Electrical Shutdown Rover 25

[rovertone]

Have just returned from a week away and found my wife's 25 completely dead, no dash lights, no lights, no central locking, nothing. The only light is the red immobiliser light. I left the car with a small solar panel plugged into the cigar lighter.
The battery is showing 12.15v and it's currently on charge but I'm not expecting it to make any difference.
I've checked the three 40amp fuses in engine bay fuse box and all are OK. I can't make contact at the mo with any local mobile auto electricians, car electrics aren't my forte and maybe there are some experts out there who could point me in the right direction. Up until this the car has been fine albeit after about 10 days standing the battery has gone flat and won't spin the starter. I was told a few years ago this was a quirk with R25s & 45's that didn't get much use, ans as long as it gets one run a week its been OK.
Thanks in anticipation. Tony

[Yorkshire GOC]

By red immobiliser light do you mean the red light on the top of the coolant gauge as in the Rover 75 ? If so that is actually the oil pressure light and if it comes on it means your ECU is still alive - no light means a dead ECU. I would be looking at the battery -12.15 is still below normal -should be at least 12.4 - is the battery old and has it drained before because repeated drains will knacker it.

[rovertone]

Thanks for your response.
It's the light that is equivalent to the one to to the left of the milometer on the 75.
The battery is fairly new but has run flat a time or two, not completely dead but flat enough for systems to come on but not the starter.
My concern is whether the ecu is dead, the solar panel was advertised as having a diode so it doesn't overcook the battery but right now I'm having my doubts!

[Yorkshire GOC]

Just had a look at a Rover 25 IPK - do you mean to the left of the rev counter/tachograph on the coolant temp gauge if so that is the oil pressure light and if it comes on your ECU is still live.

[rovertone]

No its centre between bottom of tacho & speedo, its a MK2 54 reg.
I've checked all the under bonnet fuses and all fine. Battery has been on charge all day and not yet up to max, I'll wait and see if what tomorrow morning brings. Just so strange that everything is dead.

[ballymenaman]

Don't trust solar trickle chargers. I used one on my R45 and it wrecked the battery completely. At night the charger can reverse it's function (if faulty) and DIScharge the battery.
Get a good 'intelligent' trickle charger with a battery repair function (can be had for 20 quid or less). You can sometimes save and repair a battery that is almost dead.

[Roverlike]

I would buy completely new battery and try from there.

Also take into consideration that if you have Pektron round fobs, this system does not like if it is left with battery die slowly. Pektron system in that case may well forget all the fobs and will not let you disarm the system. However, you will still be able to start the engine but it will die in asecond or two.

If at the end this happened, try to contact Paul Brown at https://www.technozen-electronics.co.uk/ as he might be able to help you bring back fobs. But be prepared to dismantle the alarm ecu and send it to him.

[rovertone]

Originally Posted by Roverlike

I would buy completely new battery and try from there.

Also take into consideration that if you have Pektron round fobs, this system does not like if it is left with battery die slowly. Pektron system in that case may well forget all the fobs and will not let you disarm the system. However, you will still be able to start the engine but it will die in asecond or two.

If at the end this happened, try to contact Paul Brown at https://www.technozen-electronics.co.uk/ as he might be able to help you bring back fobs. But be prepared to dismantle the alarm ecu and send it to him.

Yes I'm suspecting that the battery has gone. This morning the battery was showing full charge and everything was back to normal, however I am going to leave it an hour or so to try again. I have a hunch now that, whilst the battery has taken a charge, it won't hold it. I've had plenty of flat batteries before but never to the point where even the interior light would not come on.

I've also just checked the battery warranty and there is a disclaimer that the it is null and void if fitted to a vehicle that does less than 1500 miles p.a., so that perhaps says it all.
I will be taking up balleymenaman's suggestion and will get a charger to maintain the battery when the car is left for a while. I don't have much faith in solar chargers.
Thanks for your response.

[trikey]

Have a check of the wiring loom between the tailgate and main body, if this rubs through it will cause the same symptoms.

Sent from my SM-G780G using Tapatalk

[rovertone]

Originally Posted by trikey

Have a check of the wiring loom between the tailgate and main body, if this rubs through it will cause the same symptoms.

Sent from my SM-G780G using Tapatalk

Thanks Trikey, I checked the loom a while back when I thought I had a battery parasite drain but all looks as new, car has only done 30K.

I haven't checked today yet but yesterday 24hrs after recharging, the battery is still holding 12.7v, I was quite expecting that it would have failed to hold a charge.
I fitted an isolator which I will use in future when we go away rather than solar panel. I think its probably a case of leaving the car standing with a discharged battery due to continuous short runs. I'll get a maintaining charger and also suggest Mrs rovertone gets out a bit more!!