Prologue: A couple of weeks before the problem happened I had the battery replaced
The problem:
The check engine light came on and when I checked the code P0705 (with my hand held code reader) it told me that there was a fault with the transmission range sensor. The car seemed to be running ok and so I did nothing (mistake!), although I ordered a new sensor.
(I should point out that I live in a small place called Dukhan in Qatar and getting to a repair shop is quite difficult, in my defence).
Then one day a week or two later the car started to shift out of gear when it reached OD and rev really high. I switched OD off and I was able to reach home (some of the shifting was a little erratic on the way).
I tried the car the following day to try to further diagnose the problem and it seemed back to normal. I used it for short journeys for a few more days until the shifting out of gear happened again like before.
I got the car home and tried the following day and this time after I started the car I swear I put it into reverse and it started to creep forwards! I switched off the engine and went to work in our other car.
When I got back I tried to start the car and the next thing happened which now has me stumped. I turned the key and it made a sound like the engine was about to turn over for a fraction of a second and then stopped and all power from the car appeared to be switched off. No instruments, lights, nothing. The red anti theft lamp was pulsing gently (not flashing on and off just getting a little brighter and dimmer) and there was a faint ticking like from a relay coming from the fuse box.
No amount of removing and reconnecting the battery made any difference. I checked the fuses and relays and I could not find a problem and so I convinced myself that it could be something to do with the relays soldered on to the fuse box circuit board.
Gritting my teeth I removed the fuse box and dismantled it. Apart from one fuse that was blown (39 – Console power points, which seemed unrelated) all the fuses were intact. I had already tried switching the user serviceable relays around to see if that made any difference to no avail.
I ordered some of the small soldered relays from eBay and decided to replace the most likely of the them (R303 fuel pump), just in case (although I thought if this was gone the car would turn over by not start).
Anyhow I reassembled the fuse box – put it in the car and connected everything up. The interior lights came on (because the door was open) and I thought I was in business. Holding my breath I turned the key and…same as before tiny attempt to turn the engine over which stopped after a fraction of a second and then all electrics gone again. (In the interim I had put my (new) battery on charge just in case).
Sigh.
The transmission range sensor arrived and I replaced it, but still no change – all electrics (apart from the gently pulsating anti theft light).
Update – I pressed the fuel cut off switch in the trunk just in case and I reconnected the battery today just to see and this time the fuse box started ticking again like before. I pulled all the relays and it is clearly one of the soldered ones. By feeling with my finger I think the one vibrating the most with the ticking is the middle one (fuel pump) again. The anti theft light is now going on and off in time with the ticking and the rest of the car is powered down.
I’m British and I’ve done a bit of work on cars at home before, but most of our cars are manual and so autos are a bit of a mystery to me. Can anyone help?
Can a fuel pump relay (or the fuel pump) cause the rest of the car to power down?
The transmission selector lever moves easily – can the transmission be jammed in gear preventing starting? Would that ‘trip out’ all the electrical systems?
With everything dead, how can I start diagnosing the fault?
How on earth is the transmission, fuel system and electrical system interfering with each other?
(I know I probably brought this on myself by ignoring the warnings the car was giving me – believe me I feel like an idiot now.)
Thanks in advance to anyone offering advice.
The problem:
The check engine light came on and when I checked the code P0705 (with my hand held code reader) it told me that there was a fault with the transmission range sensor. The car seemed to be running ok and so I did nothing (mistake!), although I ordered a new sensor.
(I should point out that I live in a small place called Dukhan in Qatar and getting to a repair shop is quite difficult, in my defence).
Then one day a week or two later the car started to shift out of gear when it reached OD and rev really high. I switched OD off and I was able to reach home (some of the shifting was a little erratic on the way).
I tried the car the following day to try to further diagnose the problem and it seemed back to normal. I used it for short journeys for a few more days until the shifting out of gear happened again like before.
I got the car home and tried the following day and this time after I started the car I swear I put it into reverse and it started to creep forwards! I switched off the engine and went to work in our other car.
When I got back I tried to start the car and the next thing happened which now has me stumped. I turned the key and it made a sound like the engine was about to turn over for a fraction of a second and then stopped and all power from the car appeared to be switched off. No instruments, lights, nothing. The red anti theft lamp was pulsing gently (not flashing on and off just getting a little brighter and dimmer) and there was a faint ticking like from a relay coming from the fuse box.
No amount of removing and reconnecting the battery made any difference. I checked the fuses and relays and I could not find a problem and so I convinced myself that it could be something to do with the relays soldered on to the fuse box circuit board.
Gritting my teeth I removed the fuse box and dismantled it. Apart from one fuse that was blown (39 – Console power points, which seemed unrelated) all the fuses were intact. I had already tried switching the user serviceable relays around to see if that made any difference to no avail.
I ordered some of the small soldered relays from eBay and decided to replace the most likely of the them (R303 fuel pump), just in case (although I thought if this was gone the car would turn over by not start).
Anyhow I reassembled the fuse box – put it in the car and connected everything up. The interior lights came on (because the door was open) and I thought I was in business. Holding my breath I turned the key and…same as before tiny attempt to turn the engine over which stopped after a fraction of a second and then all electrics gone again. (In the interim I had put my (new) battery on charge just in case).
Sigh.
The transmission range sensor arrived and I replaced it, but still no change – all electrics (apart from the gently pulsating anti theft light).
Update – I pressed the fuel cut off switch in the trunk just in case and I reconnected the battery today just to see and this time the fuse box started ticking again like before. I pulled all the relays and it is clearly one of the soldered ones. By feeling with my finger I think the one vibrating the most with the ticking is the middle one (fuel pump) again. The anti theft light is now going on and off in time with the ticking and the rest of the car is powered down.
I’m British and I’ve done a bit of work on cars at home before, but most of our cars are manual and so autos are a bit of a mystery to me. Can anyone help?
Can a fuel pump relay (or the fuel pump) cause the rest of the car to power down?
The transmission selector lever moves easily – can the transmission be jammed in gear preventing starting? Would that ‘trip out’ all the electrical systems?
With everything dead, how can I start diagnosing the fault?
How on earth is the transmission, fuel system and electrical system interfering with each other?
(I know I probably brought this on myself by ignoring the warnings the car was giving me – believe me I feel like an idiot now.)
Thanks in advance to anyone offering advice.
