Thanks Jim, it'll be tomorrow before I get the battery on charge now, so I guess leave it overnight till Saturday, then test it.

The battery was bought from the RAC when they came out on a "home start" call  afaik and is under a guarantee so I can pursue that.

The donkey starts on the button though - is that amperage rather than voltage I wonder?

Regards from Terry.

Hi Jim, just wondering, are there any things to watch for when I disconnect and remove the battery, or do I just undo the connections and take it off. (I've got the radio code somewhere - I think!)

Regards, Terry.

Hi Terry, you don’t need to take the battery out to charge it though circumstances may dictate that you do. As long as you have the radio code and you disconnect the negative first, there is nothing else to watch for.

Thanks Jim it'll be on charge overnight now I guess so I'll bring it indoors. I'll get back on here tomorrow.

 - Terry.

Got battery out but boot lid doesn't seem to close properly it closes almost completely but there is usually a whirring sound as in gets pulled tight the last few millimeteres which of course doesn't happen w/o the battery

Left battery on charge overnight then took it off about 1200 today. Waited 1 hour then checked voltage with my new multimeter. Result was 12.84 volts. Stuck it on car. Still got ABS/DSC fault but I expected that on 1st cycle. Drove around then left it for a while. Started it up again and still got faults on a second cycle. Maybe this is some thing like sensor(s)? Dunno!

 

If there is no fault then it should clear after 3 drive cycles, try one more Terry.

If it still doesn’t clear then the next thing is to look at reluctor rings on the rear wheels. If you don’t know, it’s a segmented ring around the hub, the sensor sits above it.

These rings become corroded over time and bulge. This then scrubs the face of the sensor and it then goes defective.

Thanks Jim I'll try another cycle tomorrow.

Hi Jim, tried third cycle and still got the fault. I'll have a look at the reluctors as you suggest.

Are any of these things that claim to read OBD-2 codes any good? They seem a bit cagey about what they can read (P codes and/or C codes) and about whether any of the codes would be meaningful outside of a dealership workshop lol!

 - Terry.

Hi Terry, the icarsoft LR II is what you need but make sure you get it from a reputable company. It will certainly tell you what’s wrong and where the problem is.

I feel your problem will either be the ring or the sensor and hopefully not the wiring.

Thanks Jim. I'll have a think about that OBD reader, looks good. Meanwhile I'll try to have a look at the reluctors and sensors, maybe on a day when it's a bit drier underfoot (or under-backside since I'll be lying on the ground!)

Fortunately time is on my side since I'm not supposed to be going anywhere anyway 'cos of the lockdown.

 - Terry.

Just take the wheel off Terry, much better access, you’ll see everything you need to and you won’t need to get on your back.😉

Great thanks Jim!

Hi Jim, sorry to disappear for a week or so, I had to urgently repair a bit of fencing cos the area next door is being sold with planning permission so I wanted to clarify where the boundary is so I don't wake up one morning to find a JCB munching through my front lawn lol.

Anyway, done that. I'll try to get to car soonish. Thanks again for your help. I ain't ruled out the OBD thingy though.

 - Terry.

Hi tjn

Back to your original question "How to get the fuse box cover off" By coincidence I tried to get mine off today and like yours it didn't want to come off. I googled it and there's a youtube video showing how. The lid was released from the bottom with a plastic blade type of tool but I'm sure careful use of a flat blade screwdriver would do. There's a recess in the centre of the lid which looks like it's there for that purpose but surprisingly they inserted the blade under the lip to the side of the recess. Probably couldn't see what he was doing for the camera.

Good luck with the other problem, I replaced the reluctor rings on my last car and annoyingly they were about £45 each. BMW ones are about £15 ☹️

Cheers

Pete

Hi Peter, thanks for your advice re that cover. Just need a dry day now and nothing more urgent on schedule!

Regards from Terry.