No start....

[Jim Haseltine]

Car has been too good to be true for the last few months except for the starter playing up when the engine is hot. Last night it was fine, tiny puff of smoke when it started but not the full on James Bond smoke screen I used to see, ran great, got home and parked it up. Tried to use it tonight, wouldn't start. Turned over as sluggish as it usually does but wouldn't fire. 2-3 more attempts with the same result.
Pulled the codes to find two new ones:
012357 - Fuel Pump
P3045 - 001 - Electronics Defective
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 01100001
Fault Priority: 2
Fault Frequency: 1
Reset counter: 255
Mileage: 186767 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2022.02.23
Time: 19:32:50

Freeze Frame:
RPM: 95 /min
Load: 72.1 %
Speed: 0.0 km/h
Temperature: 9.0°C
Temperature: 9.0°C
Absolute Pres.: 1000.0 mbar
Voltage: 9.652 V

012425 - Signal Line for Fuel Pump Electronics
P3089 - 002 - Electrical Malfunction
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 01100010
Fault Priority: 2
Fault Frequency: 1
Reset counter: 255
Mileage: 186767 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2022.02.23
Time: 19:36:32

Freeze Frame:
RPM: 105 /min
Load: 71.3 %
Speed: 0.0 km/h
Temperature: 9.0°C
Temperature: 10.0°C
Absolute Pres.: 1000.0 mbar
Voltage: 9.906 V

So - duff fuel pump or some sort of control unit? Went out and checked a few minutes ago, the pump doesn't prime when I open the driver's door - didn't notice if it did earlier tonight.

[Jim Haseltine]

Following advice for elsewhere on the 'net, I've taken a look at the fuse links attached to the battery positive lead - the 30A has a crack in it. It doesn't look like a blown fuse normally does, it has more of the look of a fatigue crack. Odd that it should give up when the car wasn't running and more than 6 months since the battery was touched.

[don0301]

I had this exact fault a while ago, did post about it.

I looked online for inspiration and was pointed to this, mine looked fine visually, luckily I took a photo of it and when seen on my computer the crack was more obvious.

Replaced and has worked fine since.

[Jim Haseltine]

When I got told to look at the link I remembered your post so was almost certain what I'd find before I opened the cover.

[Jim Haseltine]

Collected a little plastic bag this morning, according to both the label on the bag and the invoice I was given it contained 2x N 104 249 01 fuses. Those being 30A. Once again, like an idiot I didn't check the parts. Got home a while back after doing other enforced weekend activities and while fitting one thought that it seemed a bit chunky compared to the broken one I removed the other day. A closer look while wearing my reading specs showed them both to be stamped 80A, which I suspect means that they're N 104 249 04.
The parts department closed at 1pm so I'll have to wait until Monday to express my displeasure to them.

[ATinOf]

Presume you are dealing with stealers and not TPS direct Jim? Is your local stealer like mine and has no spares desk anymore? Leave you jaywalking in the showroom for ten minutes while you wait to be dealt with? I'm sure they do it on purpose, and I'm sure they leave you there longer if you are looking over that nice V10 R8 in the corner.....What is the world coming to? lol,

[Jim Haseltine]

Unfortunately TPS around here won't deal with the public and my tame trade contact took it into his head to move to the other end of the country in November. Why on earth he thought Cornwall would be a better place to live than Yorkshire I have no idea. Luckily the local dealer has two sites - one is a showroom and the other is a service centre, which still has a parts counter.

[IanH755]

Leave you jaywalking in the showroom for ten minutes while you wait to be dealt with? I'm sure they do it on purpose, and I'm sure they leave you there longer if you are looking over that nice V10 R8 in the corner.....What is the world coming to? lol,

If I've been left alone for more than 5 minutes I get a bit "grumpy old man" and have a look at what cars customers are looking at then start loudly asking "Helllllo, does anyone one know where the parts dept is, my A6/A3/Q5 (whatever customers are looking at) has broken down again so I need more parts to fix it!" - Usually gets some kind of response quite quickly - childish but makes me laugh!

[don0301]

When I got told to look at the link I remembered your post so was almost certain what I'd find before I opened the cover.

Hi Jim

Totally agree with you that it looked like fatigue rather than "blown"

I was quite chuffed I'd found it and fixed it myself.

Glad you're sorted.

Don

[Jim Haseltine]

And here's another case of dealer tax.
Yesterday, 2x N 104 249 01 supposed to be 30A but 80A supplied, £11.98. No additional costs to get to the parts department (its an easy stroll from where we were shopping anyway), makes them £5.99 each.
This morning I was first customer into my local Halfords when it opened at 10AM, 1x HFS298 assorted strip fuses (one each of 30A, 40A, 50A, 60A), £3.70. Drove there, round trip of 7 miles which probably cost me around £2.50 in petrol, so that bumps the £0.925 item cost to to a heady £1.55 for each fuse.
Bit of digging shows that my other half's A1 should take an 80A fuse so I might end up keeping the one I fitted to my car in my parts stock.