Very Odd Knocking Noise

[skib]

Hi there, My name is Elaine and I have an IS 220D year 2008.  After lockdown, I needed a new Battery which was purchased in July.  The car wouldn't start and my husband couldn't quite get if fitted properly.  The garage sort of banged it on and everything was ok for a wee while.  Due to closures etc and the fact that I am working from home, it wasn't driven very often, perhaps once, twice a week. 

Early December, it wouldn't start.  Our local garage attended and found it difficult to get it started with a booster.  It took a hill start to get it to drive.  (they towed it till it started).  After this, in the garage, they charged the Battery and kept it for about a week and said that it started every day.  Sure enough, it started each time..........until it didn't.  Yesterday.  It was dead as a dodo.  Today we went out to remove the Battery to charge it (it hadn't been driven since just after xmas) but when I absentmindedly hit the fob on OPEN, it started to make clunky clicks under the bonnet.  I did not try to start it.  We couldn't get the bonnet to open due to the frost so we'll wait until tomorrow.

I'm a 60 something woman but have been driving since I was 17 and, as I run a 28 year old classic Saab, am familiar with car and their problems.

Reading the forums, could it be starter motor connections?

Sometimes garage mechanics treat me like I'm a daft lassie so any back up would be appreciated.

Thank you.

 

 

 

 

[scudney]

How old is the Battery 🔋 if I may ask 🤔 

[Shahpor]

Welcome Elaine,

It certainly sounds like a strange one.

Clicky noise sounds like a relay or solenoid, which could indicate a flat Battery.  Difficult to tell really without hearing it.

It sounds like it needs a good run to get it charging properly again, so I would get the Battery topped up and give it another go.

On a side note, tell us more about this Saab 🙂

[Herbie]

28 minutes ago, skib said:

After lockdown, I needed a new battery which was purchased in July.  The car wouldn't start and my husband couldn't quite get if fitted properly.  The garage sort of banged it on

Now that worries me. You should not need to "bang it on". Maybe he's damaged it and acid has leaked out, so first thing I would do is get it out for a proper physical inspection.

30 minutes ago, skib said:

Our local garage attended and found it difficult to get it started with a booster.  It took a hill start to get it to drive.

That also worries me.

32 minutes ago, skib said:

Today we went out to remove the battery to charge it (it hadn't been driven since just after xmas) but when I absentmindedly hit the fob on OPEN, it started to make clunky clicks under the bonnet.  I did not try to start it...[...]...Reading the forums, could it be starter motor connections?

If you didn't try to start it then the clunk can't be the starter motor.

There is a thing called 'solenoid chatter' but I don't think it's that. This is where the Battery is low but has enough power to energise the starter solenoid. As the contacts pull in to pass power to the starter motor the voltage drops like a stone to the point where the solenoid drops out, whereupon the Battery voltage rises again and the whole process is rapidly repeated again and again and you hear a series of rapid clicks as the contacts keep pulling in and out.

[plexus914]

That sounds like glow plugs and/or injectors.

Here is an interesting link to that kind of problem on a 2006 220D:

 

[skib]

Due to lockdown and everything else, my car hasn't been near a motorway since the beginning of the year, just short runs.  Would this contribute to a build up like this?

I've contacted the local garage to let them know but did say that we were going to recharge the Battery first.  She's suffered enough indignity being towed last month rather than have to do it again.  

Hubby has an RX hybrid but is not, under any circumstance, giving me a jump start.🤨

 

 

 

[skib]

Battery was new when I purchased from the garage in July of 2020.

I'm a bit new to posting etc, forgive me.

 

[Linas.P]

Do you mean "knocking noise" or "clicking noise". See below - if it is like in the video then the answer is dead Battery. Not totally dead, where you would not be able to unlock the doors etc. but dead enough not to be able to turn over the starter. This results clicking like below:

 

[Texas]

The first thing I thought of when OP stated about the Battery...  "couldn't quite get if fitted properly.  The garage sort of banged it on" was that the Wrong Battery was trying to be fitted, by wrong I suspect the Battery terminals were on the wrong edge and this means the Battery connection leads have to be stretched to get to the terminals which are now at the front of the Battery instead of the back edge. sometimes when the wrong Battery is supplied in good faith it is very easy to put Battery in with terminals at the back but now the polarity will be REVERSED and will cause all hell to break loose if inadvertly connected even for a split second!

I am not suggesting the Battery HAS been connected up wrong But if your terminals are at the front of the Battery it is the wrong Battery at the connections may not be fully secured which may lead to a reduced power delivery to the starter motor.

Below is a Picture of a (Expensive) IS250 with Wrong Battery Fitted. I think IS220D Battery arrangement is the same, is it not?

[steve2006]

3 hours ago, skib said:

Due to lockdown and everything else, my car hasn't been near a motorway since the beginning of the year, just short runs.  Would this contribute to a build up like this?

I've contacted the local garage to let them know but did say that we were going to recharge the battery first.  She's suffered enough indignity being towed last month rather than have to do it again.  

Hubby has an RX hybrid but is not, under any circumstance, giving me a jump start.🤨

 

 

 

Hubby is correct....never jump start a conventional petrol or diesel car from a hybrid 12 volt Battery.

[skib]

Hi there, the video doesn't cover my clicking/knocking.  I didn't even sit in it, just accidentally used the fob even though I knew the Battery was duff.  It was so far down that I had to open the door with the key.

It's currently being charged up.  It'll take a wee while I think then take her to the garage again.  

Tomorrow I'll go retrieve the Saab and the old girl will keep me mobile.

Us old ladies are reliable😀