Not wants to start......electrical problems?

[espritpassion]

Hello all !

Yesterday I put off the battery of my GT3, because I need to start an other car (that remained without battery on the way)

Today I fitted my battery and also I replaced the ECU with my original ECU (I swapped the ECU some times ago, it was give from a friend and now I replaced my ECU that was ok).

Now the problem is that the car not want to start, the problems seems electrical because the dashboard go on but not work the Alarm and central door locking seems died. Infact the red light (I have the V8 internal) is always off and it remain off

I looked the battery and it seem ok (its new and charged), the problem seem come from the ALARM (engine lock), because the (engine lock/alarm light is always off) so I can't start the engine.

What you think about? Could be a fuse ? where / which is located this fuse ?

Thanks

Alessandro

[lotus4s]

Did you check the inertia switch in the front right corner of the engine bay? (I think that's where it's at on your car)

[espritpassion]

Thanks Jim, I will check it....can you explain what exactly check there ?

[jonwat]

It won't be the inertia switch if it was fine when the cars was last parked, it's got to be something with the alarm needing resetting after the battery was disconnected but I don't know how.

[lotus4s]

It could be a lot of things but it's simple and worth checking the switch particularly since he was working in that area swapping the ECM's.

After that, I'd start checking the wiring and connectors at the ECM.

Does the engine turn over and not start, or does it not turn over at all?

The switch has a rubber cover on the top. If tripped it will be raised up, push down to reset. See the green arrow.

Edited May 23, 2011 by lotus4s

[espritpassion]

The engine does not turn over at all....the problem is that the alarm light is OFF (+ the door central locking doesn't work), turning the key the dashboard go on but seems that the immobilazer doesn't go the engine on so it does not turn over at all (no starting noise)

I will check the inertia switch, but maybe this is not the problem, because if I understand correctly it lock the gasoline pump but not the engine starter and not electrical sistem and immobilizer.

Now seems that the immobilizer is ON and I can't start the engine (it does not turn over at all)

The ECM was checked and all connections are ok..... now I will try with the inertia switch, then try to see about the immobilizer/alarm (?)

thanks

[lotus4s]

In that case, check the wire that goes to the starter solenoid and see if it's come off. It is a white/red wire and should be just rear of the oil dip stick tube going to the starter solenoid.

It's possible it could be the immobiliser but check the easy stuff first.

Make sure you have a good charge on the battery too.

Didn't you have this same problem before and it was the starter solenoid wire?

link

Edited May 23, 2011 by lotus4s

[Advantage]

Put the other ECU back on and try again.

[espritpassion]

@lotus4s: the inertia switch its not the problem

Will look the starter solenoid connection, but this is not the problem because this time the alarm/immobilizer light is always off

Putted the other ECU on but the same problems.

I will try now to use the transponder to reset the key and look if the immobilizer/alarm will light flash.......

[espritpassion]

Did the tests but nothing....the transponder will not re-activate the alarm/immobilizer and central door locking, so the car does not start because the immobilizer is ON (I thinK)

What could be the problem ??

Where are located the Alarm/Immobilizer FUSEs ? On manual said that they are located under the dashboard....looked but nothing sort out......please help me

Thanks

Alessandro

[espritpassion]

no news about immobilzed problem??? please help me, the car is still died!

thx

[Bibs]

Does this help?

[espritpassion]

Hi Bibs Thanks for your advice.

Unfortunately does it not help ! because in this case the LED is always OFF, it generally is a red led intermittent.....but now its always OFF

I think that could be a FUSE but don't know where is exactly located.....its not in the front bonnet or rear engine bonnet it should be internal

please help me!

thanks

[espritpassion]

Hi All

No news.....the car is still died....tried disconnecting the battery and again no news

Where are the Esprit gurus ?????? have everybody sold their esprit ??

please help me !

[Jonathan]

Alarm fuse is generally just under the steering wheel column. You have to lay in the car head facing the pedals legs poking out of the sun roof (pretty unfomfortable) and get a head torch.

It can be hard to find in the nest of wires but it is under there.

Taking off the trim behind the steering wheel can also help. The last thing you can do is switch the cars main lights on then remove the key and open the door - the "lights on" buzzer should sound (which warns you that the lights have been left on) - the fuse is near this buzzer sound you can use the noise to try and locate it....might not work but it's a good guess.

Does sound like the alarm has got the arse, hopefully its a quick fix.

I had a fella come to me with an electrical fault on a V8 once and the alarm dieded.

He found that the antenna of the alarm had come off so the key fob would not un-immobilise the car - if you have a push in key, try that as well.

The central locking doesnt work either right ?

What about if you try the ignition key in the door lock - try shutting the door and locking manually (you'll fee the solenoid pull the lock down and hear it too) - I have seen a car get stuck with the central locking before, preventing the immobiliser from working.

Try locking and unlocking and see if that helps - only thing I can suggest.

[espritpassion]

Thanks Jonathan for your help!

I think that the first thing to do is to try to re-activate the Alarm LED wich is located (in the V8 internal like mine) above the dash middle place. If this continue to stay OFF and it doesn't flash, the car will not start because the immobilizer is ON or however the alarm is ON

I will try to find this fuse, my car is LHD so maybe it can be located under the dash passenger footwell, infact here there's also the COBRA-6422 that I checked if its ok and seems all ok here.

I will update you ! If someone have a photo of this fuse or know exactly where is located on last GT3 or V8 will be fine!

sorry about my "the car will not start because the immobilizer is ON or however the alarm is ON"....in this case the LED is OFF so the Alarm is OFF and the central door locking and immobilizer doesn't work!

[espritpassion]

I was hours under the dashboard upside down .... but nothing seems there are no fuses, many wires, plugs but it seems to be fuses (not the classic fuses)

I looked under the steering wheel column and nothing, I followed the Jonathan advice about "the light ON buzzer" but nothing sort out, nothing fuses near the buzzer

I looked under the dashboard passenger footweel, but here only the COBRA6422 and seems no fuses..... it may be on the central dashboard ????

Someone know this FUSE....please for your help !

Thanks

Alessandro

[Bibs]

Why do you think it's a fuse anyway?

[Rich H]

Sounds more like the alarm immobiliser is goosed for some reason.

Is there an override? IF the battery in the alarm was knackered it might have lost all it's settings.

[fflyingdog]

Is the battery in the alarm key fob ok????

[Jonathan]

From the alarm itself there should be a purple + blue wire, that is the live feet to the alarm.

Follow the wire as best you can and it should lead to the fuse.

Wiring under an Esprit is and can be a tricky business, where I have seen fuses on 1 car, they are not in the same place on another.

If there are no lights on the immobiliser/alarn tell tale then there is a liklihood the alarm/imobiliser is problematic - fault finding on your own can be pointless - you're probably going to get more joy out of calling a specialist out to fix it.

Did you try manually locking the doors and see if that helps ?

[espritpassion]

@ Bibs: Im not sure about the FUSE but probably its....the car was fine before put off the battery and swapped the ECU, maybe when replaced the battery something was bad

@ Rich: do you mean the battery in the key-fob: its ok, I have key-fob its the same....but the car was ok before disconnect the battery !

@ Nick: its ok, the led is red when I push the key-fob, I can try to change the battery but this is not the problem ( I think)

@ Jonathan: I will follow this wire, hope to find this fuse so I can understand if the alarm is ok or no. I tried locking/unlocking the doors manually this not helped me!

the problem of a specialist, is that here don't know specialist!

[Bibs]

http://www.pbracing.it/

[espritpassion]

I know Pbracing, but unfortunately they are 1,200KM so far.....and however their are specialist on Elise/Exige.....

[Bibs]

Same alarm - Give them a call