Transmission malfunction due to low battery?

[Yellow_Festiva]

Sorry, need some info pronto or would have put this in correct section.

LV Focus just got new radio under warranty. Plus oil and filter change. 52k km, Jan 10 model.

Got 500 m from dealer and gearbox goes nuts, flares, bunny hops. Traction control is lit on dash as is 'transmission malfunction'.

Dealer thinks it's low battery. 'happens all the time in falcon'.

Diesel Powershift auto. Sitting waiting verdict.

What you guys think re low batt story?

Cheers,
Jason

[Franco Cozzo]

I call BS on the low battery, the only thing that would have happened was the ECU would have reset and might have to relearn your driving style again for transmission control if they disconnected the battery for what ever reason.

Also you wouldn't have a low battery unless the alternator wasn't charging the battery, and it would have brought up a light on the dash.

Check your auto up/down on all your windows, if they disconnected the battery and didn't perform the reset proceedure for the windows, it won't work, easy way to see if they did it properly.

[IceValk85]

10 points they monkey with the tools accidentally drained the trans instead of the engine oil and forgot to refill the trans lol.

[mik]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

I call BS on the low battery, the only thing that would have happened was the ECU would have reset and might have to relearn your driving style again for transmission control if they disconnected the battery for what ever reason.

Also you wouldn't have a low battery unless the alternator wasn't charging the battery, and it would have brought up a light on the dash.

Check your auto up/down on all your windows, if they disconnected the battery and didn't perform the reset proceedure for the windows, it won't work, easy way to see if they did it properly.

battery might be low if the car was left for a long period/over night with something left turned on , interior light/radio left on, left the lights on to check the radio illumination?

[Yellow_Festiva]

Thanks for your replies, sorry for the delay. Phone died pretty much as soon as I posted.

I took a pic as soon as it happened:

[IMG][/IMG]

Anyway, left it running to show them the screen, drove it into the workshop where it was doing the same thing. Turn car off, hook up diagnostic thinggo and apparently the battery is reading 10.4volts and the absolute minimum is around the 9.6volts.

When they started the car all was back to normal. Said it would be a good idea the get a new battery, even though the guy I deal with did mention that the car may have sat for a while with lights / ignition on while the new radio was getting done.

I don't know what limp mode feels like, but it was very jerky and as mentioned, a low battery would have given a 'low battery light' on the dash????

It's prob the original? I guess 3 years is what they last in newer cars, I got 5 years for each battery in the Festiva ;)

Anyway... seems fine now. Will get it looked at after a day of driving to see if the low battery was just a result of the work done on the day.

Cheers for the replies,

Jason

[zilo]

Most car ECU will not tolerate below 10 volts for too long.

The symptoms you describe are completely consistent with battery low voltage/failure/limp mode.

[Werd.]

Oh cool so they drained your battery and want you to buy a new one..
Don't buy the new battery from them!