Scottish Elises

Can anyone give me some advice what to do please? Car worked fine all yesterday, but having started first time this morning and driven one mile to the shop and parked up and switched off. Came back after 5 minutes and pushed big button on key fob to turn off imob, then turned key quarter turn, then waited for lights to turn off before turning key further. Sure I heard a click from behind but no ignition at all. Tried again, no click this time, and still nothing. Waited for the imob flashing light to come back on before trying again. Could it be the alternator, imob? Anything I can do, as no garages will be open on Sunday up here in Ullapool. Time 10:05 mobile number

Steve, hopefully Robin will come on, but it will not be the alternator if the battery is charged.

Check your headlights first that they give full brightness.

tut

Thanks tut. Lights all working, and at full brightness. Alarm, imob, beeps for a few seconds now. Never done this before.

Any chance it could be the battery, only needs to drop 15-20% charge level and engine will appear dead.

Lights working but nothing at all from the engine. Thanks flip flop.

Lights on try and start it - If the lights dim then it's drawing current so the starter might be stuck
If it is pop it in gear, handbrake off and rock the car back and fore a few times might free if off.
Esprit did it a while back.

Think it's the imob myself. Anything I can do?

Try jumpstart?
You have breakdown cover?

Yes, breakdown on the way. Will keep you updated. Thanks for responses so far.

What car is it? S1/S2?

Turn ignition off. Wait until the alarm arms itself. Now press the button on the fob. Alarm light on dash should clear. Now turn the ignition to the run position (i.e. where the key normally sits when the engine is running). You should hear a buzz for about 3 seconds, which is the fuel pump priming. Now turn the key to the start position. You should hear a click from the engine bay and the starter should turn.

If you hear the buzz from the fuel pump but the starter does not turn then you can work around this quite easily.

Leave the ignition in the run position, alarm cleared.

Put handbrake on, car in neutral.

Pop the boot.

Find the starter motor. It's left of centre, underneath the throttle body ish.

On the back of the starter are three wires. If you're standing on the left of the car looking at the back of the starter then the three wires are at 9 o'clock, 3 o'clock and 6 o'clock.

The 6 o'clock wire is the smaller of the three and is just a push-fit spade terminal.

Pull the spade terminal off the back of the starter.

Now you need some wire or something conductive. I'm sure you can find something if you're near some shops (a screwdriver, coat hanger, knife/fork, ...).

You need to short the terminal at the 6 o'clock position to the terminal at the 3 o'clock position. This will make the starter turn and hopefully the engine will start.

If you did not hear the fuel pump prime then the above won't work as the immobiliser is probably goosed.

If you let me know which car it is I can tell you which fuses to check.

Cheers,
Robin

P.S. Be careful with the shorting procedure - the 6 o'clock stud is an unfused connection to the battery - if you short it to the engine block or anything else earthed a sh*t load of current will flow and the thing you're holding will get very hot.

P.P.S. Give me a shout on 07973 391 393 if you need some help with this.

Up and running, shorted out starter motor while ignition was turned on. Temporary repair. Big thanks to Craig and Robin and everyone else.
Ps thank goodness 1st spot on 'was it you?' thread wasn't on back of breakdown truck lol!

Scottish Elises at it's best! What a great community.

Checked the 20A fuse when i got home yesterday, and it had blown. Popped up to garage to get new one, and a spare incase it happens again. Thanks for all the responses, especially to Craig and Robin, who helped me to get back on the road, and repair the fault.