| Author |
Message |
Ming Cheng (Onlinesys)
Junior Member
Username: Onlinesys
Post Number: 163
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 - 10:34 pm: | |
Oh My! Kenneth,
Something wrong with your battery again?! I can't believe it. Hope they could fix it real soon.
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KCCK (Kenneth)
Member
Username: Kenneth
Post Number: 299
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 - 3:16 pm: | |
Norman,
Are you still there? |
KCCK (Kenneth)
Member
Username: Kenneth
Post Number: 286
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 12:00 pm: | |
Norman,
The battery in my 456 has just failed today. This surprises me, because I drove it just 2 days ago. The dealer is looking at it tomorrow.
Any news at your end as to what might be the cause? |
Norman Yung (Storminnormin)
New member
Username: Storminnormin
Post Number: 25
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 06, 2003 - 11:17 pm: | |
Apparently the leak is about 100mA, and factory specs are 50 mA, according to the dealer. I haven't checked the trunk light. Good idea. I will be bringing the car back to the dealer next week so they can continue to troubleshoot. They were kind enough to give me back the car to drive during the holidays. |
Scott Cairncross (Sclja)
New member
Username: Sclja
Post Number: 3
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 01, 2003 - 11:06 pm: | |
Norman, have you checked out the trunk light to see if it is turning off? What is the total drain at this time in milliamps?
Scott lajollaaudio |
Norman Yung (Storminnormin)
New member
Username: Storminnormin
Post Number: 24
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, December 29, 2002 - 2:13 am: | |
Thanks for your input guys. I'll post the findings once the mechanics figure out the problem. |
KCCK (Kenneth)
Junior Member
Username: Kenneth
Post Number: 136
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, December 28, 2002 - 12:35 pm: | |
Norman,
At ferrari owners' forum, this problem has been aired. But without any real answers. Go and have a look if you like.
It is possible that the immobiliser is draining power excessively. Not that it happens on mine. It appears that it differs from car to car.
As far as I am aware, JRV's answer appears to be one of the most pragmatic that I have seen.
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JRV (Jrvall)
Member
Username: Jrvall
Post Number: 424
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Friday, December 27, 2002 - 9:24 am: | |
The way battery drains are usually tracked down is by removing the fuses one by one with battery disconnected at ground terminal and test instrument connected between ground cable and battery ground pole to isolate the drawing circuit. If removing each fuse in turn fails to isolate the problem, the un-fused circuits must then be checked. Of course whomever is checking your 550 surely knows this procedure.
Unfortunately, late model cars always draw when the key is turned off and car is parked. The price we pay for modern convience, technology and electronics. Most manu. specs allow a draw that will kill average batteries in about 3-4 weeks, depending on vairiables. Kill meaning reduce voltage to just at or below starting power.
What I do for my customers is first run a battery Draw Test (described above), if the draw falls within specs and the customer doesn't like using the battery shutoff switch, I install a Battery Maintainer (easily plugged & unplugged from the outside) to prolong the life of the Alternator, Electronics and Battery. Several electronic components on late model (90+) cars are Voltage Spike Sensative including Alternators that Full Field every time the car is started. So the best way to avoid premature failure of components due to Voltage Spike issues is to keep battery maintained at the top of it's range. |
Norman Yung (Storminnormin)
New member
Username: Storminnormin
Post Number: 22
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, December 26, 2002 - 10:34 pm: | |
A few weeks ago I brought my '97 550 to the dealership for some unrelated cosmetic issues, and while there, they were checking the mechanicals and found the car was drawing 4 times more power from the battery while parked with ignition off than factory specs allow. (This explains why the battery died on me a few months ago. Since then I have been using the factory battery kill switch so the battery has been juiced.) The dealership replaced the battery and then found some corroded contacts in the door which they fixed, and then found the factory radio was drawing excessive battery power so they pulled it out and sent it out for repair. But, apparently the battery drain is still at least two times higher than factory specs. I have had the car for 4 months and bought it from the dealership in my area. Do any of you guys have any thoughts or ideas? |