Started the LLC yesterday and moved it to the house garage. Been trying to solve the dim high beams mystery. Yesterday I accessed the fuse box in the engine compartment and swiped around relay 23 and 24. Not sure if that helped the high beams. Did not start the car to check lights, nor turn on accessories , only pulled the stem on the steering column for HBeams. This morning, dash comes on, but only click click click, and the center screen glasses “your accident avoidance is not available “, won’t start. I swapped the relays around , but no change. Battery was dealer replaced 3/23. Had to get a ride to work so tonight will need to figure it out. Battery? Coincidence or did I do something swapping the low beams and high beam relays?
Click click
- Thread starter 1shetan
- Start date
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Sure you didn't leave the ignition on? Sounds like a low battery. Have access to a voltmeter to dig into it?
- Thread starter
- #3
Thanks you for the reply, did not turn the ignition on as I could flash the high beam by reaching through the window and working the stem.
As soon as I got home, it repeated, I put a battery charger on it and right away it started up. have it charging 2amp now. Battery is leaking acid from the top seal area?
working on getting the old multimeter to work...one of those days.
As soon as I got home, it repeated, I put a battery charger on it and right away it started up. have it charging 2amp now. Battery is leaking acid from the top seal area?
working on getting the old multimeter to work...one of those days.
I think you unfortunately have at least a couple things going on.
Battery is definitely weak, and will need to be replaced as a first step. Why it is weak - could be just wear. Maybe precipitated by deep cycling during end of Covid? Lead acid batteries last the longest when they are near full charge and take additional wear/damage when sitting at lower states of charge in a process called sulfation. Hopefully that is the case and it's not also the alternator.
More seriously, the click click is an indication of the starter relay going out. The death knell often comes with a weak battery at lower voltage, and the relay has to shunt more current/amps to make up for power necessary to start the car. High current creates excess arcs and heat, hastening a worn relays demise. The charger brought voltage high enough for the relay to work temporarily. Just know that the relay on this vehicle dies hard and will not give many warning shots before completely failing, unable to start the engine again.
Battery is definitely weak, and will need to be replaced as a first step. Why it is weak - could be just wear. Maybe precipitated by deep cycling during end of Covid? Lead acid batteries last the longest when they are near full charge and take additional wear/damage when sitting at lower states of charge in a process called sulfation. Hopefully that is the case and it's not also the alternator.
More seriously, the click click is an indication of the starter relay going out. The death knell often comes with a weak battery at lower voltage, and the relay has to shunt more current/amps to make up for power necessary to start the car. High current creates excess arcs and heat, hastening a worn relays demise. The charger brought voltage high enough for the relay to work temporarily. Just know that the relay on this vehicle dies hard and will not give many warning shots before completely failing, unable to start the engine again.
- Thread starter
- #5
Relay after 100k is easy maintenance, will look for oem, battery is getting replaced, waiting on new multimeter to check alternator. When I started the vehicle up yesterday the gauge on the dash was reading 14v. Which maybe good news for the alternator?
He's referring to the solenoid on the starter, as that's the one that typically fails on us. Getting access to it requires removing the exhaust manifold..
The starter (and piggybacked relay) is not a fun job on this rig. Whole thread dedicated to the fun.
Manifold does not need to come off. Just the mid-pipe. Trick to getting it past the exhaust/frame is to disassemble the relay from the starter once the assembly is free from the bellhousing. Replacement starter/solenoid assembly is smaller.
Manifold does not need to come off. Just the mid-pipe. Trick to getting it past the exhaust/frame is to disassemble the relay from the starter once the assembly is free from the bellhousing. Replacement starter/solenoid assembly is smaller.
