Changed Battery - now serious loss of power!

[Richard Wyndham]

I've just replaced my battery, and the car started OK and ticked over and seemingly revved OK. But on taking it out there was a serious loss of power, and I had to limp home. Tried again this morning, and symptoms the same, but with a couple of misfires as well. So not usable at the moment.

Now my car is a 1999 model, and the handbook just says do not change the battery with the engine running - it does not mention the technique to avoid car alarm going off. I discovered this 5 years ago when I changed the battery last time. Advice on this forum says to put the key in the ignition when changing the battery. So this time I did this, but alarm went off! Reconnected and thought perhaps the ignition needs to be on. Did this and good news: no alarm. Bad news: car doesn't work!!

Could someone confirm that ignition should be on - rather just having the key in? It will be a blow if I've blown the ecu or something by having the wrong technique.

BTW: The car was running fine beforehand, and the battery started struggling just on the previous 2 mornings. The previous batery was 70AH, the new one supplied by the OPC was 80AH.

Spoke to the OPC Service Manager and told him exactly what I had done. He seemed bemused that there was a problem and just suggested that it might need to "reset itself" and try again tomorrow - which is what I have done.

Any experiences in this area will be useful - at the moment looks like I will be getting the RAC to trailer the car to the OPC next week.

 

[spyderman]

Usual practice is key in, ignition on but it didn't work for me - got an earful of the battery-backed alarm in my closed-in garage until the new one (Bosch Silver 80Ah) was in place. Car did a few weird things to start with - windows and Litronics - but certainly no lumpyness.

 

[Timbo2]

I think its key in and in the first position. Worked for me!

 

[Mark_Bennett]

ORIGINAL: Timbo2

I think its key in and in the first position. Worked for me!

This is correct.

I had to re-do the radio code and reset the window "top" position. That's all

 

[Richard Wyndham]

Thanks for responses.

Decided, in best IT traditions, to disconnect and reconnect battery again - this afternoon. Did this with ignition turned on, and no alarms sounded - good.

Then started up, and engine was slightly lumpy and slightly hesitant in revving, when stationary. Took it down the track and drove around for 5 - 10 minutes. It was hesitant in pulling away in any gear, but after a slight delay did pick up speed a bit. But clearly not right. I perservered, and drove a bit further and tried accelerating harder (to see if I can "reset" the engine) and it seemed to get progressively less hesitant and lumpy feeling. Another 10 minutes, with temperature up to normal, it seemed back to normal. So looks like it has re-set itself.

A slight curiosity - after returning to my garage, I locked the car with the remote, and got a strange "squeal" sound from the car. Definately not the beep that you get when a door is not shut properly. Subsequent locking and unlocking hasn't reproduced this noise. Perhaps an indication of a re-set?

None of all this stuff happened last time I replaced the battery.

Anyway, subject to further problems this issue seems to be now closed.