Starting a 360 Spider

My friend has a 2003 Ferrari 360 Spider with a paddle shifter. He has since passed away and his son asked me how to start it as it hasn't been driven in over a year. The following details have been relayed to me by his son.

1. The car has been on a trickle charger-It has a full charge as evident by bright headlights and electronics

2. I have exposed the battery at the passenger footrest and all seems to be in order

3. Both times trying to start it I closed the door to ensure that the alarm is disarmed and turned the key. All gauges move, but all I hear is a thug and nothing turns over. It displays a “N” on the instrument panel. I am assuming that is for neutral.

4. I only have one black key and cannot locate the red key

5. I have read numerous blogs and most mention the possibility of the red key being the
“Immobilizer”


Any help would be appreciated.

 

You are pressing the fob button and hearing two beeps first BEFORE trying to start the car correct? Pressing the fob button (inside or outside) the car is necessary to disarm the immobilizer, just to be clear. Also once you hear the two beeps you have a minute or two to start the car before you have to do the "two beep" procedure again....PS Don't worry about the red fob for now.

 

Not sure about the 360 but on the 430 the battery tender has to be disconnected for the car to start.

 

yep 612 and FF too

 

FWIW My 360 starts no problem with tender connected.....still think it has to do with incorrect operation of fob/disabling imbolizier...see above...that's where I would start.....

 

Your 360 does not have a factory CTEK with factory connectors like the late F430s, 612s, and 599s. Those do disable the ignition, but no factor with a 360, unless it came with a rare factory Zivan, and probably not then.

Odds are the problem is not using the fob correctly, as stated. The key has nothing to do with the immobilizer, only the fob or the PIN code can disarm the immobilizer. Once disarmed with the fob, it takes 120 seconds for the immobilizer to rearm itself if no start attempt is made.

 

Your procedure reads incomplete / incorrect - apologies for any error I now make

You need one key and one fob - from a locked car plip the fob - a little light will wink on the fob and the car unlock - get in

Put the key in the ignition and check the little red LED to your right on the centre dash - if it is blinking plip the fob again until it stops

Ignition on - pull back on both paddles to get/check 'N' (neutral) - do not start the car until you see 'check ok' in front of you - start the car

Let it idle a while - if you want to go in gear you need to press the brake pedal hard

This is covered on page 3.5 of the manual (approx)

Let us know any part that does not make sense or that does not work

 

I think your battery is shot, it may have been on a trickle and may show full voltage but you said nothing turns over. Even IF you are not disabling the immobilizer the engine will turn over, it just wont start but it will turn over. So the fact the engine is not turning over implies to me a bad battery or bad connections, if it sat for a year, there could be corrision on the terminals and you are not getting any amps to the starter.

And yes N is for neutral, you can either pull back both paddles to get into neutral or let the car do it for you as you turn the engine over. The 360 will start with the door open.

 

Are you pressing on the brake pedal when you turn the key? Make sure you press hard if the car has been sitting.

 

dont the trunk and hoods beed to be closed also? i vaguely remember a buddy driving my 360 spider and some how cldnt start the car because he had by mistake opened the hood or trunk

 

OP...Any luck??

 

open and close the hoods.

 

the 360 will start with the front hood and engine compartment open, it will give you a warning on the dash and happily start. It will NOT go into gear however with them open.

I say again, check the battery, you are not getting enough juice to the starter.

 

My 360 wont turn over at all unless you bleep the immobilizer...just FYI.

 

mine will turn over...and turn over and turn ...until I either start dialing AAA or remember to disable it. In my defense I only got to the point of looking up AAA's number once on the first day of ownership. Since then, its just oh crap forgot yet again when it turns over and does not start.

 

my 360 CS does that but its the alarm cut off switch. you need to arm and disarm the car to get the car started....really annoying

 

thats right, i stand corrected.

 

Check the fuel supply interruption inertia switch. It's located on the driver side lower left foot well. Remove the cover and press the button on the switch. Turn the ignition switch to II position and wait a few seconds and then start up the engine.

 

No word from OP if any of these suggestions worked??.....

At least I have a list of trouble shooting tips now....Thanks, LOL!!

 

Thanks for all of your help. I passed on the suggestions and will let you know how it turns out

 

i'm going to throw out another suggestion just for good luck. If the battery is not up to snuff to crank the engine at a sufficient RPM, the ECUs will cut off the injectors to prevent the engine from flooding.