Car won't start a week after I bought it

marlot

radish_radish wrote: »

...Immediately, I noticed the central locking was faulty so I reported that I couldn't open the rear doors without unlocking from the inside first...

It could be programmed to do a 2-stage unlock? (drivers door only initially, then the other doors)

radish_radish wrote: »

...A few days later, I went to start the engine and it wouldn't start - just made a click sound...

That's normally a symptom of a flat battery, or bad connection (battery to starter, battery to car body or car body to engine)

radish_radish wrote: »

...I have a 3 month warranty with the dealer...

In addition to your statutory rights. Plus, you should check what limits there are on the warranty - a LR can be very expensive!

radish_radish wrote: »

...they are keen to take it to their own garage rather than me sort the issues via my garage.. this may be standard procedure, not sure.

That's their right, and indeed is usually a good idea (from their point of view).

marlot

radish_radish wrote: »

The device the RAC man used to check the battery shower 113%. ...

Like others, I don't understand this 113% (and have been around vehicle electrics for years. I can only assume you mean 11.3v - which is a pretty flat battery. That's not unusual with recently bought used cars - they've often been standing around for a while.


That click is the starter solenoid engaging. You normally don't hear it because the starter is then turning the engine and it fires up.

AdrianC

5yo, electronic-heavy vehicle. Sat on a forecourt for a while, little use...

Now two low-voltage symptoms in short order. (My vote's on "113" being 11.3v, too, which is about 10% charge and deep into "permanent damage" territory)

Just get a new battery on it (whoever ends up paying), and all will almost certainly be good.

radish_radish

It was 113 percent which is why the RAC man commented that it was odd to be over 100.

The 2 stage locking is something I tried turning on and off - to rule out user error when diagnosing the central locking fault. It's not that.

The mechanic also noted that the battery was a "start/stop" battery and the car doesn't stop and start at junctions etc.. He seemed to think it was a powerful battery for the car - it clearly has been changed at some point.

The dead battery idea is odd - I drove to nursery with no issues, picked the kids up and the engine was maybe off for a minute.. then wouldn't start.

parking_question_chap

To be fair, with a 5 year old Range Rover. I wouldnt be surprised that things are going wrong with it.

Mercdriver

My wife wants an Evoque, I've seen several on low loaders over the last few weeks - all of them recovery trucks...

forgotmyname

Whats a stop/start battery? So it has the larger battery usually offered as an upgrade?

I have the biggest battery than will fit in my battery box. Car gets parked up unused for a week or more and i dont want a flat battery.

facade

forgotmyname wrote: »

Whats a stop/start battery?

A battery designed to be discharged repeatedly, operate in a lower state of charge, and charge at higher currents without suffering damage.

Compared to a starter battery they have more lead in and are a lot heavier.



Fitting a normal starter battery to a stop-start vehicle will kill the battery in short order, and can cause all sorts of odd electrical problems.

marlot

radish_radish wrote: »

... the car doesn't stop and start at junctions etc...

That's not unusual. There are a bunch of conditions for it to work (one of them being that the battery is well charged).


http://www.ownerinfo.landrover.com/document/LX/2016/T23424/18677_en_GBR/proc/G1797935

silverwhistle

forgotmyname wrote: »

My first car and a lesson not to leave stuff running with the engine off.

This happened to me earlier in the year with a battery that must have been on its way out (original, I presume, on a nine year old car).
Stopped at a level crossing which is often a long wait. Turned off and listened to the radio: that was enough. Very embarassing I can tell you, and even more embarrassing when it burst into life with the recovery guy's booster pack..


In this case I suspect it's not the battery as I'm sure the AA would have been able to do the same to restart, even if the battery needs replacing.