Grrrrr. Still can't get it to start!

You need to get a voltage reading on the car. Auto part stores will have a cheap voltmeter if you don't already have one, our cars are extremely sensitive to low voltage and it's not a good idea to try a start it with less than 12.5 volts. It is not uncommon for a battery in a really cold environment to a have a cell or two die off rendering it useless even with a battery charger. You may be buying a battery, good luck.

 

I went into my garage last week to get something out of the car and the interior light was dead, battery flat, checked the battery tender to find it was totally dead and the power light on the unit was only being lit due to the last bit of power left in the battery.
Luckily a new battery tender and a night of charging had it back to perfect condition, no cells down. I'm going to keep an eye on the charger from now on.

 

How is the battery in the remote?

If that is good and the immobilizer will still not respond, the rechargeable battery in the immobilizer itself may need replacing...there are a number of threads on this site to perform the procedure, but I would start with replacing the 12vt battery in the remote first...common and easy to find at any drug store photo dept.

 

There's a battery in the immobilizer? One of the modules behind the driver's seat?

 

Still have the problem or is it sorted out?

 

random question, but is this a low voltage thing with the immobilizer or would removing the battery for the winter also cause it? More or less a question to try and prevent this in the future.

 

I doubt if low voltage caused the problem (although it seems it can cause a problem with the air bag module). That's not to say the immobilizer or even the Motronic module will work if the voltage is too low. They will not, but, it should simply be a matter of getting the battery voltage back up to the correct range via charging.

Removing the car battery would not cause the problem.

 

No, there is a rechargeable nickel cadnium battery inside the alarm horn. This is mounted behind and below the bumper, on the drivers side I believe.

You can search for threads, there are several on the repair procedure. But as I recall, the fail point for the internal alarm battery is a constant "on" of the red LED. But let me check and I will post the thread....standby...

Sorry, according to the threads I read, a bad battery in the alarm module should not prevent starting of the car. So your problem may be more involved...perhaps a bad ignition switch?

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=132336&highlight=355+alarm+battery

Bruce Wellington is an Fchatter and battery dealer, if you send him the old battery he will rebuild it better than new (I think he will replace the nicads with nickel metal hydride batteries) $40 or $50 versus $900 or more for a new alarm horn.

 

Yes, I can confirm that a bad battery in the siren module will not stop the car from starting. Mine started fine with a dead/leaking battery in it and still did after removing the entire siren module.

If memory serves, I contacted Bruce Wellington some time ago and he no longer supplies replacement batteries.

 

Okay, I just PM'd Bruce Wellington and yes, he says he has retired from the battery business and recommend we contact Tom Jones at Sport Auto as he has a stock of them: [email protected]

BTW, if you have a battery rebuilder in your town, these can be made by anyone with raw stock of nicad or nickel metal hydride cells and the machine to weld the tabs and heat shrink them together to form the battery (which is an assembly of individual cells).

I have had packs built by these guys before: http://www.energy-sales.com/

 

Bill, keep us posted if this problem comes back or not...

 

I wonder if it works like saying "candyman" 3 times???

Great news Bill, I hope it stays programmed in and you can get some fun in the sun with her

 

Phew! good to hear