
-Dave
'05 Lotus Elise (BRP, Touring, Hardtop)
1. The battery did not have enough power to crank the starter, which requires a LOT more juice than accessories. Either caused by a defective battery or you left something on that drained it. Test it, and if necessary charge it fully.
OR
2. The cable that runs from the battery to the starter is loose or not getting a good connection. This is usually a totally different cable than the one that powers accessories (I assume the Elise is the same). They're mounted to the same terminal, but its the thick one that goes to the starter. Frequently you get a good enough connection to power a few amps of accessories but not enough to turn the starter. The clicking you hear is the starter relay. Disconnect the cables, scuff up the terminals a bit, and really tighten them up well.
-Dave
'05 Lotus Elise (BRP, Touring, Hardtop)
Dead Battery
As a follow up I just had the same thing happen. I have not driven the Lotus for a week. I usually leave the key in the ignition in the off position. When I went to start it today I just got the clicking sound and no turnover. I put a charger on it and after about 5 minutes it started. Maybe there some current passed through the system when the key is left in the switch? I am leaving the key out now and will see what happens.
As a follow up I just had the same thing happen. I have not driven the Lotus for a week. I usually leave the key in the ignition in the off position. When I went to start it today I just got the clicking sound and no turnover. I put a charger on it and after about 5 minutes it started. Maybe there some current passed through the system when the key is left in the switch? I am leaving the key out now and will see what happens.
Ooh, ooh maybe I know
Pg. 44 of the owners manual sez:
"Altough the engine ignition system itself draws no current when the engine is stopped, a battery drain will occur through other circuits even when auxiliary equipment is not being used.
For security reasons and to guard against battery drain, always remove the key when leaving the car."
Pg. 44 of the owners manual sez:
"Altough the engine ignition system itself draws no current when the engine is stopped, a battery drain will occur through other circuits even when auxiliary equipment is not being used.
For security reasons and to guard against battery drain, always remove the key when leaving the car."
It does turn off when you take the key out, but the radio still has power.raggedy1 said:
Pressing the on/off switch twice will bring the radio back on.
Taking the faceplate out and put it back in while it's on and it comes on.
Turn the key all the way to the aux possition and the radio will reset the song on the MMC card when you press the start button.
But I got used to all those things already, actually I like to be able to listen to music while washing my car without the need for the key.
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