I awoke this morning to a flat battery in my MG SUV

Bretrick

Bretrick

Well-known Member
Location
Perth Western Australia
Apparently when the battery goes fully flat then every thing shuts down.
Key fob would not work so I could not unlock it even.
I have a jump starter in the vehicle but even if I could have gotten access to it, it would not have worked.
The whole system needed to be reset by a technician.
Why oh why do companies make their products non user friendly?
RAC were called, time taken to reset to usable mode - 25 minutes.
 

The "technology" in these new cars requires the owner to spend some time reading the Owners Manual and preparing for this Gee Wiz stuff to break down. These "smart key" fobs use a small button battery which should be replaced at least once a year. The "engine" battery must be closely monitored for any signs of failure...especially once it becomes 3 years old....especially if the vehicles sits for several days without being used. More and more, these cars are being made with all sorts of features that can be a real PITA when they fail.
 
Don M. said:
The "technology" in these new cars requires the owner to spend some time reading the Owners Manual and preparing for this Gee Wiz stuff to break down. These "smart key" fobs use a small button battery which should be replaced at least once a year. The "engine" battery must be closely monitored for any signs of failure...especially once it becomes 3 years old....especially if the vehicles sits for several days without being used. More and more, these cars are being made with all sorts of features that can be a real PITA when they fail.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the way I found about the key hidden in the key fob thing was when the road assist guy showed up, for my dead battery.
 
Bretrick said:
Apparently when the battery goes fully flat then every thing shuts down.
Key fob would not work so I could not unlock it even.
I have a jump starter in the vehicle but even if I could have gotten access to it, it would not have worked.
The whole system needed to be reset by a technician.
Why oh why do companies make their products non user friendly?
RAC were called, time taken to reset to usable mode - 25 minutes.
Click to expand...


Interesting @Bretrick .... didn't know that.

What made me read your thread was the mention of a "flat" battery.

That's a new phrase for me -- in the States we say dead battery, and flat tire.
But I get your point. ... and so sorry for all that trouble it caused.
 
My son & DIL had a Porsche as a weekend ride. When the battery in it went dead (or "flat") they discovered the hood latch release was also electrically powered. Dead Battery? You can't open the hood (bonnet to you folks in the UK).

They found a work around on youtube that allowed them to hook up a different battery to a computer card under the dashboard, that would allow the hood to open, but being a Porsche, you had to stand on your head, and click the heels of your ruby slippers three times. :ROFLMAO:
 
Don M. said:
The "technology" in these new cars requires the owner to spend some time reading the Owners Manual and preparing for this Gee Wiz stuff to break down. These "smart key" fobs use a small button battery which should be replaced at least once a year. The "engine" battery must be closely monitored for any signs of failure...especially once it becomes 3 years old....especially if the vehicles sits for several days without being used. More and more, these cars are being made with all sorts of features that can be a real PITA when they fail.
Click to expand...
Actually if you have a British built MG, starting them from a flat battery is quite simple. Insert starting handle, rotate eh, voila!
Jessica scrub up 002.JPG
 
Don M. said:
The "technology" in these new cars requires the owner to spend some time reading the Owners Manual and preparing for this Gee Wiz stuff to break down. These "smart key" fobs use a small button battery which should be replaced at least once a year. The "engine" battery must be closely monitored for any signs of failure...especially once it becomes 3 years old....especially if the vehicles sits for several days without being used. More and more, these cars are being made with all sorts of features that can be a real PITA when they fail.
Click to expand...
But they're like gold to the dealers who, in many cases, are the only one's capable of repairing them.
 

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