2 Questions...

Sorry for the questions right off the start but I did a search here and didn't find anything specific. Note: mine is a 1999 F1 360.

1. With a completely dead battery that requires a true recharge (rather than using the tender) can a charger be safely attached to the battery poles and then the battery charged as long as the battery switch in the trunk has been turned off? The manual appears to read that all attached wires/connections must be removed from the battery before actual charging, but this seems to be a PITA if true. Obviously not asking about jump starting, rather using a standard charger.

2. Sometimes after I drive the car and exit the vehicle (with activating the alarm) and return to the vehicle to start it, the car will turn over but not actually start. If I engage and then disengage the alarm the car will then start normally. The delivery driver told me that he has experienced this with other Ferraris and mentioned it to me upon delivery. It appears to be related to the immobilization feature of the alarm but not sure why it would immobilize the vehicle if I hadn't activated the alarm, only turned the car off.

Thanks in advance.

 

I don't have an answer to your first question, but the second question is related to the immobilizer. After the car has been off for a period of time (even if you don't activate the alarm), the immobilizer will kick in. You will find this even when you shut off the car for filling up at a gas station if it is off long enough. You have to click the remote to activate and then click the remote again to deactivate to restart the car. I think you hear two-chirps when unlocked and deactivated (I went from a 360 to a 430 about 6 months ago so my recollection is a little hazy). Thankfully the 430 doesn't do that!

 

1. depends what type of charger you use. if you use a ctek 7002 or something comparable you don't have to unhook all the electronics and that's what ctek says. i still unhooked it --- it's actually very simple; by loosening the main nut the whole thing comes loose of the battery terminal so you can then lift it out of the way and start charging. for more powerful chargers than the ctek, i would definitely do this.

now however i've attached the ctek charging adapter eyelets on each terminal and have been using them to charge the battery, keeping the electronics attached. if you're not going to drive your car weekly, i would suggest you have a set up so the battery can be kept on a tender/charger.

2. as above, the immobilizer will time out if you don't fire up the car and leave the key in the ignition. the thing i do is press the immobilzer button everytime i first go to start up car and it seems to work. but yes it's a pain in the butt. also worth mentioning is that on a 1999 360 your alarm module battery may be dead making the LED in the car and chirps unreliable as an indicator of whether your immobilizer is armed or not. it's easy to replace.