My poor neglected 360 is in a very bad mood:(

My extremely neglected 2004 360 Spyder has been parked for 2 years without moving. I have been on a work trip overseas and simply not able to drive the car at all for this long.

I had paid for someone to look after the car ( start it up once a month for couple minutes and make sure all is well) only to find today, not ONCE they went to look at the car or start it, and that the cover had been taken out (or stolen) and I was never told! I am so furious. The condition of the car is beyond deplorable, cant describe. I really cant believe it.

Anyway, added to that, 2 extra big surprises. First there is mold inside everywhere (I think I can clean-up somehow with proper products and effort though I have no idea how this happened). Secondly, to my absolute shock and disbelief, just about EVERYWHERE, all the parts inside are sticky. Some literally "melting" if touched.. inside body panels, all plastics, most of the trim, door knobs, even electric buttons, ashtray cover and small things.. all of it. Its an absolute horror! I honestly CAN'T believe after all these years, with similar problems on most of the 80's and 90's Ferraris before, that Ferrari NEVER changed the stupid materials and formulation of these plastics and coatings and this happens yet again on the 360 car to such a horrifying extent. I am so at awe I honestly don't even know where to begin on how to fix all of it.

Anyway, this is actually the "good" news. Now the "bad" news. The car doesn't work because of an issue with the immobilizer.. (I think)..

Here are the chain of events this morning: I had left the battery (new one) disconnected for all the time the car was parked. When I reconnected the battery today, things came back to life, alarm chirp sounded, all lights good, all clear and OK on the dash, I could successfully arm/disarm the immobilizer and open/close remotely the doors.. all good. But when I tried start the car, as I expected the battery didn't have enough juice. It was enough to give the starter initially a couple very slow cranks but then got disengaged and just doing the "click click click" sound as all the lights in the dash dim. MY STUPID MISTAKE, I insisted this a few times knowing perfectly the battery was dead and that this procedure can fry electric parts, relays and fuses.

After this, I just decided to go buy a new battery and not even deal with trying to charge this older battery that probably was already in poor health. I turned off the master battery switch in the luggage compartment, removed the old battery, installed the new battery, then turned on the master battery switch again. To my worry I immediately noticed it seemed my remote was not actuating on and off the immobilizer or remotely opening/closing the doors as before. Then I tried to start-up the car (now the starter fired up in full force and healthy sound), but of course the engine doesn't start. I disconnected the battery again and waited about an hour and reconnected it. Same problem. No alarm chirp sound, no communication between the remote and the immobilizer.. nothing. All was working perfectly before I forced-tried to start the car with the low battery, but clearly something happened in the process.

I have tried all the basic things I know like replacing the battery on the remote, then trying to re-set communication between the immobilizer and the remote by pressing it 3 times quickly, and several times connecting and disconnecting the battery. All useless.

I know most of you guys are awesome at knowing these issues and have lots of more knowledge and experience that I don't have. Id be super appreciative of your advice and suggestions as to what I should do.. and I am also curious to know how and why this has happened..

And as for the whole car inside being a super-glue swamp, I don't even know where to begin. I am so frustrated and upset that I cant think straight at this point. Anyway.. first of all, the car needs to get running again.

Thanks again very much in advance for your advice on all this!
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So sorry to hear your situation. Hope it'll be sorted as painless as possible. I can't assist much as I'm not technically savy. Keep us up to date and I'm sure others will be able to lend a hand.

 

Thanks for the encouragement, Cyt! Keeping the spirits high as always in hopes for a solution for this one

 

2 years of not moving. I would have it towed to the dealership. You will need to flush all fluids, probably replace hoses and perform a full service. New tires as well as they're likely flat spotted.
I assume you're not based in US, here I would say send your sticky parts to the forum sponsor StickyNoMore.

 

Very sorry to hear.

I agree on the tow. However, given your last post, have you tried those solutions?
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/360-430/324473-im-middle-nowhere-dead-360-a.html

It happened before, unsure if it could be the same thing again, esp if you have replaced the battery.

 

on the plus side, this is a detailer's "before and after" wet dream

find a good local detailer and it will look like new soon!

 

FerRrari, thanks for the tip.. yeah not in the US now and around here no one with solutions for sticky parts except telling me to replace the parts.. which is too heavy of a thought

haha I hear you GuyIncognito.. well, the detail is the last of my concerns. First I need to get the car running

The issue I had before had to do with the transmission and the car not getting into gear, nothing to do with the issue now of the immobilizer in any way. I wish was the same problem as I know how to solve the F1 getting stuck

My best bet at this point is that this sounds the immobiliser is armed and that the remote isn't communicating with it by some reason.. or that the immobilizer itself got fried while I was trying to unsuccessfully crank-up the car with the low battery and the momentary spikes and fluctuations in voltage during the process. I am really worried and frustrated

 

Painful, first fire or disown the person hired to take care of it ???
Tow to dealer, spend the bucks for a good detail.
Dealer may have a local source to help with the sticky parts.
Sticky parts are frustrating, you would think at about 5 years when reports of "sticky" was no doubt common .... Someone at Ferrari would say "We need to change this quick" but how many more years/models did they just keep doing the same thing ??????????

 

If you post your location, you may get help from some local F chat people.

 

Thanks much Enzojr. I will follow your suggestions as far as getting the car prepped up, but first of all I really wanted to get started and get this issue with the immobilizer solved. I am currently in Hong Kong, where the car has been basically stuck for the past couple years. The Ferrari community here is fairly large, but not as accessible as in the US and a bit hard to reach. And there is only one Ferrari dealer here that charges absurd costs for anything and is typically not up to par with the helpfulness and courtesy of some US and European dealers.. That is one of my dilemmas.

 

Before you send it to the dealership
1) replace the battery in the remote if you haven't yet.
2) Turn off the battery and wait 15-20 minutes
3) When it comes back on press the remote quite a few times. Make sure the red LED in the remote comes on when you press it. It may take 10-20 presses for it to synch with the main alarm system
4) When the doors lock/unlock then try starting it. The car immobilizer is disabled for a minute when the doors unlock with the remote.
5) After it starts get the fluids replaced!
6) Try rubbing alcohol on the sticky parts. Rub it on with a rag.
7) Wash the silly car!

 

Hi vrsurgeon, thanks much for the tips. OK, Ill recap:

- I replaced the battery in the remote first thing when I noticed the system wasn't working properly, even though the light was turning red and the remote was working before.

- I did pressed the remote several times after disconnecting the battery equally several times after letting it rest a while throughout the day. I didn't do 10 or 20 presses, didn't count, but did a lot.. some short, some longer.. tried all combinations. The red LED in the remote comes on when its pressed, bright and good every time.

- I will try do more presses as you suggest. So far of course the doors don't lock/unlock. If I get them to budge surely Ill try immediately starting the car. Ill surely replace the fluids asap once the car is running again.

- Rubbing alcohol on the sticky parts with a rag? I can try but.. its not a few parts, its everywhere! ..from door knobs to electric buttons to the steering column covers.. its a mess.. all of it everywhere.

- ..and Ill wash the damned car.. bath of the century

 

Before starting, shake the car vigorously to mix gas...do so for 5 minutes every hour for a full day. Better yet, drain the old gas and fill with new, then shake it.

Check fuses/relays before writing off electrical stuff.

Wash off car in driveway with watering can to drizzle off the dust/dirt. When sorted, have it expertly detailed (the mold will come off). Tell the detailer about the sticky stuff; it should clean off with mild solutions.

Call the dealer of purchase to acquire codes that may have disappeared when the residual electrics wore off: there is likely an internal battery for code storage which activates the immobilizer. If the immobilizer is not OEM, have it professionally removed.

Unfriend the ***hole who did this. However, you should have touched base with him/her as a reminder...you know this.

 

Try another remote.

 

Robz328 thanks much for the reply and tips Ill do the gas mixing, you have a very good point about that.. have less 1/4 of a tank now. Maybe mix some extra fresh couple gallons.

The only way to check the fuses is taking them out one by one and looking at them. I took the cover behind the drivers seat and there are a ton of them. I have no idea what I am looking for, so, Ill need to do it one by one. As for the relays, I can only plug and unplug them to make sure good contacts between the pins and the base. I really cant check if they are OK by looking at them. B y the way how they come out?.. just pull them out? I tried earlier to take a couple out and they are very well stuck in their sockets and I gave up worrying I would break something else..

Once I can get the car running I plan to wash it off starting off with water housing at medium pressure and slowly increasing it to get it all out without touching the car with anything else. the dust on it is like sand paper, scary stuff.

Wash off car in driveway with watering can to drizzle off the dust/dirt. When sorted, have it expertly detailed (the mold will come off).

Im in Hong Kong now, the car was bought originally in San Diego. Its a long shot but Ill contact them if needed.

As for my "friend", my initial anger has turned into disappointment. The hating is useless, the damage is done. So is the trust, gone and buried. Ill write off this episode and learn to trust people less than I already do. Sad but no other way..

 

I did. I have 2. Replaced the battery on both (their previous batteries were still good anyway). No budge no matter the remote used.

 

look on the bright side, if you are in northern part of china like I am, where temperature can flucturate from -15 to 35 celcuis in a year round, your car could be in worse shape. I think you could use a little thanks to that hong kong weather.

oh, dusts too, for 2 years in northern china, you are going to look at a dust dune with the shape of a car

 

Sorry to hear - I was really sad after reading your post. The photos made me want to cry. Think of how many people laughed at this poor, gorgeous red lady.

 

The best you could do is just replace all fuses and relays, cleaning the terminals (in the fuse/relay boxes with Q-tips) with rubbing alcohol (I use 91%, not 70%) before installing the new. Don't energize until all alcohol has dried off.

 

It should clean up fine.

Definitely clean/inspect the underside as well. It's the things not seen that cause the most trouble.

 

I don't think this will start unless you get the old gas out or at least mix in 5+ gallons of new gas AND purge the fuel that is already in the fuel lines. Trying to start it with that old gas in the line could be dumping old gas into the cylinders and flooding it.

Also, as others have mentioned, you can wipe the sticky of the parts. Remove them and do that. Do it sooner than later. You want that sticky crap off before you start doing anything inside the car. That crap can transfer the the leather very easily just from you moving around in the car doing other things or driving.

 

Serious on the above, a very small amount on a sleeve or pant leg will be all over everything in short order. Maybe cover it with plastic wrap until you get the car started.

 

Also reach out to your local Ferrari community in your regional area in that sub forum, they may have an independent shop close by.

 

I'd like to know what you did to the guy who was supposed to take care of it.

 

I think right now he just wants to know if anyone can help him to get the car to re-learn the remote control so that he could at least get the immobilize off and start the car. I guess it is doing a very good job.......not starting the car.