UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

Hi

I need to sell a 07 plate Polo 1.4SE automatic for a family member. However it has been stored unused in a garage for 18 months. The battery had fully discharged. I think I need to get a new battery for it, however I wonder if anyone can offer some advice?

I left the battery on charge for 24 hours, but through that time the ammeter on the charger didn't move from 0 Amps. So I suspect it's fully sulfated.

However on reconnecting the battery to the car, there was enough charge to bring up the clock and odometer etc.

Turning the key to ignition also lit up the dashboard indicators, but the ABS light was flickering and I could hear a rapid clicking of a relay somewhere in step with this.

Trying to start the engine killed all power. Turning on the slidelights also killed all power, so I think there was a small charge in the battery, enough for ignition only.

Is it possible ABS has failed in this time? or is it likely the relay clicking coudl be ABS failign to initiliase due to low power from the battery?

There was enough power to make the alarm sound loudly though!

Can anyone advise how to reset the alarm after reconnecting the battery?

Any help appreciated.

Abs and probably airbag warning lights will most likely stay on until reset as these systems are quite sensitive to voltage fluctuations but its most likely nothing to worry about.

Before starting it, check you can turn the engine by hand. It would also be worth draining the oil and replacing that and the filter. I would crank the engine over with the injectors or fuel pump disabled also to enable the engine to build oil pressure as the cams will likely be bone dry.

Otherwise, you shouldn't have any real problems bar freeing brakes off etc.

rover220 wrote:Abs and probably airbag warning lights will most likely stay on until reset as these systems are quite sensitive to voltage fluctuations but its most likely nothing to worry about.

Before starting it, check you can turn the engine by hand. It would also be worth draining the oil and replacing that and the filter. I would crank the engine over with the injectors or fuel pump disabled also to enable the engine to build oil pressure as the cams will likely be bone dry.

Otherwise, you shouldn't have any real problems bar freeing brakes off etc.

Thanks for that. Do you think the rapid clicking could be due to poor power levels from the battery also? Seemed to co-incide with the ABS light flickering.

Being an Automatic I can't push it to crank over the engine that way....

Thanksfully brakes came off perfectly - it's been stored in good dry conditions.

Yeah, clicking relays is low battery.

Get a spanner on the crank pulley to turn the engine over

rover220 wrote:Yeah, clicking relays is low battery.

Get a spanner on the crank pulley to turn the engine over

Good to hear that a low battery can cause the relays to click on & off.

The battery will be dead as a dodo. Just replace the battery, do an oil change, fill it up with fresh petrol and fire it up. No need for this turning over by hand malarkey.

Ash

K.I.T.T. wrote:The battery will be dead as a dodo. Just replace the battery, do an oil change, fill it up with fresh petrol and fire it up. No need for this turning over by hand malarkey.

Ash

Unless its siezed. Well worth checking

An update on this.... I bought a new battry from Halfords. Changign the battery on an 07 Polo is a challenge - is there a set of instructions on how to remove the plastic covering that holds some fuses etc?

I managed it but didn't feel I was doing it right.

Anyway with the new battery in the ignition came on which no solenoids clicking rapidly as beforew with the old battery when trying to hold a charge.

WHen starting initiall all I heard were a series of fairly loud clicks in succession and no engine movement. After a couple of seconds thought the engine turned over but didn't start.

Tryign a 2nd time I could hear it try to fire up - I guess soem fuel was startign to reach the cylinders.

Third attempt and it started perfectly. I ran it for 20 mins just idling, and then for a further 20 mins reving to between 2000 to 3000 rpm

The engine came up to temperature and seemed smooth. Starts after that were fine. thoguh one start did generate a couple of the clicks from the engine compartment and then started. Since then all seems fine.

Any idea what the clicks I heard are?

Looking to get it MOTd and sell in January so have disconnected the new battery and have a solar charger on it to keep it trickle charged.

Clicks will be sticky starter motor. Should stop with useage

Ah great thanks... last few times seemed to start first time, so maybe it's startign to free up a bit.